Radian65/seat belt ??

[EzzieMom]

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Does anyone know if these seat belts (not sure which is the male and which is female) will work with my Radian65. (Still waiting for it...I ordered it on Thursday of last week...should be here today or tomorrow...I'm thinking maybe not today tho--it's already 3:30pm here) I'm just curious...bc I know ppl have said that they had problems w/ install. We have a 1999 Chevy Blazer.





Sorry for the size...can't figure out how to make it smaller

[rlsadc]

that looks like an awesome seatbelt for the radian. you should have switchable locking retractors ( your selt belt locks when you pull the belt all the way out and let it ratchet back in)....you can also check carseatdata.org to see if anyone else has had luck installing the radian in your vehicle. its hard to tell if it will get a good install by just the belts, but they do look good IMO

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by rlsadc

that looks like an awesome seatbelt for the radian. you should have switchable locking retractors ( your selt belt locks when you pull the belt all the way out and let it ratchet back in)....you can also check carseatdata.org to see if anyone else has had luck installing the radian in your vehicle. its hard to tell if it will get a good install by just the belts, but they do look good IMO

Sigh
You gave me so much relief right now!!!! Yeah, my belts lock when I pull them all the way out. I'm SO happy right now!!!!
I can't wait!!!!!!! I WANT MY RADIAN!!!!!!! WHA WHA WHA!!!!!!! (that's me crying!) J/K!!! LOL!!!!
I'm gonna check out that web site right now Thanks

[CDNTech]

That's actually a picture of a lightweight locking retractor. Your seatbelt locks at the latchplate (the thing that slides along the belt and buckles into female end) when a carseat is installed. Female and Male - think body parts.

You can try this with yourself... sit in the seat and buckle up. Pull all the slack out of the lap portion. Now try and pull straight up on the lap portion... it won't loosen. When the seat is buckled and the lap and shoulder portion are touching each other vertically (at the latchplate), they cause the latchplate to lock. You will be able to freely move the shoulder portion, but the lap portion will stay put.

It will be easy to install!

Put the Radian in place, feed the belt through the correct path and buckle. Then kneel in the seat and pull all the slack out of the lap portion of the belt.

A great Forward facing trick is to open the velcro on the side closest to the buckle. Pull some extra shoulder portion of the seatbelt through that opening (after buckling) and then kneel in the seat and pull straight up to remove all the slack in the lap portion. Once all the slack is out feed the remainder of the slack from the shoulder portion back through the velcro opening and into the retractor. Check for less than one inch of movement at the belt path. Attach top tether and all done!

If the lap and shoulder portion are not touching each other vertically, then you may have to twist the latchplate 180 degrees so that they are forced to touch each other vertically, causing the locking mechanism to work properly. This will result in a twist in your seatbelt (one at the lap portion and one at the shoulder portion) and is perfectly safe if you need to do this to make the lightweight locking latchplate function correctly.

Edited to add: for some reason Chevy has some model vehicles that do both... you definitely have a lightweight locking latchplate AND if you can pull your belt out all the way and it switches into locking mode then you ALSO have a switchable ELR/ALR belt. You can install using either locking method... whichever gets the tighter install.

You also do NOT have forward of the bight seatbelts, so I think you'll find it fairly easy to install the Radian in your vehicle.

[AdventureMom]

Originally Posted by aidensmom02

That's actually a picture of a lightweight locking retractor. Your seatbelt locks at the latchplate (the thing that slides along the belt and buckles into female end) when a carseat is installed.

Hmmm... I don't think that's correct. It doesn't look to me like there's a sliding locking mechanism...? Plus, the belts wouldn't lock when she pulls them out if it were a lightweight locking latchplate. I could be wrong since I'm not there in person to look at it, but that's what I think.

[canadianmom2three]

Just to show you an example of what belts do NOT work, these are the belts in my 2003 Pontiac Montana...nightmare for the radian. Just when you think you've got it in rock solid, you give it a pull, and out it comes...because the belts are so far forward of the seat crease, it is near impossible to get it tight against the seat when forward facing.

