More RN install questions

[NannyMom]

So, Emandbri got her RN old base installed RF in the center seat of her Sienna. I can't seem to do it. Here is what I have going on, maybe someone can help me. Emandbri, does yours look like this? :confused:

First problem I see is the plastic piece where the seat folds. The old base can wedge itself in there, but it's weird.
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Next, we have a gap. If I can manage to get the seat straight in that plastic piece (above), there's a gap between the Radian and the vehicle seatback (this is upright, it's supposed to be back more). It's hard to see, so I looped the harness adjuster strap to the seatback so you can see how far it is. I could stick my fingers in there :whistle:
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The trick I've been told works is to buckle and tighten the seat (with seatbelt), lean the seatback forward and let it retract a couple more clicks, and push the seatback back again (seatbelt is attached to seatback). WHen I do that, it ends up turning the carseat crooked. It's not leaning, it's crooked. Facing more to the side than straight back. I tried to get a good pic of it.
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Is that ok? I know when I was still learning, the CPST-I said it was ok for a RF Titan to be crooked (facing towards the door a bit) outboard. We were doing 3 across and the hard wheel cover was pushing into the seatback.

[Misty-Bug]

can you move the seat at the top and try to get the top of the seat straighter? You definately have a lean hey? When the seat is installed can you get any movement. I didn't know if it would be a problem to have a gap. I know I had a little bit of one.
I am mainly commenting because I want to follow this thread. :o
That plastic piece is a tough one. You may have to do it outboard. I hope the other person will comment for you though. I am interested!!

[NannyMom]

When the seat turns crooked, it mostly closes the gap. If the seat is straight, the gap is there and it's not tight. If the seat is crooked, there is only a gap on 1 side (the other side is touching the vehicle seat), but it's tight. If crooked could be considered a good install, I'd have considered that good.

When the seat is straight, it can appear tight. But with a bit more force (not much more, just a tad), I can totally move the seat. It's the plastic pieces holding it in palce that make it appear tight when straight. But once the base pops out of those plastic pieces (with that tad more movement), it's a horrid install.

Here is another pic of how it looks when installed crooked. Here it's not actually installed, or even buckled. But this is how it looked when it was.
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[Pixels]

First problem I see is the plastic piece where the seat folds. The old base can wedge itself in there, but it's weird.

Does the base stay pushed out like in the pic, or is it pulled back for the pic? If you can get a substantial portion of the base up against the seat back, I'm okay with it. If it stays pushed out, with only maybe a little bit wedged against the plastic piece, I'm not okay with it.

Next, we have a gap. If I can manage to get the seat straight in that plastic piece (above), there's a gap between the Radian and the vehicle seatback (this is upright, it's supposed to be back more). It's hard to see, so I looped the harness adjuster strap to the seatback so you can see how far it is. I could stick my fingers in there :whistle:

It may look strange, but as long as the seat doesn't move front to back when you check for movement, there's no reason that it would be unacceptable.



The trick I've been told works is to buckle and tighten the seat (with seatbelt), lean the seatback forward and let it retract a couple more clicks, and push the seatback back again (seatbelt is attached to seatback). WHen I do that, it ends up turning the carseat crooked. It's not leaning, it's crooked. Facing more to the side than straight back. I tried to get a good pic of it.

Is that ok? I know when I was still learning, the CPST-I said it was ok for a RF Titan to be crooked (facing towards the door a bit) outboard. We were doing 3 across and the hard wheel cover was pushing into the seatback.
Again, it doesn't break any of the installation rules.

Have you tried installing with a locking clip and using the bounce bounce click method?

At least in my vehicles, after a day or two, the vehicle seat cushion compresses and/or the belt stretches just a smidge. At any rate, it's often enough to take a rock-solid, bounce bounce click install, and turn it unacceptable with more than an inch of movement. In a day or two when everything settles, the seat may settle straighter.

[NannyMom]

Does the base stay pushed out like in the pic, or is it pulled back for the pic? If you can get a substantial portion of the base up against the seat back, I'm okay with it. If it stays pushed out, with only maybe a little bit wedged against the plastic piece, I'm not okay with it.

It stays pushed out. As the vehicle seatback is pushed back (after leaning it forward for the retractor to go in a couple more clicks), the shoulder belt pulls it crooked like that.

Have you tried installing with a locking clip and using the bounce bounce click method?

No. If I line it up straight, there's that gap between the carseat and the seatback. I think that and the base are preventing it from getting tight. I can't even picture it working with a locking clip.

The seat won't compress because of the location of the lower anchors.

[NannyMom]

can you move the seat at the top and try to get the top of the seat straighter? You definately have a lean hey? When the seat is installed can you get any movement. I didn't know if it would be a problem to have a gap. I know I had a little bit of one.
I am mainly commenting because I want to follow this thread. :o
That plastic piece is a tough one. You may have to do it outboard. I hope the other person will comment for you though. I am interested!!

Outboard it installs wonderfully, with latch. But Sofi is in the center. If it won't work there, it'll have to wait for BabyS to be finished with the SS1. And...for her diapers to stop exploding :whistle: I don't mind changing the cover on the SS1, or even a Titan. But the RN is another story, lol.

It also installs better with the new base. But... really reclined. So reclined I always want to whip out a level and make sure it's not over reclined :rolleyes: And outboard it installs more upright with the old base.