musical carseats

I'm trying to reconfigure seats. This is what we have:
*My van: TFP- must stay, I like the arb for her primary vehicle
*DH's Durango: EFTA- for the knobs....but they are wedged in anyway
*Grandma's car: Marathon- must be center as per grandma. No one can fit outboard next to the carseats, except great grandma who is skinny and petite. Front seats must be all the way back.
*Grandpa's CRV: Boulevard- must be center as per grandma. I hate seatbelt installs center. The BV works because of the lockoffs. Not sure why I seem to have issues with his seatbelt. No center latch.
*SIL's car/ back up: My Ride. I usually install outboard latch. I like the MR for them because it's easy to loosen/tighten if needed. But I could also consider a Britax because it's easy to install with latch.

I was trying to sell my extra TF. I really really don't think I'll be using the MA and BV FF, so I think I should sell one of those instead. So....where do I put what seats?

I really wanted to put the TF in Grandpa's CRV, but have been unsuccessful (though I haven't given up yet). Then put the BV in Grandma's car, and sell the MA. But if the TF doesn;t work out....I need a plan B.

I doubt the TF would work in Grandma's car. She has really long buckle stalks, and with it twisted 3 times, I think it would still be in the way of the MA lockoffs (if I locked that side). It's a lap belt. And with a seat wider than the MA, I think the entire backseat would be useless And even if I bought a RN....Bookmama has told me it won;t work with the front seats all the way back.

I could try the TF in DH's Durango. But we may have a long buckle stalk problem again, not sure. Maybe since he's learned not to loosen/tighten every time, he'll be ok with a strap instead of the knobs (he has an arm injury that has reduced his strength). Then move the EFTA to Grandpa's CRV (it would fit great in Grandma's....but again, it's wider). But it doesn't have lockoffs, and I fear the seatbelt install If they would just let me put the TF outboard with latch

Or I could try the TF as the SIL/back up. And try the MR in the CRV. Or the MR for DH and the EFTA in the CRV.

any thoughts?

I think you should concentrate on getting the TF worked out in Grandpa's car. What's the problem? Just can't get the belt tight enough? Have you tried it with someone helping (an extra set of hands? It can be difficult to hold the belt tight while fighting to get the lockoff closed.

As plan B, try the EFTA, maybe with locking clip.

Pixels said:

I think you should concentrate on getting the TF worked out in Grandpa's car. What's the problem? Just can't get the belt tight enough? Have you tried it with someone helping (an extra set of hands? It can be difficult to hold the belt tight while fighting to get the lockoff closed.

As plan B, try the EFTA, maybe with locking clip.

Click to expand...

When I get the belt tight, the darn belt is IN the lockoffs. If I put the seat more upright to keep the belt out, the latchplate is in the lockoffs (even with the stalk twisted 2-3 times, as much as it can twist). Someone upstairs says she did it. I'm waiting for her response to this problem. I did have my Dad hold the buckle stalk for me, to try and keep the belt out of the lockoffs. I will try again.... but Dad needed his car back after an hour of trying today.

You mean that the belt gets in the way of closing the lockoff?

Pixels said:

You mean that the belt gets in the way of closing the lockoff?

Click to expand...

Yes. I should have taken pics, but didn't It slides right down into the area the red lock would turn. Sometimes half the belt, sometimes just a sliver.

I have that happen on mine, too. Buckle the belt. Get it aligned with the lockoffs how you want (belt as far from the red lock as possible). "Close" the red lock, leaving the yellow lever open. The red lock will help hold the belt back. Tighten the belt a bit, watching the belt. As it slides toward the red lock, stop tightening and move the belt back up. Tighten more, stopping as necessary to adjust the belt.

Alternatively, try to install halfway between reclined and more upright. Maybe you can find a sweet spot where it won't slip into the lockoff nor hit the latchplate.

What about trying to move the whole seat to the side away from the buckle?

Pixels said:

I have that happen on mine, too. Buckle the belt. Get it aligned with the lockoffs how you want (belt as far from the red lock as possible). "Close" the red lock, leaving the yellow lever open. The red lock will help hold the belt back. Tighten the belt a bit, watching the belt. As it slides toward the red lock, stop tightening and move the belt back up. Tighten more, stopping as necessary to adjust the belt.

