Radian 65 Install

tl01

New member
Okay, I finally took pics of my Radian install. I have not tethered it RFing yet and will do so if I keep the seat. I"m not sure what to do about this seat. I have it installed in a 2006 Mercedes ML 350 using LATCH on the passenger side of the vehicle. I have tried to get it in snugly but I just can't seem to get it as rock solid as our Boulevard. I think the Boulevard and Safe Seat 1 made me quite confident about my ability to install a seat but perhaps I did so well with them b/c they are easy to install seats. I can't get the LATCH connectors quite right in this car. I wish the LATCH points were a tiny bit further apart. Also, the harder I tighten the seat the further it tilts. I would take the seat to a tech but I'm going to use the seat for traveling so I need to figure out how to do it myself. I'm guessing I have clost to an inch of travel at the belt which I know is acceptable but I have my Boulevard installed and it doesn't budge at all. Am I too picky?

If I don't keep this seat then I need to figure out what else to get. I would like the new Recaro but really what a seat to take on airplanes (besides a Scenera) and to using while DS is in DH's car. We never drive his car ont he weekend b/c we only have 1 seat.
 
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CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Will it install better with the seatbelt? It looks like the tilting is caused by the LATCH buckle adjuster. As you tighten the seat it pulls the buckle adjuster further up towards the belt path causing the seat to tilt. What if you sat/kneeled on the opposite side of the buckle adjuster while tightening? Does that help with the tilting?

Your vehicle's seatbelt buckles look like they would provide a great RF install (and FF, for what it's worth).
Edited to add: You would probably need to use a locking clip (instead of the locking seatbelts) to stop the seat from tilting, but may be able to get a better install this way.

The RF tether should help with the tilting issue as well... as long as it's tethered towards the center of the vehicle.

Just throwing out some ideas... hope some will help.
 

tl01

New member
I guess I could try to use the seat belt, I just love the ease of LATCH and not having to use the locking clip. Am I unique to having such a problem with the position of the LATCH points?
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
I guess I could try to use the seat belt, I just love the ease of LATCH and not having to use the locking clip. Am I unique to having such a problem with the position of the LATCH points?

I've tried it RF in our MazdaSpeed3 and our Dodge Grand Caravan. I didn't have a problem with the LATCH points in either vehicle. Sorry, that's not much help!:sorry!:

It might work to get someone else to sit in the seat while the second person tightens the LATCH. The RF tether will also definitely help with tilting.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
We had it installed with LATCH outboard in our Saturn outlook and the LATCH points are a bit wonky in that they are a bit raised from the seat. I found that I had to fasten the latch belt with the car seat away from the back of the vehicle seat, and then push the base up in between the LATCH connectors, it looked very similar to yours... If you loosened the LATCH belt right up and then pushed the base could you get it further back at all?

I tend to crawl right into seats when I'm installing them and use my knees to put my full weight into the seat, would that help compress the vehicle seat enough to get the belt tighter? It looks like you don't have much more room to tighten the belt, but maybe just 1/2" would make a difference?

I cropped the only photo I have with the base showing, so you can get a view of how ours was:

rdadianmarch07015basecrop.jpg


You can see how the LATCH belt was on an angle like yours, so perhaps if you could get the belt tighter that would fix it?

My 2 cents, FWIW, is that if you have an acceptable install and the seat will be primarily used for planes and travelling and only occassionally in your dh's car, that I would keep the seat. I've read of others who use the radian on planes and find it so easy and quick to install on there... so it does make a great travelling seat, and you're within the 1" of wiggle room guideline, so that's what I'd do anyways.
 

tl01

New member
I did the exact same thing to install the seat that you did:) I came up with the idea of connecting the LATCH and then sneaking the base in while brainstorming this morning! It did make the install better than the night b4 but still not perfect. I'm going to ask DH to sit in the seat tomorrow or I'll sit in it and he can tighten. Perhaps together we can get it to work. I just hope I'll be able to install in if I travel alone!

Do you actually sit in the seat or do you put your knee(s) into the seat?

Thanks for the pic and your help!
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Do you actually sit in the seat or do you put your knee(s) into the seat?

Thanks for the pic and your help!

No problem. :)

I crawl into the seat so that my feet would be facing the back of the car-seat - if I looked straight ahead I'd be looking out the back window. I go in kind of sideways though so that my feet don't touch the carseat and get it dirty...lol. Then I put all my weight right where the belt path is while pulling on the LATCH belt to tighten it. (All my weight on my knees - like I was kneeling.) I actually found the LATCH belt to have a nice adjuster on it so that it's pretty good for extra tightening.

It sounds like you'll be able to get a decent install. Best of luck in the am and let us know how it goes.
 

tl01

New member
Well, I"m pretty bummed now! DH and I both tried to get the seat in. Even with his weight in the seat... he's 6'2" tall, we still could not improve the install enough. We have about 1 inch of movement at the belt path. Probably more if I push the seat really hard. I should have posted a video of it to show... but we've already uninstalled it. With our Boulevard the fact that the LATCH connectors are not connected to each other seems to help. I think b/c the belt slides along the seat on the Radian is the reason we are getting so much movement:( I really like the ease of the Britax install it's just a bummer we can't use the Radian for DH's car and for travel purposes. I guess we'll have to get a Marathon or something... I was hoping for an easier seat:(
 

tl01

New member
Okay... change of mind... I'm going to try to take it to a tech to see if they can get it in. I've always paid $40 for an install on a seat but if I can get in to the CHP or FD or something that's free then I'm willing to give it one more try! I really want it to work!
 

spokaneCPST

CPST Instructor
Okay... change of mind... I'm going to try to take it to a tech to see if they can get it in. I've always paid $40 for an install on a seat but if I can get in to the CHP or FD or something that's free then I'm willing to give it one more try! I really want it to work!

If you list your town or zip code, maybe one of the techs here can help you out in person. Where did you have to pay $40 for an install? Most of us on this board(all of us?) teach parents to install their own seats for free.
Renee
 

tl01

New member
I have had to pay for my installs from various techs. Unless I go to the CHP or similar station, then I have to pay. There's a huge wait at CHP and FD locations for installs. I called all sorts of CHP stations today (up to a 1.5 hour drive for me) and all of them couldn't take me until May or later! I'm guessing this is why people are charging for the service. I also tried calling the dealerships that do installs but of all the ones I called none of those people still worked at the dealerships:( I was able to get an appointment for tomorrow at one CHP location. I wonder if this person is even certified. I'll of course check that when I arrive and I'll be watching the install very carefully!
 

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