Radian

[Calleiah]

Ok, I got my Radian in this week and we SO excited. Tried it out for our trip configuration and it was awesome (lap belt/tether install). Went to install it in my truck for regular stuff around town till we leave for our trip in 2 weeks... OMG, I have wrestled with it and can NOT get it tight. First I tried allowing the shoulder part to lock and tighten it that way. Not happening. The seatbelt ratcheted as far as I could physically make it and it was not by any means tight. By this point Im literally in a crouch IN the seat trying to compress everything enough to get it tightened down. No go. Simply would not get any tighter. I pulled out the locking clip thinking I could just forgo the stupid shoulder lock. Measured my distance for tightness, put my clip on and tried to compress it to fasten the belt. Our belt stocks are hinged, but no matter how I put pressure on that seat, I could NOT get it to line up with the tongue enough to buckle it. And the tongue part was so close to the belt route that I couldnt get a good grip on it. So I shifted to my center seat, routed the latch and figured that would be a super easy no brainer. Nope, I wrestled with it for half an hour before giving up. The latch strap tightens down till the button part is right up to the belt path and will NOT tighten any further. I can literally knock this seat over with a finger. So I need ideas and suggestions. Really cannot see putting anything under the feet, the angle is already tilted back pretty good. Tomorrow I might pull the feet further back from the bight and try to get more vertical pressure on it. I've been through the successful radian install thread but do not see my truck listed (04 Chevy Avalanche). So I know you Vets out there have dealt with my dear Nemesis the Radian, and I know theres a lot of love/hate relationships going on. Now I know why. Impart your wisdom unto me oh great Masters of all things carseat related!:D

Sorry, just spent an hour in WOW and Ive been listening to Ulduar bosses talk just like that. :whistle:

[unityco]

Hmm. It can be a tough seat, can't it? :)

I assume you're doing a rear-facing install? (You mentioned the feet.) And in the truck, when you say your buckles are hinged, does that also mean they're not on fabric webbing you can twist (they have a hard connection?) Could you maybe post pictures of the two installs you tried?

I've installed our Radian in a ton of vehicles, but almost always forward-facing, so I can't give you much real-world advice. (I only did my first RF install with it this spring. :o) One suggestion I can offer is for your seatbelt install... try not locking the shoulder until AFTER you have the belt as tight as you need it. Sometimes locking the shoulder first hampers your ability to get a grip on the belt to tighten it. I always kneel with all my (ample :o) weight in our seat, so I think you're on the right track crouching in yours. The only other thing that might help is the angle that you're pulling the belts when you tighten them. Pulling the belt parallel to itself is the best way to get it tight (so not straight up,) but I know that's very difficult with the Radian and its closed RF belt path.

I hope someone with more RF experience with the Radian will come by and offer up the tip that will make it work for you!

Good luck! :)

[Pixels]

For the seatbelt install, did you try unbuckling the seat, carefully letting it ratchet in one or two more clicks, then work like crazy to get it buckled again. Sometimes rocking your weight side to side helps it tighten up, too.

You're not allowed to put anything under the Radian at all, RFing or FFing.

Is this for a RFing install or FFing? Your siggy indicates that your kids are over the RFing limit, but you mentioned the feet on it, which are for RFing only. :confused:

[joolsplus3]

I'm sort of confused about if it's RF or FF too? Is your siggy correct? Is your kiddo 37 pounds?

Either way, one trick to try is to pull the LATCH tighter IN the seat...if it's RF, then pull it back through the belt path to the other side, rather than pulling out tighter on the same side the adjuster is on. And if it's FF, open up the velcro slots on the front of the seat and pull in/forward to get it tighter. If it's FF, then try using the recline bar/foot on the bottom of the seat (or flattening it, if it's out already, you never know what will do the trick).

[Calleiah]

Mia's weigh fluctuates a bit, so ATM she's only 32! So I flip my seats quite frequently. Maybe I sort of challenged myself with the gauntlet to start right off. :whistle: Ill try all of those suggestions today, and take some pics while Im at it. Yes, the stalks are rigid.

Ok, update. Went out to fiddle some more. I rocked the radian to the right and then planted both feet and really hauled on the latch strap (which tightened it back into proper alignment. It's in tight, would probably pass most inspections, but I think theres room for improvement so Ill give it another go after I've had coffee. And after my fingers stop throbbing. LOL

[Defrost]

I see in your siggie that you have a Marathon - keep practicing with the Radian, it'll get easier. The little "tricks" for installing a Marathon are so completely different than the little "tricks" for installing a Radian that it takes a while to get used to. :)

[ketchupqueen]

Did you try pulling the LATCH strap THROUGH the belt path? Sometimes you have to change the angle quite a bit to successfully tighten that LATCH strap.

I also usually end up twisting buckle stalks at least once, often more, with either a FF or RF seatbelt install with the Radian. There are just so many little bumps and things for a buckle to hit that sometimes it doesn't seem like it's in the way but moving it a little helps.