True Fit ?'s and a Seat Belt ?

Jonah Baby

New member
I just thought of this now...
Installed my MyRide for J in my Stepmother's Fit the other day. Her center seat has one of those lap/shoulder belts that you pull down from the ceiling and snap into a buckle on the vehicle seat/out of the bight/whatever.
Was this ok to install a carseat with? I thought nothing of it at the time, but as I thought more about it I remembered some vehicles maybe weren't ok with this?


My True Fit came.
It's still in the plastic and is already confusing me.

Page 17 in the manual states that the top tether has a 48 pound maximum weight.:confused:
To get to the RF lock-offs (which the operation of said lock-offs makes no sense in the manual) you must undress the bottom of the TF to get to them. If you're doing a belt install and have to tighten and then lock the belt UNDER this cover, how the hell do you get the cover back on?!
Was I correct that the manual told me to route the RF LATCH through the RF lock-offs?

I'm sure I'll find more questions when I attempt to install this beast. It looks so complicated, I don't even WANT to try. I think I'm scared of this seat.:(
 
ADS

Maggie

New member
im nak
look at the seat while reading the instructions. it will make more sense ;)

there are little slits the lift up and you can easily reach the lock offs. no cover removal needed. hard to explain, just look at the seat. it will make sense.

i didn't have any problems installing. ff belt and latch, rf belt and latch. easy peasy. just as quick as the marathon imo.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I just thought of this now...
Installed my MyRide for J in my Stepmother's Fit the other day. Her center seat has one of those lap/shoulder belts that you pull down from the ceiling and snap into a buckle on the vehicle seat/out of the bight/whatever.
Was this ok to install a carseat with? I thought nothing of it at the time, but as I thought more about it I remembered some vehicles maybe weren't ok with this?

It's fine. It's just a different three point belt.

Page 17 in the manual states that the top tether has a 48 pound maximum weight.:confused:

It's certainly your decision whether or not to respect that. Know that *if* the tether fails, it will have already done its job, and pose no risk to the child.

To get to the RF lock-offs (which the operation of said lock-offs makes no sense in the manual) you must undress the bottom of the TF to get to them. If you're doing a belt install and have to tighten and then lock the belt UNDER this cover, how the hell do you get the cover back on?!

You don't. You just use the slits in the cover. They're right above the lockoffs.

Was I correct that the manual told me to route the RF LATCH through the RF lock-offs?

Yes. The lockoffs on a TF are required at all times.

I'm sure I'll find more questions when I attempt to install this beast. It looks so complicated, I don't even WANT to try. I think I'm scared of this seat.:(

Nah, it's an easy seat. Open lockoffs, thread belt/LATCH, tighten, close lockoffs.

Wendy
 

christineka

New member
Yeah, unsnapping the front cover gets a lot of us who actually read the manual. I did it, installed, then couldn't get the cover back on. There are slits in the cover in the seat and you can easily get to everything through those, so don't unsnap the front.
 

Jonah Baby

New member
Such a weird manual read.

Why on earth would they tell you to undo the whole cover if there's a stinkin' hole right there for that?
Isn't it more dangerous not being able to get the cover back on and having a kid get nearly suffocated in it?


And what is going on with the 48 pound top tether business?
I think I'll do what Wendy said and use it regardless.
How many serious injuries could occur to a 55 pound kid if you DON'T use the top tether? Makes no sense to me.
I've got a while to think about that anyway, as it and the Wizard will be baby's primary seats, J getting the replacement Radian and the MyRide.

I hope this thing fits in my car. It isn't looking hopeful.
 

Joyofbirth

New member
The only vehicle I've had trouble fitting the TF with is my dh's truck. It has really long buckle stalks with the plastic on them. If I could cut off the plastic, I could twict the buckle stalk and fit it. I often don't even need a noodle to get a good RFing angle. It's my current most recommended seat. I used to be a die-hard marathon fan.
 

jessi f

New member
DD's TF and I were not good friends at all when I first got it. The lock-offs did not play well with my seat belts at first. I wrestled with it forever in the freezing cold until I figured out how it worked. I think I actually cried the first time I tried it :rolleyes: I really considered taking it back.

BUT... after I worked out it's little quirks I absolutely :love: it! DD fits in it so well. It installs rock solid RF and FF in both of our cars. My only beef with it is the 35 lb RF limit but I'm ok with that now bc I can switch it for DS' CA if we need to. It did help me to peel the whole cover back like the manual says the first few times I installed it. Now that I'm used to it using the slits in the cover is easy but if I had tried that at first I dont think it would have gone well. I could shove the cover back down enough to get the snaps beside the harness adjuster fastened. If I ever use it FF I will definitely use the tether past 48 lbs if needed.

So even though it can be a PITA at first (for some people ;) ) I think it's worth the effort. :D
 

msg221

Well-known member
I was a little confused the first time I read the manual, but once you actually work with the seat, it's really easy to install. I have now installed it rear and forward facing, with LATCH and with the seatbelt. I can install it super fast now.
 

Mae

Well-known member
DD's TF and I were not good friends at all when I first got it. The lock-offs did not play well with my seat belts at first. I wrestled with it forever in the freezing cold until I figured out how it worked. I think I actually cried the first time I tried it :rolleyes: I really considered taking it back.

BUT... after I worked out it's little quirks I absolutely :love: it! DD fits in it so well. It installs rock solid RF and FF in both of our cars. My only beef with it is the 35 lb RF limit but I'm ok with that now bc I can switch it for DS' CA if we need to. It did help me to peel the whole cover back like the manual says the first few times I installed it. Now that I'm used to it using the slits in the cover is easy but if I had tried that at first I dont think it would have gone well. I could shove the cover back down enough to get the snaps beside the harness adjuster fastened. If I ever use it FF I will definitely use the tether past 48 lbs if needed.

So even though it can be a PITA at first (for some people ;) ) I think it's worth the effort. :D

:yeahthat: to all of it. I hated mine at first. Hated. It. I was ready to drop kick it.

But then, with the lovely advice from some of you all, I fell in love. :D
 

aeormsby

New member
I also found the manual terribly organized. Like putting the all the installation info up front and the 'how to adjust' the seat (like the crotch strap & stuff) at the back. I just installed one for the first time for my sister last weekend. Needed the newborn recline and it was a PITB to get the latch strap in the lockoffs, I finally realized I needed to loosen it up so they could be pushed back to where the lockoffs were. I think it will definitely be easier to install without the newborn recline (on the other hand, I had no problem snapping the cover back down or accessing the harness adjuster with the newborn recline angle).
 

disbugsmomma

New member
I don't know what kind of car you have, but it does not fit well rf on the side of a Chevy Lumina. I can get it in there, but it's a PITA. It would fit better if I moved my seat forward, but I really don't feel like eating the dash. It fits great ff in every car that I've tried it in.
 

kidnurse

Active member
I have a very small car, Dodge Caliber, and have had no problems with our TF. When T was little the upper head rest part was off so it was significantly shorter, then when he got older, I installed it more upright.
 

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