HELP! Look At This Regent Install.

[Connor's Mom]

My DH installed the Regent in my car (2001 Rodeo) last night at midnight. I was standing my ground to make him do it since I worked a 13 hour shift yesterday on 3 1/2 hours sleep and I was tired. Now I am paranoid about the way he did it. He refuses to do it any other way except the LATCH install. Then he said that the only way he was ganna get a tight install was without using the recline bar. So, we have it in using LATCH, no recline bar and it is top tethered. It appears pretty solid with very little movement, definitely less than an inch.

I got some pictures today. In the daylight it looks to me to be too reclined. It was much easier to install it more upright in our Maxima. This is our first time installing it in my car and he said it was hard to get in. Also, he said that he could not place the base any closer to the seat back.
Any suggestions?

[Judi]

Can you try with lap/shoulder, long belt path? I have tried both ways and feel I get a better install with seat belt, long belt path.

[LuvBug03]

it seems to have too much recline. is there something pushing it down and out like that?

[snowbird25ca]

The other question is how heavy is your son? Is he close to being at the weight limits for LATCH? I'm not familiar with the regent, but just thought I'd throw that out there. You may prefer to install with the seatbelt now anyways depending on your ds's weight.

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by LuvBug03

it seems to have too much recline. is there something pushing it down and out like that?

Nope, nothing pushing it down and out.

Originally Posted by snowbird25ca

The other question is how heavy is your son? Is he close to being at the weight limits for LATCH? I'm not familiar with the regent, but just thought I'd throw that out there. You may prefer to install with the seatbelt now anyways depending on your ds's weight.

Nope, not even close to being at the top limit for LATCH. Upper limit for LATCH on the Regent is 48 lbs and he is only 33 lbs fully clothed.


I am thinking that DH tried to install it with an incline, more like the MA? I don't know.
I might have to get out there tomorrow myself and play with it.
Any other suggestions for me?

[Patriot201]

Originally Posted by Judi

Can you try with lap/shoulder, long belt path? I have tried both ways and feel I get a better install with seat belt, long belt path.

I feel the same way. The long belt path gives an additional "pseudo-tether", which can add additional stability.

Good luck!

[Morganthe]

Originally Posted by LuvBug03

it seems to have too much recline. is there something pushing it down and out like that?

I agree, especially since it's hanging over the car's seat edge so much. I don't have lower anchors, so it could just be the way the belt hooks into the bars though making it sit that way. I used long belt path + top tether and it was a lot more upright.

Just from the photo, because there's such a deep recline, it looks as if your son's shoulder harness is going up, over, and down slightly into the slot behind him. If that's the case, (I"m not sure from just a photo), but either make the seat recline less or move his harness up to the next level.

LOL -- I wouldn't allow my dh to have all the fun with installation. Besides he'd argue way too much if I tried to tweak anything because he'd get defensive and just want to get back to something else he'd want to actually be doing.

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by Morganthe

I agree, especially since it's hanging over the car's seat edge so much.

Because I couldn't get a true side shot because of the door (these are at an angle) it does look like it is hanging over the edge alot but it isn't really. The lip of the seat is barely hanging over.

Originally Posted by Morganthe

Just from the photo, because there's such a deep recline, it looks as if your son's shoulder harness is going up, over, and down slightly into the slot behind him. If that's the case, (I"m not sure from just a photo), but either make the seat recline less or move his harness up to the next level.

Again, I guess it looks this way due to the angle of the picture. The harness slot in use is definitley not below his shoulder. I tried it out before he put in the seat. He doesn't have any growth room in this slot but the strap comes out directly over his shoulder. Also my thinking may be off but, are their shoulders not higher when the seat is sitting with less of an recline?
But that also makes me want to ask, if the slot in use makes the strap right above the shoulder should I use the next harness slot?

UHG
I want to get out there and play with it but it is pooring rain outside.

[scatterbunny]

Stand in front of the seat and push back on the seating area, where child's knees will bend, with YOUR knees as you are tightening it up. That should take care of the extra gap behind the seat and help it install more upright. That gap, IMO, shouldn't be there unless the recline bar is being used.

