Having issues installing Evenflo Tribute V RF

[Ashiek]

I have an evenflo Tribute V I'm trying to install rear facing into my 2007 Saturn Vue for my 6 month old daughter.

The arrow doesn't line up parallel to the floor like it says it needs to so I have to use a towel under the front of the seat to get it to recline enough.

I can't for the life of me get the seat tight enough. My husband and I both wrestled around with it for about an hour yesterday and couldn't get it tight enough. It didn’t move that much, but too much for my liking, and I’m thinking more than an inch. I don’t like them to move at all.

I’m using the latch system in the car, and she is being put on the passenger side as my son is in a Tribute V FF behind the driver.
Any advice?????

[Maedze]

Where is the movement? When you test for movement are you checking low at the belt path, or elsewhere on the seat, like the top?


Also, the Tribute V is quite a small seat. How old and how big is the child who is facing forward in one?

[Ashiek]

The movement is at the latch belt path. it's only a little when you first tug on it, but if you give it a good tug it moves and seems to get easier to move after that.....

My son is 2.5 and around 28lbs.
he has a full shoulder slot and 12 lbs to go before out growing it.

[Maedze]

When you install, have you tried pull straight UP on the LATCH strap at the adjuster, rather than down or out? It's all in the angle, not so much brute strength.

The Tribute does have a 30 lb rearfacing limit, so if your 2.5 year old has more than an inch of shell over the top of his head, he could rearface a bit longer.

Due to the Tribute's very short harness height, it will be nearly impossible for the vast majority of children, except very short torosed or very overweight ones, to make it 40 lbs in that seat.

[Defrost]

Did you double-check and make sure the LATCH strap is in the RF beltpath? It can be an easy thing to miss - many parents don't realize that you have to move the LATCH straps from one belt path to the other, by rearranging it under the cover.

[Andie]

The trick I always use with a rear facing seat is to stand behind it, between the top of the shell and the front of the vehicle. I use my body to push the seat back and one hand to push it down at the bottom of the seat. I use my other hand to pull the slack out. I usually pull the cover back and pull the slack out back through the belt path to get a better angle. (ETA: Like Defrost's avatar above).

Have you tried installing it with the seat belt? You may be able to get a solid install with that instead of the LATCH.

[ketchupqueen]

The seat does not need to be at a full 45 degree angle for a 6 month old (the line is parallel to the ground when it's at a 45 degree angle.) It can be a bit more upright, sometimes changing the angle a little helps with the install too.

[Ashiek]

Thanks for all of your suggestions!! I will try them all when I get home. I was trying to pull straight up on the strap but I still was probably off to the side. The way the strap runs through the seat it's hard to get a good grip on it and to be able to pull up. I was sitting in the seat and trying to pull up on it, so I'll try from behind.

It is in the rear-facing slot position. We now know to do that after I had my son's seat installed incorrectly :(
Made me sick to my stomach when I realized I had the latch tethers through the wrong slot. And now I know he shouldn't have been turned around at 1 year. They really should stop putting that on the seats.

[Ashiek]

Ok, sooooo we have seriously tugged as hard as possible on this thing and have gotten it to be tight, until you start really pulling on it, then it loosens up.......
When we just get it tight and give it a quick check it barely moves, but if we keep pulling at the side of the seat about the belt path it will loosen up???

What am I doing wrong?

[Andie]

Ok, sooooo we have seriously tugged as hard as possible on this thing and have gotten it to be tight, until you start really pulling on it, then it loosens up.......
When we just get it tight and give it a quick check it barely moves, but if we keep pulling at the side of the seat about the belt path it will loosen up???

What am I doing wrong?

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. I know this is really frustrating.

Do you have leather? The same thing has happened to me when I've had to install seats in cars with leather. Have you tried installing the seat with the actual seat belt instead of LATCH? It may work better for you. LATCH is not superior to the belt, it is meant to be an "easier" way to install a seat.

You can possibly find a tech from this board here (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59135). If there is not one nearby you, you can find a tech in your area here (https://ssl13.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbzap.bin/apps/assess/Webmembers/tool?pToolCode=TAB9&pCategory1=TAB9_CERTSEARCH&Webid=SAFEKIDSCERTSQL).

[safeinthecar]

The Tribute is hard to pull parallel because there is not a slot in the cover to feed the tail of the LATCH strap through so you can pull from inside the seat. If you unhook the side of the cover and move it out of the way you can pull the tail to the inside of the seat and pull straighter.

[Mommy2Marcus]

I would also suggest trying to install the seat with the seat belt itself. I have only ever used LATCH one time with my Marathon. It was easy, but I find a seat belt install easy to. A seat installed with LATCH is not any safer, it is just supposed to be easier than the seat belt, however this is not always the case!

As for your 2 year old, I would watch him closely in this seat. It is a seat that is often outgrown early, like around age 3. He has outgrown this seat when A.) he reaches the weight limit, B.) his shoulders are above the top harness slot, or C.) his ears reach the top of the shell. He is fine on all for now I am sure, but watch him.

Also would you consider maybe returning this seat & purchasing a bigger seat for your DS & passing his seat to your DD? This would keep you from having to purchase him another seat in a year or so. If so we can suggest some other seats.

Good Luck with the install. I hope this helps!

[Defrost]

Ok, sooooo we have seriously tugged as hard as possible on this thing and have gotten it to be tight, until you start really pulling on it, then it loosens up.......
When we just get it tight and give it a quick check it barely moves, but if we keep pulling at the side of the seat about the belt path it will loosen up???

What am I doing wrong?

It's possible the part I bolded is what you're doing wrong. It's possible to install some carseats so that you can't move them with human strength, but it's not necessary to do so. To check for an acceptable install, use one hand, at the belt path, and give it a single push-pull. Repeated yanking, jerking, throwing your weight into it, etc are completely unnecessary.

You might be describing something different, of course - it's hard to say whether you're pulling too hard just based on a description, yk? I just wanted to throw that out there just in case. :)

[Ashiek]

I think that is my problem.. We aren't really throwing our weight into it, but I was tugging on it in excess to see if I could get it to move. I did........ :whistle:

But tonight after reinstalling it when I give it a tug it doesn't move, but If I got on it it would move....

So I think it's ok...........

[Pixels]

You shouldn't be getting on your carseat to check for movement. :) Just give it a firm handshake, at the belt path.

[Mommy0608]

Sounds like you're okay then. As long as it's in there with less than an inch of movement at the belt path, you're good. Movement at the top of the seat, by the child's head with a rear-facing seat is normal. I agree with Debbie, you really don't need to shove it hard... just tug a little back and forth once or twice. :thumbsup:

Kudos to you for doing your best to install the seat as safely as possible. :thumbsup: