Booster questions

Will need to buy two booster seats soon. How should the boosters fit the children? Is it better to have the older child in the booster or the heavier one. One needs to be narrow as it will be besides a radian and another carseat. The other doesn't matter as much will have more room. Would perfer not to spend much.

Could you please provide some more details?

Age and weight of all children in the vehicle, and the seats being used for the younger ones. Torso height could also be handy for the booster recommendations.

Type of vehicle that the seats are going in. Make, model and year.

Thanks!

Hi

I run a dayhome so will try to get the kids measured.

2003 chevy venture 8pass far back, pass backless graco/middle radianFF/drivers side evenflo titanRF almost outgrown looking into MR; middle, pass built in almost outgrown, middle graco safeseat, driver's side evenflo generations. Looking for two new boosters to replace the backless and built in.

Well good job for being a daycare provider who's trying to keep the kids safe in the car! :thumbsup:

How old are the kids in question?

Okay weighed the four oldest today, the two six year olds are about 38.5lbs and the two five year olds(well one will be five in April) are almost 42lbs. Good to know since I didn't realize the two five year olds were over 40 lbs only thought one was so guess neither of them can go in the built in. So what do you ladies recommend who should go where?

That's a tough one - the 6 yos while being old enough are not heavy enough to booster (the minimum weight is 40 lbs on boosters in Canada) and the 5 yos, especially the one who is not yet 5, may be a little on the young side to booster. How mature are these 4 kids? Would you trust them to stay completely in position 100% of the time?

I would personally look at harnessed seats if possible. I would look at the Evenflo Maestro, it's a pretty new seat with a 47lb limit and 18" top slots which converts to a well-fitting booster which unfortunately does not adjust too much higher in booster mode than in harness mode. But since you are watching younger kids, it should provide decent fit with either harness or booster in most cases. It goes for $129.99 at BRU. Not sure how narrow it is, but it doesn't seem excessively wide from the pictures.

If you did need to do a booster, I would look at the Britax Parkway SG for $139.99 at BRU. It is a very narrow booster which fits smaller kids well and adjusts very tall for taller kids also, then turns into a backless if you ever watch older school age kids. It has the SG clip which is like a crotch strap that attaches to the lap section of the belt, basically turning it into a 4 point seat. This prevents submarining (sliding under the lapbelt) which is especially important for light/skinny and younger kids.

ETA could you post the ages and approx sizes of the other kids too, and whether any are your own? It might help decide who goes where - sometimes switching the seats that seem to work may make the whole picture work out for the better. Oh, and locations of tether anchors and if there any lap only belts would be good, too.

Hi

Mine are one of the six year olds and then I have a baby who is nine months in a safeseat. The two middle positions are both lap belts the middle middle has the safeseat(lapbelt), the back middle a radian installed FF(only tether in back row also lap belt). Honestly I used to let the four year old as the parents have her in the booster sit there but she isn't responsible enough especially if all the kids are in the van.

All three seats in the middle have tethers but am positive due to the angle of the seat belt stalks that I actaully can not install any FF carseats anywhere in that row without latch and only the one behind the drivers seat has the latch. The belt stalks are out a bit along the side of the seat so it makes RFinstalls almost perfect but not FF. Also the seat where the built in is is how the kids access the back as the other seat has a RF seat behind it and thats the side on the road so I don't one the kids loading or unloading from that side.

I'm guessing It might be something like 6-7months before they gain the pound or two they are lean kids. I usually only have all six kids after school so I use the harrenessed seats for all of them except the six year old girl(not mine) they are at the same heights though the six year old girl is almost out of the Radian as she goes in it sometimes. I guess I probably will keep using the built in for now and keep an eye on my son's weight as he is the only one who can go in it. So should I get a booster with a back though for nbb one?

Legally speaking since I'm in Alberta are the six year olds even required to be in anything?? The kids only go on long trips about twice a week though once schools out it might be more. All the kids are actually in boosters already except mine(though he is in one in my husbands truck for trips to the bus two times a week)and also not the two year old though she is FF in Mom and Dad's vehicles.