Alternatively, try to install halfway between reclined and more upright. Maybe you can find a sweet spot where it won't slip into the lockoff nor hit the latchplate.

What about trying to move the whole seat to the side away from the buckle?

Click to expand...

I;ve tried all that...except I haven't found that sweet spot yet I think I got closest (but still jsut over 1 inch movement) when I had 1 pool noodle.... but it was so far away from the seat bight, I was afraid it would move and the seat would be loose. I've also been trying with a towel rolled, and unrolling it bits to find the sweet spot....but ran out of time.

It looks like the other poster has the TF right next to the buckle stalk, I'll have to try that instead of pushing it further away.

I've gotten better at installing it with practice, but often when I first install, it's too loose. I use the lockoffs to my advantage to get it tighter.

Buckle and close the lockoff on the buckle side, leaving a few inches of slack in the belt. Concentrate solely on the lap belt portion on the other side. Push down on just that side of the seat, and get the belts arranged in the lockoff how you want. Close that lockoff. You'll have a bubble of belt in the middle of the two lockoffs.

Now concentrate on the buckle side lockoff. Open the lockoff, push down on that side of the seat, pull the lap belt tight, arrange the belt in the lockoffs. Close lockoff. Now all of the lap belt is tight, and there's a bubble only in the shoulder belt between the lockoffs. Reopen the first (non-buckle side) lockoff, take the slack out of the shoulder belt, and reclose the lockoff.

Pixels said:

I've gotten better at installing it with practice, but often when I first install, it's too loose. I use the lockoffs to my advantage to get it tighter.

Buckle and close the lockoff on the buckle side, leaving a few inches of slack in the belt. Concentrate solely on the lap belt portion on the other side. Push down on just that side of the seat, and get the belts arranged in the lockoff how you want. Close that lockoff. You'll have a bubble of belt in the middle of the two lockoffs.

Now concentrate on the buckle side lockoff. Open the lockoff, push down on that side of the seat, pull the lap belt tight, arrange the belt in the lockoffs. Close lockoff. Now all of the lap belt is tight, and there's a bubble only in the shoulder belt between the lockoffs. Reopen the first (non-buckle side) lockoff, take the slack out of the shoulder belt, and reclose the lockoff.

Click to expand...

I sort of did that a little. Sounds like I could have done it better. I'll give it a try next weekend.

My friend had this problem with her TF. I just put it in, pushed the seat down and tightened as much as I could. Then when I was going to close the lock-offs. I pressed the seat (on the sidewall thingy)at the bight with one hand just a little and pushed the seatbelt toward the seat bight and closed the lock-off. Her seatbelt has a locking latchplate, so it was locked where I had originally tightened it and the seatbelt didn't shift. So once I moved the seatbelt out of the lock-off I let go of the side of the seat, still holding the seatbelt up and then closed the lock-off. Does that make any sense?

Joyofbirth said:

My friend had this problem with her TF. I just put it in, pushed the seat down and tightened as much as I could. Then when I was going to close the lock-offs. I pressed the seat (on the sidewall thingy)at the bight with one hand just a little and pushed the seatbelt toward the seat bight and closed the lock-off. Her seatbelt has a locking latchplate, so it was locked where I had originally tightened it and the seatbelt didn't shift. So once I moved the seatbelt out of the lock-off I let go of the side of the seat, still holding the seatbelt up and then closed the lock-off. Does that make any sense?

Click to expand...

That's a little confusing Or maybe my brain doesn't want to function. But it sounds like it would work better with a locking latchplate like you had. The CRV doesn't.

I had this problem when installing it at 45* in my van (for a younger BabyS). But I managed to install it. I will give it another try. But I may also try the MR with locking clip.

Sorry, I thought it mightg be confusing but could not figure out how to simplify my explanation. That's a fault of mine. Sorry. I think you're right that method requires a locking latchplate to work. I wish I couldn've been more help. The TF is my new favorite seat.