Radian doesn't want to install good.

[reveriereptile]

I bought a Diono Radian RXT back before Christmas and I can't seem to get a good install on it. I had the same problem with my infant seat too.

We drive a 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie Baurer Edition. It doesn't have a latch system so I'm using the belt for a RR installation. I tried installing it in the center but it seems that this bar that goes down from the seat in the car to fold the seats is in the way. You couldn't get the car seat up close without the base piece hitting it.

I then had to move it to the side seat. I have a terrible time getting the seat belt tightened with the metal H clamp (think that is what it is called). The seat keeps wanting to tip inward. I tried installing it without doing the auto lock on the seat belt by pulling it all the way out. It did give it a better install than doing the auto lock. I still have the problem of it wanting to tip inward. I think the problem is the seats in the car are to soft and spongy. It has to much give to it. I can't install it on the other side cause the driver seat goes back to far since my husband is a big stocky guy. We have the seat all the way forward where it is now.

I do have the hard foam angler piece to put under the seat. It doesn't help and makes things worse. Our seats are already angled enough and putting it under makes the seat tip forward to much that my son hates it like that. When he falls asleep his head hangs forward. Without the angler he doesn't have any problems and his head stays in place while he is asleep.

Are there any suggestions on how to fix this? Someone moved the front seat back and messed the seat up and my son is due anyway to have the shoulder straps raised. I watched plenty of videos to make sure I was installing it properly. It just seems that seat keeps squishing down even after leaning on the back of the car seat to get it in and pressed down as tightly as I can.

 

[Baylor]

You don't need the h clip because your belts lock.
Can you take a picture to help people help you? Where are you. Maybe we can find a place close to you for a seat check.

 

[reveriereptile]

The belts won't tighten past a certain point which leaves it to loose. I used the H clip to get it more tightened.

 

[Baylor]

The belts lock when pulled all the way out and retracted yes? The H clip is not needed then, unless your belts are broken.

 

[wavegal]

When you used the locking clip (h clip) where do you have it positioned? Also have you tried seeing a tech to help you with the install?

If your having an issue with the belts and feel the locking clip will give you the best install I find its easier to tighten the seat, pinch the belts together by the buckle, unbuckle it, attach the clip and rebuckle. If you do the locking clip you do not want to also try to lock the belt.

While the locking clip should be a last resort it may help with your leaning to the side situation if that is what happens when you are trying to lock the belt.

 

[safeinthecar]

I second needing a pic. There's only so much we can do with descriptions.

 

[reveriereptile]

I'll try to get a picture. My husband has the vehicle right now.

I pull the seat belt all the way out and then pull on it to get it tighter. The belt has catching spots it actually locks at. Seems to catch every two inches. When I pull it tight where it needs to be it doesn't catch around that spot. I had my FIL push down on the seat incase the catching point was just a hair off of what I could get it to. We both couldn't get it to tighten anymore. It was to loose that the seat still would move.I can slide the seat belt in and out without it locking. The center seat belt in the car was the same way. It wouldn't catch anymore after a certain point even if I sat on the base for the infant seat.

The H clip is positioned near where I hook the seat belt in.

I figured I'd try to give it another attempt at installing it myself and then take it to the fire station to have them hook it in. I would like to get it myself incase I would need to do it again for any reason if I don't have any help around. This winter has been so nasty out that I haven't left the house to much.

 

[Baylor]

I think you need some expert help. Remember that the seat can move up to inch at the belt path and that is a good safe install. It does not have to be impaled in the seat to be safely installed.

It is unlikely all your belts are not working correctly. How old is the child in the seat?

 

[Pixels]

Before going to the fire station, make sure that they have actual technicians. Also, you should leave any meeting with a technician knowing how to reinstall your seat yourself. Unless there are medical reasons not to, you should be the one installing the seat, not the technician.

 

[wavegal]

Like pixels said make sure they have real techs not just helpful firemen. They will show you how to install the seat properly and then have you install it so you know how.

This is a link to a list of publicly listed techs, you may find one at a local FD or PD or even an individual near you who can help.

 

[jess71903]

Are the buckles on your belts on webbing or metal stalks? If they are webbing, you may be able to get it to "catch" in the right spot by twisting the buckle up to 3 full turns. That will change the position of the belt and might get you just at the last click of your retractor so it will hold tight. Play with the number of twists between 1/2 and 3.

 

[reveriereptile]

There is one fire station around that teaches you how to properly install seats from what other parents have said. Not sure if it is a tech or not.

