Radian/Civic instal question

zoecoltsmama

New member
Hopping you all can help a friend of mine get her new Radian installed in her Honda Civic? She is not very versed in child safety seats, her son is 12 months old and large for his age, He has almost out grown his marathon (older model) I am not sure the year of her car, 2000? She is about 5'6" and so is her husband.

The problem is that when she instals the seat with the rear facing foot attached it is WAY to reclined for anyone to sit shotgun and her baby hates the angle, does she NEED the foot at this age? how can she achieve a safe more upright angle? Does anyone have ideas? or install pics of this car and seat with a more upright angle? Is this the wrong seat altogether for this situation? Would you all choose a different ERF seat instead?

thank you for your help!
 
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mommycat

Well-known member
The Radian MUST have the rear facing foot attached for ALL rear facing installs.

My parents have a 2000 Civic and I know it's a tight squeeze - though I haven't actually tried a RF Radian install there, so I can neither confirm nor deny. I have had the RN RF in my '06 but that's a whole different car. Anyway, rambling....

I will assume that they are installing outboard passenger side since you say it only affects the person riding shotgun? And as such, using latch?

To install more upright, and it is probably a 2 person job - I just did this exact thing to get one to fit in a Mazda3:
- attach latch straps
- pull the seat a little bit away from the seat bight and set it on a good, upright angle on the seat
- push DOWN on the seat where the baby's feet would go (not in the bum area as that will make it recline) and start to tighten the latch strap, making sure you keep it from slipping into a more reclined position; when you have enough of a tail on the strap, pass it through the RF belt path and have the 2nd person pull straight out of the belt path while you push HARD (I had to kneel on the seat's front and push a bit against the roof because I'm weak :whistle: - don't push enough to break your roof if you do this; also, keep your pushing centered as the raised edges of this seat don't feel terribly strong to me)
- try to get in behind the seat and lean over top of the back, pushing it straight back into the vehicle seat back while also pushing up/back with your hips and straight down on the toe area with your hands, and the other person continues to pull straight out through the belt path

ETA: it might take them a couple of tries as you learn how it naturally wants to move around on the vehicle seat as you tighten and adjust your technique to prevent this
 

AtTheSouthDam

New member
Okay, in 2000 Civic I have mine installed behind the passenger seat. It is very reclined in the middle because of the hump but those little indentations on the driverside and passenger side are helpful. You wil have to move the passenger seat up but I can fit fairly comfortably and I am 5'9"

So what you do is move the passenger front seat all the way forward and folded so it is out of the way.
Place the radian with the foot on in the seat.
Run the seat belt through and buckle it but do not tighten it or lock it yet.
Now, move the foot into the indentation NOT the bight and tighten the belt some.
Now, lean on where the child's feet would be and lock and tighten the belt in that position. It is easier with two people but possible with one.
Attach the RF tether if desired. I would tell you a good place but I can't find my D-ring so mine is not attached :eek:
Move the passenger seat back. It can touch the seat but should not effect the recline.
Done. If you need pictures let me know. DH drives that car and he will be back with it this evening.
 

AtTheSouthDam

New member
Photos!

Okay, this is the red dotted line is the bight, it is where the center belt comes out from and the hinge where the seat folds. The blue line is the indentation where the little feet of the Radian need to sit. They will want to go in the bight, DO NOT LET THEM!
Civicbight.jpg


A step I forgot :eek: Twist the buckle. I think three times or until it won't twist anymore but not more than three (I think mine twists only two.) Now when you buckle it it need to guide it OVER that plastic lip. It likes to try to untwist and hide under and if it does it is impossible to get out with unbuckling and you can't get a tight install. That is what my hand is doing :)
Civicbuckletwist.jpg


Now lean into the seat on the part where the child feet go, right above the harness strap, making sure those feet are in the indentation and tighten that sucker as much as you can. I kneel on it, just to make sure it stays put while I get it tight. Viola! Upright install.
Radianinstalledincivic.jpg


And to show approximately how far forward the passenger seat will sit:
Seatdifference.jpg


Hope this helps :D
 

zoecoltsmama

New member
thanks so much at suydam! the generosity and kindness of some of the people on this sight is amazing! I am going to pass this onto her, hopefully it will help!
 

I Love Him

New member
this is my first comment so bare with me on my lack of knowledge.

I just purchased a radian and I have a 1999 civic 4 door and I am having some issues.

I got it in there...but the angle is interfering with the front driver and passenger seat. they are both basically all the way up and sitting straight up. not comfortable at all.

I placed the radian in the center seat in the back. it is rear facing.

i noticed from your picture that the base of the radian should be in the bright (blue line). as i am sure you noticed the center seat does not have that. any suggestions? or should I move the radian to one of the side seats?

thanks in advance. this thread has already been helpful.
 

AtTheSouthDam

New member
this is my first comment so bare with me on my lack of knowledge.

I just purchased a radian and I have a 1999 civic 4 door and I am having some issues.

I got it in there...but the angle is interfering with the front driver and passenger seat. they are both basically all the way up and sitting straight up. not comfortable at all.

I placed the radian in the center seat in the back. it is rear facing.

i noticed from your picture that the base of the radian should be in the bright (blue line). as i am sure you noticed the center seat does not have that. any suggestions? or should I move the radian to one of the side seats?

thanks in advance. this thread has already been helpful.

I saw your other post too and you said you wanted the RN center because it is the safest spot but in reality if you can't get an acceptable install there the sides are safe as well. :)
RF provides more side impact protection even on the side seats. I have tried but simply cannot get and acceptable install in the center position of the Civic. If you really want a center install I can try my My Ride there to see if it gets a better install (if a different car seat is even an option for you).
 

mommycat

Well-known member
Yeah, sometimes the center just isn't possible for a number of reasons. When I installed the XT in the Mazda3 for a friend, we found there was no way her DH could use the driver's seat as he is too tall and the RN wouldn't fit. It was also very hard to try to get it more upright, and sat further towards the front, because of the bump and how the material of the seat would not compress in that position. We put it outboard passenger and it made a huge difference in the install.
 

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