Hope this makes sense sorry turned into a ramble

I think legally in Alberta you could put a 6yo into the seatbelt, although there may be some requirement that the seatbelt also fit them properly? In any case (and you sound like you know this):
http://www.ama.ab.ca/cps/rde/xchg/ama/web/everything_auto_autoChildSafety-7748.htm

6. Why is it not safe to put my six-year-old in a seatbelt?
Seatbelts are designed to fit adult sized bodies. They are designed to fit across the shoulder, chest, and hips so that these bony areas will absorb the force of a crash. When a child is too small for a seatbelt, it goes across the neck and over the abdomen, which could cause life-threatening injuries to the internal organs and spine in a crash. Using a booster seat solves this problem. It raises the child up so that the seat belt fits the child’s body properly.

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I would definitely get a high back booster for the ages you are dealing with. It likely provides some side impact protection, it gives a kids a place to lean their head if they do doze off, and the structure of the seat sides reminds them to sit properly positioned. It may position the shoulder belt better as well.

There are some tricks to allow you to install seats with a setbelt even if the buckles are forward of the seat bight. We may be able to help you with that.

BRB...

Here's a thread showing a Radian install with fwd of bight seat belts:
Install Tips for a Radian with forward of the bight seatbelts

Those tips should help for seats which aren't such a pain to install, as well.

Unless you were willing to put the baby RF in the 3rd row pass side and reinstall an easy harnessed seat every time in the spot where you need the access (maybe with the Maestro so you could harness now and then use it as a booster once someone bulks up or matures more to sit well), then here are the seats I would probably choose for the rear row (except that your Radian would be FF in the center and the MyRide would be RF driver's outboard, oh and the Parkway would be the SG version):

firemomof3 said:

I have an 06 Sedona
...
Here is what I've had so far:
Parkway, MyRide, Radian

MyRide, Parkway, Radian

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I would then try to put a HB Turbo or another Parkway SG or a Maestro in booster mode in the access seat, since a booster is easy enough to shift out of the way. You would need to put the younger >40lb kids in the boosters though, until the 6yos bulked up. It's not good either way but at least that would be legal as the boosters all have a minimum of 40 lbs to use them.

You could also put the SS1 in the access seat without the base (baseless install every time) and then you could get a harnessed seat in the center spot, something like the Maestro. Not sure how you would feel about that.

Thanks,

I'll try to get some pictures of the buckles because they are in the second row and can't be moved accept to recline like a half more inch, so I can't twist them or anything. I'll leave it for now looking to get new seats in June so if I get to BRU I'll try some different options.

Oh, I think I know the buckles you mean - they aren't just forward of the bight, they are fixed and pointing forward too? Ugh.

Yes exactly I've tried a few different seats and I can't for the life of me figure out how you would put a FF seat in any of them. At least the latch goes to 48lbs, too bad the are only in one position!

Do you have 3 bucket seats or a bench? Latch manual seems to tell me it must be the bucket seats if you have a tether anchor in the middle. And the stowable seat in the rear? And it seem model year 01-05 have the same setup. I can try to have a look around to see if anyone else has had any luck.

OK, An Aurora seems to have (had) a Venture and seemed to have no issues, but doesn't say if she had FF or RF seats at the time. Oh, I guess RF... that doesn't really help you.

An Aurora said:

I have a Chevy Venture with the modular seating. I LOVE it. I can fit just about anything in there.

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An Aurora said:

2001 Chevy Venture, 3 bucket seats in middle row
RF MA (LATCH), RF or FF Scenera (ALR lap belt), RF or FF Radian (l/s belt)
RF MA (LATCH), RF or FF Triumph (ALR lap belt), RF or FF Radian (l/s belt)
RF MA (LATCH), RF Combi Tyro infant seat, RF or FF Radian or Triumph (l/s belt)
*Radian installs RF in the center seat but is incompatible FF with the ALR lap belt.
Checked by a tech.

