Radian in 2002 Grand Caravan

spokaneCPST · Mar 12, 2007

I love this seat and van combo! I just got mine in the mail today and played with it in my can. The seat installs beautifully in all seating positions with LATCH and seatbelt, rear and forward facing. I know it can be a difficult install in some cars, but if you have a Dodge or Plymouth van, it will work great.
Renee
BTW I have captain's chairs in the center row and a bench in the back with lapbelt in the center and shoulder belts everywhere else.

CDNTech · Mar 12, 2007

spokaneCPST said:
I love this seat and van combo! I just got mine in the mail today and played with it in my can. The seat installs beautifully in all seating positions with LATCH and seatbelt, rear and forward facing. I know it can be a difficult install in some cars, but if you have a Dodge or Plymouth van, it will work great.
Renee
BTW I have captain's chairs in the center row and a bench in the back with lapbelt in the center and shoulder belts everywhere else.

I thought the '02 and '03 models were identical. If they are, then I would really like to know how you got it to install FF with the seatbelt in the Captains chair in the middle. I have tried so many times to get an acceptable install in my '03 Grand Caravan, middle row captains chair, ff, using the seatbelt and it has been impossible. How did you do it? Do you have pics? I would really like to know how to do it. I've never had a seat I could not install and this is really driving me crazy!

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

skipspin · Mar 12, 2007

I got one in an 05ish Caravan FFing with the seatbelt. Are the bucket seats different than the 02/03?

CDNTech · Mar 12, 2007

skipspin said:
I got one in an 05ish Caravan FFing with the seatbelt. Are the bucket seats different than the 02/03?

I think the seats are more contoured in an '03 than in the '05. I'm not positive though. '04 was when they did the redesign of the van.

Did you need any tricks to get yours installed FF with a seatbelt? Do you have pics of how you did it?

Thanks,
Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

spokaneCPST · Mar 12, 2007

aidensmom02 said:
I thought the '02 and '03 models were identical. If they are, then I would really like to know how you got it to install FF with the seatbelt in the Captains chair in the middle. I have tried so many times to get an acceptable install in my '03 Grand Caravan, middle row captains chair, ff, using the seatbelt and it has been impossible. How did you do it? Do you have pics? I would really like to know how to do it. I've never had a seat I could not install and this is really driving me crazy!

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

I will have to put it in again and take a picture. I don't know what I did special or different, it did not seem to be a difficult installation. The first time, I just put it in the seat, put the seatbelt through and tightened - perfect! Then I tried reclining the seat, putting the seatbelt through, tightening some and putting the seatback back upright - even better than perfect if that is possible.

Hope that helps. I will try to take pictures outside tomorrow if it is nice out. The garage is pretty dark.

Renee

CDNTech · Mar 12, 2007

spokaneCPST said:
I will have to put it in again and take a picture. I don't know what I did special or different, it did not seem to be a difficult installation. The first time, I just put it in the seat, put the seatbelt through and tightened - perfect! Then I tried reclining the seat, putting the seatbelt through, tightening some and putting the seatback back upright - even better than perfect if that is possible.

Hope that helps. I will try to take pictures outside tomorrow if it is nice out. The garage is pretty dark.

Renee

Thank you so much. I would really appreciate that. I tried both those methods of putting it in but when I go to try and move it I can slide it forward of the belt path a good 3 inches and then, of course, the side to side movement is all over the place

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

CDNTech · Mar 13, 2007

spokaneCPST · Mar 14, 2007

I took pics today, but I need to get to bed. I'll try to post them tomorrow.
Renee

spokaneCPST · Mar 14, 2007

Here are the pictures of the Radian in my 2002 Grand Caravan. I don't know for sure if the 2003 is exactly the same seat - it seems like my friend's 2003 has more contoured seats that mine.
Radian/Marathon RF comparision:

Radian Installed in Captains Chair using the recline feature on the Radian :

Radian Installed in Captain's Chair not using the recline on the RN:

I reclined the captains chair, installed the Radian fairly tightly while pushing it down with most of my weight. Then I sat straddling the Radian, facing the back of the car with my weight on the front of the seat. I released the the lever for the captain's chair and pulled the seatback up as hard as I could. It is in there tight tight, no movement side to side or forward.

I think it installs better without the recline. The seat sits further back into the captains chair better that way for some reason.

Let me know if you want different pictures from another angle or a picture of what my van seat looks like to compare to your own.

Renee

CDNTech · Mar 14, 2007

Thank you! Our seats look identical. I'm going to go out and try again after DH gets home tonight and I can do it in peace without two little "helpers"

Maybe I'm just too used to rock the van solid installs.

Edited to ask: I find that the lightweight locking latchplates loosen up too easily... am I allowed to use a locking clip with them?

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

spokaneCPST · Mar 14, 2007

aidensmom02 said:
Edited to ask: I find that the lightweight locking latchplates loosen up too easily... am I allowed to use a locking clip with them?

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

Yes, but another option is to flip the male part of the seatbelt 180* before buckling - that will lock it in place easier than a locking clip. It did not loosen up while I pulled on it, but I have not used it daily, and it might loosen with use.