I'd also do the long belt path, personally.

[Connor's Mom]

OK, it is now installed using the long belt path, no recline bar, and is top tethered. I could not get the car seat any closer to the back of the seat. The base is all on the seat with no overhang.
Any other suggestions?

[CDNTech]

Is the seat centered in it's vehicle seating position? It looks a little close to the door to me?

I also wanted to ask about the LATCH hooks. Are they still attached to the vehicle? Is there a storage pocket they can go in?

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by aidensmom02

Is the seat centered in it's vehicle seating position? It looks a little close to the door to me?

Yes, it is centered in it's seating position.

Originally Posted by aidensmom02

I also wanted to ask about the LATCH hooks. Are they still attached to the vehicle? Is there a storage pocket they can go in?

No, the LATCH hooks are not still connected, I know that you can not use both the LATCH and a seatbelt instillation at the same time. And yes, there is a pocket, I just didn't tuck them in before I took the picture.

[LuvBug03]

is the vehicle seat reclinable?? maybe that would help, to recline it and install, then push it back upright.

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by LuvBug03

is the vehicle seat reclinable?? maybe that would help, to recline it and install, then push it back upright.

Nope. It is a Rodeo bench back seat.

[Defrost]

Originally Posted by Connor's Mom

The harness slot in use is definitley not below his shoulder. I tried it out before he put in the seat.

You might want to check again now that the seat is installed - I recently discovered that for some reason my son sits MUCH higher in an installed Husky than in one that isn't installed. (I was considering getting him a Regent if he had enough room to last more than a year. On the floor, he was almost level with the second-to-top slots, but when we tried him in the seat installed, he had only about half an inch to the top slot. Weird!)

[scatterbunny]

I think the cover is bunching, which makes it look closer to the door than it really is.

I agree with Debbie re: double-checking his shoulders in the car. Actually stick something like a pen through the slots, because the cover slots can sit higher than the actual slots in the plastic shell, disguising the fact that a child is a bit over the slots.

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by scatterbunny

I think the cover is bunching, which makes it look closer to the door than it really is.

I agree with Debbie re: double-checking his shoulders in the car. Actually stick something like a pen through the slots, because the cover slots can sit higher than the actual slots in the plastic shell, disguising the fact that a child is a bit over the slots.

The cover was bunching, I fixed it with out undoing the install last night after I sent you the pics.

Also, I did check the harness height with a pencil after instillation and it is good. As I said before, he has no room for growth in this slot but they are definitly above the shoulder.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!

I have a 2002 rodeo and a regent, should the seatbelt go through the front of the carseat (like the pic) or through the back of it, or does it matter?

[mommy2twogirls]

I have this problem too. My Regent has a gap between the seat back and the Regent seat. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I cannot get the LATCH lower anchors to tighten properly either. I am using a top tether but no recline bar... should I install the recline bar?

Can someone post a picture of how the recline bar should look installed??

Also, is there a secret to get rid of this gap?

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by AmandaMacK

I have a 2002 rodeo and a regent, should the seatbelt go through the front of the carseat (like the pic) or through the back of it, or does it matter?

The way that I have it threaded is correct. It should go through the front around the back side and the out the front on the other side then buckle. Read your manual for the long belt install, there is only one way to do it.

[Connor's Mom]

Originally Posted by mommy2twogirls

I have this problem too. My Regent has a gap between the seat back and the Regent seat. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I cannot get the LATCH lower anchors to tighten properly either. I am using a top tether but no recline bar... should I install the recline bar?

Can someone post a picture of how the recline bar should look installed??

Also, is there a secret to get rid of this gap?

The only way I was able to get rid of the gap was to install it without the recline bar, using the long belt path install and the top tether. It looks like there is a big gap still in the 2nd set of pics but there really isn't, it is the angle the pictures where taken. The entire base of the seat is on the vehicle bench seat.
The first set of pics taken above was done with LATCH and I could not get a good install. I could not get the lower anchors to tighten enough and the seat was moving too much. The only way I was able to get a solid install was with the long belt path.
And I personally think that it is going to depend on the type of car you have as to whether or not you will get a solid install using the recline bar.