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melniemi also has a Venture and doesn't mention any issues with the buckles, I PM'd her to ask if she can have a look here and offer some suggestions if she can. While it's not ideal, she makes a good argument for loading from the driver's side...

melniemi said:

I have this same van.

I would put a ffing radian in the third row center w/9 and 11 yo's on either side.

Then rearface the other 3 across the middle row. Put the oldest on the side with Latch - so the seatbelt won't be in the way for kids to get in the third row. That seat can be more upright and you can move the front seat forward and that seat forward for access to the third row. If you are going to ff the 2.5 yo, put that seat in the Latch position so you can easily slide it forward for access.

Rearface the 2 youngest center and outboard middle row in marathons or whatever. The middle row is so wide that you will be able to fit any combo of seats that you want.

Post back if you have other questions. I'll try my best.

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I think the trick of pulling the base of the carseat a little away from the seat bight might help even if the belt can't be twisted. You would need a seat that has a high enough belt path to not have the buckle end up on it's edge.

I'll try So we have a 9 mon old, a 2 yo, a 4 yo and 2 6 yos? And a radian, SS1, built in, generations, titan, backless turbo.

The third row of a Venture is so tiny. Literally, so tiny. It really is hard to get 3 across. If you could find some old style parkways, it would be your best bet - and they fit petite children well. The armrests on the new one make it harder to buckle. Pw/radian/pw would work. You'd have to teach the kids to put their arm behind the pw wing to reach down for the buckle, then push the seatbelt into the buckle from the front. That's how my boys buckled when I had pw/ma/pw. Maybe that would work with the new pw too? It was harder for them with the turbo.

I read somewhere here that the Harmony Lite Rider fits in the third row, outboard, with a radian or marathon center. But that's a backless. Maybe the highback would too? Since you are in Canada, you'll need top tethers for harnessed seats, so that doesn't help. Even if it was your only option, it'd be better than no seat at all for them.

I could not get a radian to install rfing in the third row. I'll be getting one soon for my 3 yo, but it'll go in the middle row, passenger outboard. The middle seatbelts are tricky - but I've managed so far - pulling the base of the carseat just a little bit forward of the seat bight does help. I've only installed a ffing one a couple times though.

I would get 3 harnessed seats for the middle row. 2 rear facing, one forward facing. The forward facing one in the Latch position so you can slide it forward for access to the back. My 9 & 5 yo's have no problem sliding in that way.

So, a new rfing seat, maybe the new radian to 45#s passenger outboard, SS1 center, Maestro or Nautilus (or your generations if it still fits someone) drivers outboard for your 6 yo's full time seat and for whoever on the days you have all the kids.

Then in the third row, I'd try the new parkway/radian ffing/new parkway and see if the kids can buckle it. It'll be nearly impossible to climb back there to do it for them (unless you are like Gumby or something, I'm not) If that doesn't fit, then the Harmony lite rider or Clek Oto if you can find some.

Good luck! I'm certainly glad I only have 5 in my van

There is a note in the Venture manual that they'll replace the buckles in the middle row under warranty. My dealer wouldn't because it's an 02, so it'd cost $75 + labor, but it might be worth it if you are having a lot of trouble - though w/2 rfing, 1 Latch, I think you should be okay.

I can fit in the back to buckle them in so thats not a problem, If I coulf fit a FF in the middle I guess it would solve my problem what kind of buckle do they put in??

What do you guys mean pull the carseat forward of the belt doesn't that leave a big gap?

Pulling the seat forward an inch or so, to line the belt path up with the buckle better, does leave a gap behind the seat at the bottom of the seat back, but as long as the gap isn't exxcessive, the base is at least 80% supported by the seat (except for seats like the Nauti which need 100% of the base supported) and the top of the shell rests firmly on the vehicle seat, and the installation is solid (less than 1" of movement in any direction at the belt path) then that is acceptable.