Tips to Prevent Tight Straps from Slipping Off Shoulders in TF

[morlando27]

I posted previously about the straps slipping off DS's shoulders in the TF despite being tight and having the chest clip in the proper place. I thought it was because he was too far above the lowest harness position, though not at the second position. It was suggested that I use the infant padding to bring his shoulders to the second position, which I've done. It has helped somewhat but it still slips off one shoulder sometimes and he's nearing the 22 lb limit for using the insert but still isn't at the second position without it. He's not a small baby (~20 lbs at less than 8 mos) but must have narrow shoulders :confused:. Is there anything I can do to improve the fit?

[MomE]

Thanks for posting this question. I'm sorry I don't have an answer, but I'd love to hear solutions!

I was having the same issue. But because I had so many other issues with the seat, I just replaced it with a different one. I just couldn't deal. I might use the True Fit as a backup though. So I'll be glad to hear if anyone has successfully solved this issue.

[Splash]

How far above the current slot is he? And how far below the next? It is infinitely preferable to have them a little above than so low that they're slipping off.

Do you have them TOO tight? That can happen and would cause them to slip off. Otherwise... maybe he is just a really narrow baby. Are both slipping off, or just one?

[ctbcleveland]

A different chest clip might also make the difference. The old Radians had chest clips that pulled the harness more toward the center of the body. There was a thread where someone compared the differences in chest clips (I will try to find it).

Please note that changing the chest clip would be a parental decision not advocated by the manufacturer. You should only use a modern chest clip, not one off an ancient seat or one that has been in an accident.

I normally would not suggest using anything that was not shipped with the seat, but since chest clips often break apart during an accident, I don't view one brand versus the other as being very different. Many people will swap Radian clips for Britax clips for the opposite reason, so they aren't as close together.

[jheimes]

Th e TF has a continuous harness. Have you tried pulling both sides up even around the hips and then pulling the adjuster tight?

[An Aurora]

I'll bet it has more to do with the continuous harness than it does with this shoulders being narrow.

[morlando27]

It only slips off one shoulder (his left) and he seems to be leaning the opposite direction. I don't think it has to do with the continuous harness. The Uptown in dh's truck also has a continuous hareness and we don't have any trouble with it. It seems to be related to either the straps being too far apart or somehow related to them coming from so far behind the child. I noticed yesterday that the car seat also seemed to be crooked/tipped the same direction he was leaning so I undid the lockoffs and did my best to center and straighten the install. That might help but I don't think it really addresses the underlying problem.

I might put the TF away for a while and use the FPSVD in the main car and try the TF's again when ds is a little bigger. I just don't see how this seat would fit small babies well.

[morlando27]

ctbcleveland, did you find the post comparing chest clips? I found a post verbally comparing them, but is there a photo showing how the old style pulls the straps in? Also, where could I get one? I assume that if I try to order from the mfr, I will get the new style clip, right?

[ctbcleveland]

ctbcleveland, did you find the post comparing chest clips? I found a post verbally comparing them, but is there a photo showing how the old style pulls the straps in? Also, where could I get one? I assume that if I try to order from the mfr, I will get the new style clip, right?

Sorry Morlando, I looked right after my post and did not quickly find it. I spent some more time today and found it.

See the second post in the thread below - you will need to open up Joolsplus3's picasa album.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=815829

You can see how much tighter the straps are pulled in with the first clip, which is an older style Radian chest clip. This post was made before the new clip was available, which is a light gray.

You would get a new clip from SKJP (the manufacturer). If you search the SWAP, you might find people offering up their old clips. You also can post on the swap (In search of), but you'll need to contribute to the site.

[joolsplus3]

Heh, my ears must've been burning, I didn't look at this thread till my name was mentioned :cool: http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/HoudiniSCarseat#5121718254032190754

I wouldn't muck with the chest clip on the TF..the Radian is a special case, having been tested with the Britax-style clip before it was put on the market. But I'll agree with Splash, if the straps are too far below his shoulders and the next ones are only half an inch above or so, I'd definitely move them up to keep the harness on him. He won't ramp out of the seat if the harness is a touch above the shoulders as long as it's otherwise properly tightened and chest clip on the right place, and you may even find he IS at the next slots up when the harness isn't pulling his shoulders down so hard. :twocents::)

[ctbcleveland]

I wouldn't muck with the chest clip on the TF..the Radian is a special case, having been tested with the Britax-style clip before it was put on the market. But I'll agree with Splash, if the straps are too far below his shoulders and the next ones are only half an inch above or so, I'd definitely move them up to keep the harness on him. He won't ramp out of the seat if the harness is a touch above the shoulders as long as it's otherwise properly tightened and chest clip on the right place, and you may even find he IS at the next slots up when the harness isn't pulling his shoulders down so hard. :twocents::)

Thanks for that additional info joolsplus - I did not know that the Radian was ever tested with the Britax-style clip. Makes sense why you only hear of people making that swap (Britax clip instead of Radian clip).

[mommycat]

Would it help to add some rolled receiving blankets at his sides to make sure to keep him aligned and not leaning to one side?

Although the short time I was using the TF for a RF seat for my then ~16mo (?? over 1 anyway) I have to admit I didn't actually feel comfortable with how widely the harness was spaced. I fussed over placing it a lot and still felt like it was sitting too close to the outside of his shoulders for my peace of mind. Maybe it just doesn't fit so well on some kids...

[morlando27]

So far, since straightening the seat out, his shoulder hasn't actually slipped out of the harness. However, I still am not loving the fit on him and am afraid when I have to remove the lumbar padding at a fast approaching 22 lbs, I will really be unhappy with it. It's getting hot and he's a sweaty baby, so I don't really want to stuff receiving blankets in the car seat. Plus, I wouldn't want to rely on them since he's old enough to pull them out of place. I don't know if it would do any good but I might put the head pillow in and see if that helps prevent the leaning as well.

If I can't achieve a fit I'm happy with, I'll just have to swap it out with the FPSVD which has been in FILs truck for ds1. He's recently outgrown it anyway so it's not being used. Then, I'll try the TF again when ds2 is a little older. I realize no seat fits every child well, I'm just surprised not to see too much mention of the TFs seemingly wide set harness straps on this site.

ETA: I just realized that he might not be tall enough for the FPSVD. Does anyone know how the bottom slot of the FPSVD compares to the second position of the TF?

[mommycat]

Oddly enough, I went back to look in my original TF thread from a year ago, and I had said at the time that my 7.5 mo, almost 16-lb son fit fine with or without the pad (maybe a bit better with it, it bumped him to slot 2) and that with the harness snug and chest clip positioned, I had no issues with slipping. Although, this was a trial run sitting upright on the floor and not installed at a recline.

I am guessing the recline makes them slouch more and that's where I was getting more problems when I tried to use it more recently? I needed to use the seat for DS1 for the time being but I can't say that I would have kept using it in favour of my AOE if I had it available. I am sure that by the time DS2 is 30 lbs he will be a better fit for the harness.

But yes, I am also wondering what others have found when using the seat regularly. I have seen many posts which suggest that the seat fits smaller babies just fine, but I have a hard time imagining it. Maybe it's a body build thing? I think DS2 is a lot slimmer now than he was at 8 months, proportionally, less padding to him now. I am going to try to find some pictures of harness fit.

[mommycat]

This one look spretty slippy:
http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=779471&postcount=9

But all the pictures I see of bigger kids, and my experience with my older son, tell me the fit is just ine later on.