[CDNTech]

Originally Posted by AdventureMom

Hmmm... I don't think that's correct. It doesn't look to me like there's a sliding locking mechanism...? Plus, the belts wouldn't lock when she pulls them out if it were a lightweight locking latchplate. I could be wrong since I'm not there in person to look at it, but that's what I think.

I could possibly be wrong (can't be right all the time ), but I have definitely seen a few chevy trucks that had both lightweight locking latchplates and switchable seatbelts in their vehicles.

[rlsadc]

Originally Posted by AdventureMom

Hmmm... I don't think that's correct. It doesn't look to me like there's a sliding locking mechanism...? Plus, the belts wouldn't lock when she pulls them out if it were a lightweight locking latchplate. I could be wrong since I'm not there in person to look at it, but that's what I think.

i agree...definately does not look like a locking latchplate. there are some that dont have anything that slides (like on a relative pt cruiser i noticed this) but that definately looks like a sliding latchplate to me. ive install several seats in a 1997 chevy tahoe over the past two days and it had switchable retractors, which i think is the case here.

ETA: while were over here debatin by pictures, you can check yourself lol. just buckle the seatbelt, and then pull on the lap portion, if it slides, then you have switchables, it it doesnt, then you have a lightweight locking latchplate

[dd9736]

Originally Posted by canadianmom2three

Just to show you an example of what belts do NOT work, these are the belts in my 2003 Pontiac Montana...nightmare for the radian. Just when you think you've got it in rock solid, you give it a pull, and out it comes...because the belts are so far forward of the seat crease, it is near impossible to get it tight against the seat when forward facing.

UH Oh, that's what Ford trucks have, I'll cry if I can't get the radian installed in my truck, I'm so excited about getting it.

[EzzieMom]

I GOT MY RADIAN65!!!!!!! I'm SO excited

Is this is tethered okay???

http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles089.jpg

This is the top of the head rest...all squished down...hmmm...??
http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles091.jpg
Her it is again from the front
http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles090.jpg
Here's the buckle part...in between the legs
http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles087.jpg

http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles084.jpg
Here's where I have it harnessed, w/o a shirt on her it looks fine
http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles092.jpg
but with a shirt, it looks like her shoulders are over the slots...
http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...u8ckles085.jpg

Did I do this right? I'm worried I may not have...it's in ROCK sloid tho. Advice/suggestions?? Is the tether okay like that??

[AdventureMom]

Congratulations!!! I think it looks great, except run the tether strap under the headrest...

ETA: Oh, and the buckle pad should be between the buckle and her abdomen, not turned down towards her legs and on the outside. Make sense? But it's just for comfort, so... whatever way makes it comfortable...!

[EzzieMom]

Thanks!!! I was wondering about that....LOL! I was like "Can I...should I??" But I wasn't sure. I want to do it RIGHT NOW, but my DH is all "You're NOT going anywhere tonight. Do it tomorrow." And I'm like "That's NOT the point buddy!" I want to mess around with my new present. LOL!
p.s. your son is SO cute

[AdventureMom]

Actually, now that I think about it, remove the headrest. That will make for the most direct route from the Radian to the tether anchor. Don't put it under the headrest - in a crash it may pop the headrest off... ...

ETA: Oh, and thanks for the comment...

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by AdventureMom

Actually, now that I think about it, remove the headrest. That will make for the most direct route from the Radian to the tether anchor. Don't put it under the headrest - in a crash it may pop the headrest off... ...

ETA: Oh, and thanks for the comment...

Oh, that makes sense. I hadn't thought of that...but yes those head rest just come right off..if you pppuuuuuullll really hard. LOL! I'll do that first thing tomorrow...unless my DH goes to sleep so I can do it now LOL!
Thanks SO much for all your help. You guys are awesome. I'm so happy I found this board

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by aidensmom02

That's actually a picture of a lightweight locking retractor. Your seatbelt locks at the latchplate (the thing that slides along the belt and buckles into female end) when a carseat is installed. Female and Male - think body parts.

You can try this with yourself... sit in the seat and buckle up. Pull all the slack out of the lap portion. Now try and pull straight up on the lap portion... it won't loosen. When the seat is buckled and the lap and shoulder portion are touching each other vertically (at the latchplate), they cause the latchplate to lock. You will be able to freely move the shoulder portion, but the lap portion will stay put.

