Question About Graco Nautilus - Tightening

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I installed the Nautilus tonight for the first time and unlike the Britax Boulevard (which is in our main car) it has one pull strap for tightening the seat down (using the latch system).

I'm installing it in a Toyota Corola (2001), in the middle of the back seat. Well, #1 the car seat doesn't have a "middle" latch system, so I've always installed my Britax in there using the closer inner latches to secure the seat (they aren't that wide apart)...and I've always been able to get it tight.

But the Nautilus...I've got IN the car seat and tightened with all my might and though it DOES tighten I can still move the front of the seat side to side...a lot if I use tork.

My questions are....should I even be putting the car seat in the middle? I think the hump may be making it harder to secure.

Is it normal to have movement on the front of the seat? The back of the seat won't move...just the front near the feet.

Thank you in advance!

PS The reason I put the seat in the middle is think my son would be further from any sid impact.

[snowbird25ca]

I'm pretty sure that Toyota doesn't allow borrowing of the lower anchors for the center seating position, so you'll have to install with the seatbelt in the middle position.

As for checking for movement, all you need to be concerned about is movement at the belt path - where the seatbelt goes through the seat. If using one hand and firm but gentle pressure to check for movement at the belt path, there is less than 1" of movement side to side, and front to back, then you have a perfectly acceptable install. You don't want to be grabbing at the front of the seat and trying to twist and turn it there - just check at the belt path with firm but gentle pressure.

So re-install with the seatbelt and check again. You have a top tether anchor in the middle seating position, so be sure to top tether the seat once you have it installed - just wait to tighten the tether until the seat itself is installed.

[SPJ&E]

Just wanted to say that our Nautilus does the same thing. Our Marathons go in and don't move when grabbed/pulled anywhere. The Nautilus does not move at all when pulled at the beltpath, but does move/twist if pulled at the front (where kiddos knees are). For us, it has a lot to do with the base shape and size.

[tiggercat]

Toyota does not allow borrowing of latch anchors, if you want to keep the seat in the middle you must use the seatbelt.

Thank you so much. That is very helpful. I'll be working on installing it with the seatbelt.

[LISmama810]

Since it sounds like maybe you haven't installed a seat with the seatbelt before, you might not know how to lock it. After you buckle the belt, pull it all the way out slowly, then let it retract back in. You should hear a ratcheting sound and won't be able to pull it out anymore.

The Nautilus manual can make it sound like you need a locking clip, but you don't. If your car has LATCH, it also has locking seatbelts, so you won't need the locking clip.

Originally Posted by LISmama810

Since it sounds like maybe you haven't installed a seat with the seatbelt before, you might not know how to lock it. After you buckle the belt, pull it all the way out slowly, then let it retract back in. You should hear a ratcheting sound and won't be able to pull it out anymore.

The Nautilus manual can make it sound like you need a locking clip, but you don't. If your car has LATCH, it also has locking seatbelts, so you won't need the locking clip.

You are correct Jennie. Thank you. I do have a question about this...wouldn't the seat not be "tight"? Normally when you cinch the seat down using the tethers, it's tight. But using the seat belt would seem to me to just hold the seat rather than cinching it...is this correct? In other words, the seat would be able to move side to side more than when you cinch it using the tethers....?

[Maedze]

No, you need to lock the seat belt Pull the belt all the way back and then feed it into the retractor. It locks at the retractor and is just as 'tight' as with LATCH.

[LISmama810]

Right. After you lock the belt, put weight on the seat (with a hand or knee), and pull the shoulder belt to tighten the lap belt. It's usually better to pull closer to the buckle rather than on the other side where the belt retracts. Make sure any extra slack goes back into the retractor.

As long as you have less than an inch of movement at the belt path, you're fine. Seatbelt installs are often just as tight (i.e., no movement or practically no movement) as with LATCH--and sometimes tighter!

If for whatever reason you can't get less than an inch of movement with the seatbelt, you can move the seat outboard and use LATCH, but I really don't think you'll have a problem with it.