My son just turned 11 months old. I want to keep him RR till he reaches the weight limit of 45lbs. He was 29lbs on Sunday. The last time we measured him a few months ago he was 31" tall and I know he has gotten a lot taller.

Thanks Jess for the tip. I might have to try that.

Since my husband has the vehicle currently I found a picture online of what our back seat area looks like.

 

[Baylor]

There is one fire station around that teaches you how to properly install seats from what other parents have said. Not sure if it is a tech or not.

My son just turned 11 months old. I want to keep him RR till he reaches the weight limit of 45lbs. He was 29lbs on Sunday. The last time we measured him a few months ago he was 31" tall and I know he has gotten a lot taller.

Thanks Jess for the tip. I might have to try that.

Since my husband has the vehicle currently I found a picture online of what our back seat area looks like.

We need one of the seat installed. That will help..

 

[murphydog77]

There are a few issues that I think you are dealing with, but I heartily agree with visiting a qualified technician who can help you.

1. "The belt has catching spots it actually locks at." This sounds like the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) kicking in. When you yank on the belt, sometimes it catches and locks, depending on the type of ELR. If you wait a second and pull again, it should release and you can pull more slack in the belt. To fully lock the seat belt into a mode that can stay locked for a child's carseat, you have to pull the seat belt slowly and carefully all the way out until the end. Then you'll hear it click as it ratchets back in and you won't be able to pull any more slack out.

Your center seat belt, which is a lap-only belt, is different. It is an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR), which means that after you pull it out a foot or so, it's locked. It also has a bit of a dead zone where it unlocks itself after you either unbuckle it or let it retract back in. This shouldn't happen if you're installing a carseat, though I could possibly see it happening with a Baby Trend infant seat base.

2. Radian tips. Yep. It's going to do that. The tighter you get that belt, the more it's going to tip toward the buckle. There are ways to fix that depending on how you install the carseat. But you have to get the squish out of the vehicle seat by tightening the seat belt.

3. Locking clip (metal H piece) or locking seat belt? Eh, your choice. It's really no biggie if you choose to use a locking clip--the world is not going to crumble. It's an extra step and locking clips make my fingers hurt, so I prefer to lock the seat belt. Your buckle stalks are short and stiff, which makes pulling the seat belt tight even harder, IMO. Trying to use a locking clip is going to be tough in this situation, but your seat belt may look really ugly too. That's OK. It depends on the angle the buckle stalk is at on that passenger side.

Once the carseat is tight with less than 1" of movement, if the Radian is still tipped toward the buckle, just tip it back the other way. If the shoulder belt is pulling it up and it just refuses not to sit straight, since you have an installation partner, unbuckle the seat belt and redo the installation. This time, have your partner press down on the carseat either in the middle or on the side where the shoulder belt is pulling up while you are outside the car pulling super tight on the shoulder belt and feeding it back into the retractor.

Good luck!

 

[MamanMag]

Also I wouldn't use the angle adjuster yet since Diono recommends its use for kids over 1year old.

 

[MotoMommaNH]

Also I wouldn't use the angle adjuster yet since Diono recommends its use for kids over 1year old.

They've actually changed that recommendation. It is now sitting up independently with good head control as the minimum criteria.

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks for all the help and advice.

I haven't been on in a while due to my dad going to the hospital two weeks ago and just passing at the end of last week.

I need to adjust the shoulder straps soon so I figured I'd get some pictures then. Waiting on it to get less muddy around the car since I want to clean it out also.

I hate that H clip. It is hard to get it on and sometimes seems to make it even more looser. The last time I had my FIL put it on while I pressed down on the seat.

 

[Pixels]

Don't put the clip on while the belt is buckled. Buckle the seat, press down on the seat and pull the belt tight. Hold the two layers of belt together, then unbuckle. Put the clip on, then rebuckle. You may have to hop-hop-click, or tweak placement of the clip to get it just-right tight.

 

[reveriereptile]

I finally got some pictures. The seat belts seem to only have the safety lock where you jerk it hard or pull it all the way out and retract it back in.

It doesn't get a good tightness if you pull it all the way out and let it go back in. I had enough slack that I tried shoving the extra belt back into to get it to lock but it wouldn't. I got behind the seat and leaned over it while pushing on the seat cushion and pulling/pushing on the belt.

Not sure what to do. I had to install it with the H clip again. We would like it to be in the center incase of an accident and so the passenger seat isn't so far forward. Everyone gets in and moves it back with tips the car seat up and forward.

 

[Pixels]

Is the center position narrower than the base of the Radian? It doesn't look that narrow in the picture of the back seat, but your install picture shows the buckle completely under the base. That's no good. You won't be able to get it properly installed that way.