Renee

CDNTech · Mar 15, 2007

I tried again and it is just not working. I installed exactly as you described and the front to back movement is all over the place.

I noticed on your pics that the Radian is actually sitting forward of the vehicle's seat at the base where the seatbelt runs through the belt path. Mine does this same thing. I can get less than 1" of movement side to side like this, however, front to back movement is a good 3" because the carseat's back is not flush with the vehicle's seat back. I thought this was not allowed? Can you clarify the 1" rule? Is it side to side AND front to back at the belt path?

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

arly1983 · Mar 15, 2007

aidensmom02,
did you recline the capt seat all the way, then install the radian as tightly as you could, THEN push the seat back up. IT should be hard to push the seat back up. After that attach top tether. Also you are allowed to twist the female buckle up to three full times. 2.5 worked perfectly for us. That is my two favorite tricks for installing a radian. We have a Honda CVR 03 and get a rock solid install.

spokaneCPST · Mar 15, 2007

aidensmom02 said:
I tried again and it is just not working. I installed exactly as you described and the front to back movement is all over the place.

I noticed on your pics that the Radian is actually sitting forward of the vehicle's seat at the base where the seatbelt runs through the belt path. Mine does this same thing. I can get less than 1" of movement side to side like this, however, front to back movement is a good 3" because the carseat's back is not flush with the vehicle's seat back. I thought this was not allowed? Can you clarify the 1" rule? Is it side to side AND front to back at the belt path?

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

I don't know why it worked in mine and not in yours

Mine does not move side to side or front to back at all once I have it tight. I have it pushed into the bottom seat cushion so much that it does not move at all.
Renee

spokaneCPST · Mar 15, 2007

arly1983 said:
aidensmom02,
did you recline the capt seat all the way, then install the radian as tightly as you could, THEN push the seat back up. IT should be hard to push the seat back up. After that attach top tether. Also you are allowed to twist the female buckle up to three full times. 2.5 worked perfectly for us. That is my two favorite tricks for installing a radian. We have a Honda CVR 03 and get a rock solid install.

Unfortunately on this vehicle seat, the belt is fixed and cannot be twisted - wish that it could as it would help.
Renee

CDNTech · Mar 15, 2007

arly1983 said:
aidensmom02,
did you recline the capt seat all the way, then install the radian as tightly as you could, THEN push the seat back up. IT should be hard to push the seat back up. After that attach top tether. Also you are allowed to twist the female buckle up to three full times. 2.5 worked perfectly for us. That is my two favorite tricks for installing a radian. We have a Honda CVR 03 and get a rock solid install.

I have tried all those tricks. It still moves front to back at least 3" and side to side at least 1". I have been able to install this seat in a variety of vehicles using some/none/all the tricks and no problem. I've even used the tricks in my 3rd row split bench with forward of the bight seatbelt stalks. They work for the 3rd row and get an acceptable install... less than 1" movement front to back and side to side. However, I can not get an acceptable install in the captain's chair.

My seat when installed in the captain's chair looks identical to the photos in the PP. Actually, my seatbelts look tighter because they squish the side bolsters of my captains chair more than the pp do. I still easily get 3" of front to back movement at the belt path. I think if the pp went and tried front to back movement she may be getting it too... looking at the pictures I see the same amount of room between the vehicle seat and the back of the car seat (which is where the movement is coming from when pulling front to back).

I just cannot get an acceptable install FF, with the seatbelt, in the Captain's chair.

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

spokaneCPST · Mar 15, 2007

No, I do not get front to back movement. I have pulled and pushed on the front of the seat and get none. I think it has more to do with how compressed the Radian is into the bottom seat cushion - it CAN"T move because it is pressed down so far. I will try it again and see if I can come up with anything I am doing different and check the front/back movement once more.
Renee

CDNTech · Mar 15, 2007

spokaneCPST said:
No, I do not get front to back movement. I have pulled and pushed on the front of the seat and get none. I think it has more to do with how compressed the Radian is into the bottom seat cushion - it CAN"T move because it is pressed down so far. I will try it again and see if I can come up with anything I am doing different and check the front/back movement once more.
Renee

Thank you so much! I'm probably driving you crazy

Sorry!

I am sitting on that thing to install it and it still ends up moving. Grrrrr

Off to try again

& taking hubby to help sit on the thing!

Chanting... this thing will NOT beat me! lol

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

CDNTech · Mar 16, 2007

I tried again and it is not working. I reread through the posts and noticed that you said your friends '03 looked like it has more contoured seats than yours. I think I missed that the first time around.

I'm going to conclude that it is not possible to install in an '03, FF, with the seatbelt.

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

spokaneCPST · Mar 16, 2007

aidensmom02 said:
I tried again and it is not working. I reread through the posts and noticed that you said your friends '03 looked like it has more contoured seats than yours. I think I missed that the first time around.

I'm going to conclude that it is not possible to install in an '03, FF, with the seatbelt.

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

That is too bad!!!!
Renee

Radian in 2002 Grand Caravan

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