3 across help please!

[momto2princes]

My girlfriend has a Ford Escape (I think 2003).
She currently has a Frontier and a RF Marathon. She is wondering if it would puzzle with her current seats adding an infant seat or if she would have to change up some seats to make it work?

Has anyone done a successful 3 across with
Frontier
RF Marathon
Infant seat (I think she has a snugride)

Thanks in advance on behalf of my friend.

[momto2princes]

I am going to try to puzzle it myself for her possibly on the weekend.

Each seat needs to be independently rock solid then it doesn't matter if they are touching. Is that right?

Any other tips to share?

[Pixels]

Eash seat needs to be independently tight (not necessarily rock solid). Independently tight means that the seat moves less than one inch at the belt path.

Install the center seat first. Get it tight enough. Even if you CAN get it rock-the-car solid, you might not want to just yet. You might need the little bit of wiggle room in order to get the other seats in.

Install the outboard seats, as tightly as you can. It's ok for seats to touch or even press on each other. Then take out the center seat and check the outboard seats, to see if they are tight enough. If all is well, then you just have to get the center seat back in.

[momto2princes]

Eash seat needs to be independently tight (not necessarily rock solid). Independently tight means that the seat moves less than one inch at the belt path.

Install the center seat first. Get it tight enough. Even if you CAN get it rock-the-car solid, you might not want to just yet. You might need the little bit of wiggle room in order to get the other seats in.

Install the outboard seats, as tightly as you can. It's ok for seats to touch or even press on each other. Then take out the center seat and check the outboard seats, to see if they are tight enough. If all is well, then you just have to get the center seat back in.

Thanks!

[canmom]

I have never done 3 across myself but I have been told you may need to use the vehicle seat belts to install as it might give you a bit more room than the LATCH anchors will. According the the 2009 LATCH Manual, Ford does allow borrowing of outboard anchors for centre installation provided the car seat manufacturer allows it. Britax does allow it but Graco does not allow non-standard spacing (11")... the LATCH anchors closest to centre in that vehicle will be 16" apart. I doubt even using centre LATCH for one of the Britax seats would work though with 3 across. Remember if you need to you can install the Graco without the base to give you a bit more room (there are some other infant seats that require the base though).GL!