It will be easy to install!

Put the Radian in place, feed the belt through the correct path and buckle. Then kneel in the seat and pull all the slack out of the lap portion of the belt.

A great Forward facing trick is to open the velcro on the side closest to the buckle. Pull some extra shoulder portion of the seatbelt through that opening (after buckling) and then kneel in the seat and pull straight up to remove all the slack in the lap portion. Once all the slack is out feed the remainder of the slack from the shoulder portion back through the velcro opening and into the retractor. Check for less than one inch of movement at the belt path. Attach top tether and all done!

If the lap and shoulder portion are not touching each other vertically, then you may have to twist the latchplate 180 degrees so that they are forced to touch each other vertically, causing the locking mechanism to work properly. This will result in a twist in your seatbelt (one at the lap portion and one at the shoulder portion) and is perfectly safe if you need to do this to make the lightweight locking latchplate function correctly.

Edited to add: for some reason Chevy has some model vehicles that do both... you definitely have a lightweight locking latchplate AND if you can pull your belt out all the way and it switches into locking mode then you ALSO have a switchable ELR/ALR belt. You can install using either locking method... whichever gets the tighter install.

You also do NOT have forward of the bight seatbelts, so I think you'll find it fairly easy to install the Radian in your vehicle.

Thanks Yes, it was VERY easy to install. Way easier then I thought. I still need to try see what kind of belts I have...when you all were debating this (LOL) I was outside trying to put the Radian in.
p.s. she says it's fine to be in...but the neck part does bug her a bit. I put the cushy strap things on and she said it was better (she freaks if anything touches her neck tho..sigh)

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by dd9736

UH Oh, that's what Ford trucks have, I'll cry if I can't get the radian installed in my truck, I'm so excited about getting it.

I'll be praying for you. Mine was easy to install but my mom has a Pathfinder that I can NEVER get a good install in. Not sure what kind of belts they are but they look like the ones in the picture that canadianmom2three posted. They just never get tight.

[EzzieMom]

Originally Posted by rlsadc

while were over here debatin by pictures, you can check yourself lol. just buckle the seatbelt, and then pull on the lap portion, if it slides, then you have switchables, it it doesnt, then you have a lightweight locking latchplate

I'm gonna check first thing tomorrow....I'll let you know. LOL! You're too funny BTW

[CDNTech]

Originally Posted by dd9736

UH Oh, that's what Ford trucks have, I'll cry if I can't get the radian installed in my truck, I'm so excited about getting it.

I have been able to get it into vehicles with forward of the bight seatbelts like that... it does take some time and effort and knowing tricks definitely helps. Just because you have seatbelts like that does not automatically mean it won't work.

My parents have an F150 (I think it's called a SuperCrewCab - whatever the largest backseat model is, that's the one they have ).

It's super easy to install with LATCH but I found it difficult with the seatbelt. They live 6 hrs away from me or I'd go see if I can get it installed. The one time I tried, I wasn't able to do it... but I did not try very hard or long because they had the LATCH option and DS1 only weighs 35lbs at 5 yrs old!

[CDNTech]

I second the routing it under the headrest (or taking the headrest off).

I would also move the straps up a slot. She is right *at* them to just bordering on going over... I think she'd be more comfortable with them up a slot and you won't need to be checking every day to see if they need to go up a slot.

Edited to add: the more I look at your very first picture the more I think it may be a free sliding (no lightweight locking)... I think it was just the flash of the camera that caused a portion of it to look like the metal you would see on a lightweight locking latchplate. Sorry about that!

[EzzieMom]

aidensmom,
I was wondering if I should move it up one...it is RIGHT at her shoulders. I've got to take it out to fix the tether/head rest situation anyways, so I'll change the harness slots while I'm at it.
I can't wait until the car seat safety check this weekend....I wonder if, after I fix everything, I'll have them in right or not.
Thnak for the advice.....I can't wait to go fiddle with it
Oh yeah....BTW this thing is HEAVY! OMGosh! Is the Regent this heavy? Gesh....compared to DD#2's Cosco Scenera this thing is an elephant.