3 across in a 4-runner?

[summerland73]

Is there any way to have 3 children across in a 4-runner? I am due with #3 in July. At that time I will have an almost 3 year old who will still be rearfacing in a truefit, and a almost 7 year old ff in a truefit (he's small for his age). I dont want my son to have to move to a booster if at all possible until at least 65 pounds, he is only 45 at the moment. The 2 year old is tiny at 24 pounds, so she will be rearfacing until age 4 or so im guessing. My third carseat for the new baby is a graco safe seat. Im just not sure if there is anyway to make it work? Thanks for your time :)

[mamoomorgan]

I did 3 across in a 4runner for a while, it was hard but it worked, however I had two in boosters and one in an infant seat. All the seats you have seem big, is there much room in that extra spot now? Can an adult fit there? I'm not sure how those seats puzzle together as my TF replaced our SS1 so I never installed them next to each other.
You're actually better off (IMHO) with your ds in a booster (aside from safety) because doing up boosters in a 3 across situation is NASTY, many many red welts on my hands.
I hope someone else has some more concrete ideas. I do think there is a 3 across thread, try searching for it maybe.

[dragonfly8]

Wow, those are going to be squishy! I am curious to hear what others say. My best guess is that both the FF True fit and the RF true fit will have to go side by side, and the ss on the outside. I can't imagine trying to get the ss in between the true fits................

I have a FF radian and a safeseat with the base in both our suburban and our malibu................

Soon to be getting a nautilus to replace the safeseat (2 year old will go into the GN and 8 month old will go rf into the radian)

[ketchupqueen]

nevermind...

[QuassEE]

What year is the 4Runner? It's definitely do-able in any of the newer 4Runners, but it may require trading in one of those TFs for a Radian OR possibly use the infant seat baseless...and be creative as to which order they go in. Generally what I do is:
Avoid using LATCH--LATCH centres the carseats inwards from the arm bolster of the door. Install the first outboard seat, then push it towards the door along the seatbelt path as far as possible and tighten. Then install the centre seat, trying to puzzle the best seat in that space so there can be some overlap without interference (you need to get each seat tight independent of the others)... Then the last seat.... :)

I had a 2000 4Runner from '00-'02 and I did get a number of different configurations of three-across in it. I had a Pathfinder after that--very similar interior space and same deal. Heck, I had three across in my tiny little '03 Corolla for a while, while purchasing a new car and it was my primary vehicle. No problem! :)

-Nicole.