Need 3 across in Ford Freestar 3rd row

arly1983 · May 2, 2007

Ok, these are the seats I currantly have: Britax Marathon and Evenflo Chase

I measured the hip room on the 3rd row and it is appr. 49 ins...

I was looking for a cosco touriva but couldn't find one (or two)

The Safety 1st Intera is the next narrowest but I am not sure I want to shell out that much for a seat that will have to be used harnessed FFing...

I am not set on using the MA so I could replace it with something else as it is the widest seat..

There will be 2 FFing and 1 RFing child in this configuration...

Anyone have any experience? Or suggestions?

trailrunnermom · May 2, 2007

Albee baby has the Cosco "Regal Ride" which looks like a Touriva on sale for $44.99 (plus shipping). It looks to me like it's narrower than the Scenera.
See: http://www.specialtybaby.com/coreri5pococ.html

Since you're doing 2 FF and 1 RF, that should help, too.

musicmaj · May 2, 2007

The regal ride is 2 inches narrower than the scenera. I have one for my three across and it works great.

arly1983 · May 2, 2007

Oh, thanks so very much!

scatterbunny · May 2, 2007

Yes, Regal Ride, but it has shorter top slots than the Intera. If you'll use it RF I'd do a Regal Ride, if FF only, the Intera will last longer (but is pricier).

Hate to say it, but a Radian might be a good option.

MsFacetious · May 2, 2007

I gotta ask WHY?? Lol. I must be missing something here.

I also had to laugh because my first thought was the Radian... lol

arly1983 · May 2, 2007

NO! NEVER!

I actually cringed when I saw how the seats were shaped. My first thought was, THank God, the radian is GONE!

Your probably right, a radian would be a good choice but not something I want to think about untill ALL other options are exhausted....

Which, I might be getting SSI so the three across might not be needed after all, I will only need to get two at the very most back there...

[Chelsae, after many long battles with the radian, I traded it (with pleasure) for a 2005 regent on Delphi Forums]

MsFacetious · May 2, 2007

Oh I know about why you don't have the Radian anymore.

I'm wondering why you need to fit three across in the back of your van.

For a minute I thought this was your discreet way of announcing a pregnancy but that doesn't make sense.

So who else are you transporting?? Lol. Because I'm nosy

MsFacetious · May 2, 2007

Wait a minute, an SS1... AHHHH Did I miss an announcement??!! I'm SO confused! Cuz Jackson has almost outgrown the Marathon so yeah.. I'm lost. Explain to the natural blonde please?

arly1983 · May 2, 2007

I bet you are confused....I am a daycare provider. In the fall, Jackson will start early intervention preschool. DH and MIL will be taking him and picking him up except for one day a week so I will have go get him on fridays... At the moment I have two 16 months old girls that I will still have then. If Jackson gets Social Security Income (SSI) then I am not going to get another child to replace the one I am losing in august so instead of three across I will just need two....Does that make better sense?

I don't mind your curiosity, I am nosy myself!

oxeye · May 2, 2007

LOL I think Chelsae and I both thought SSI stood for Safe Seat 1. LOL I was wondering why possibly buying an infant seat meant you would only need to put two seats in the third row.

arly1983 · May 2, 2007

:ROTFLMAO: Ain't no more babies planned over here. Not for a long while yet!

MsFacetious · May 2, 2007

Phew okay i was going to be offended if I didn't know about another baby! Lol. Now if you had said Jackson was getting SSI I would have known what you meant.

Lol

Victorious4 · May 2, 2007

I know I got a couple 3 across configurations in my 2005 Freestar & I *think* they were the SS1 + Scenera + Parkway ~ also the Scenera or SS1 + Starriser Comfy + Recaro Young Sport.... Not the easiest, but it works. I suggest installing the center seat 1st, then the outboard seats -- uninstall/reinstall the center seat to make sure the outboard seats are secure. Worst comes to worst, the Ride Safer Travel Vest is another option, I'd prefer the Radian if it installs properly (sorry, they aren't available locally or I'd test it for ya!)

Warning:
If you have a middle row bench it will likely need to be pushed forward to install a seat RF in the 3rd row, which means the only safe use of the middle row would be to install a seat with LATCH (under the approved limits) in the center with inner outboard anchors (as per the vehicle manual).

arly1983 · May 3, 2007

Oh, thank goodness we have the two capt chairs which currantly have a Regent and a RFing Marathon in them..

Tinydolly · May 3, 2007

Arly,
I have a 2006 Freestar... I have a few questions? Do you have only one tether anchor in the back row? In mine they only have one and it makes me mad becuase I have 2 Regents. You say you have a Regent in the second row. Is it tethered to the same chair it sits on? and is it really hard to get to the back row with the Regent there? I didn't think I could put 2 seats in the middle row and still get to the back to buckle in my oldest.... THX

Victorious4 · May 3, 2007

Yep, only one 3rd row anchor -- which is why I only had 1 FF harness seat there.... Outboard Regent can be tethered to the center anchor, but the center seat is pretty much useless then (except with RSTV).

Is your middle row captain chairs or bench?

2 Regents (or 2 Apex or 1 of each) do fit on the middle row bench & it can then slide very easy to access the 3rd row: must be all the way back when the vehicle is in motion, though.

As far as I can see, tthe Regent would not be any wider than the captain chairs so access to the rear bench shouldn't be any more difficult

Tinydolly · May 3, 2007

I have 2 captains chairs in the middle row. Right now I have one of them folded flat to have better access to the back. When I have the 2 captain seats upright it makes it so hard to fit between them to get to the back row. I'm not exactly small... LOL. My baby will be in the Roundabout in about a month which will rear face in the second row. For now the boys are both in Regents in the back not tethered. My oldest is about 46 lbs and in the manual it says at 50 lbs it has to be tethered. I didn't realize I could use the center tether anchor for one of the out bound seats. I feel bad tethering one seat and not the other... but I guess the heavest child should be tethered right? When my middle child reaches 50 lbs I will probably have to put 2 in the second row so everyone can be tethered. I will say that both of the Regents are in there very tight right now, they don't move at all.

Thanks for all the help... sometimes I feel like I sound like a broken record.. LOL. My best friend who has a son 4 years ols put him in a booster and I told her how much I disagree since her seat with a harness goes to 65 lbs. but everyone thinks I'm nuts.

arly1983 · May 3, 2007

Don't worry, my whole family thinks I am nuts because Jackson, who is only 28 months, is not in a booster!

I don't find it very hard at all to access the third row with the regent there. It is tethered to the capts seat.

Since you have your seat folded flat right now, you could just remove it all together and put the RF Roundabout in the third row behind the other capts chair. Then put one regent in the third row and top tether it. Then put the other regent in the remaining capts chair and top tether it. That way everyone is tethered and with the extra capts chair not there you can easily put the baby in his roundabout, or put him in his roundabout from the back hatch. It is just a suggestion. HTH.

Tinydolly · May 3, 2007

Ya.. THX that does seem like a good idea. I do feel better with everyone tethered. I will be putting the Roundabout in soon. My DD is 4 months on the 10th but she is over 17 lbs by now I bet

I'll let ya know how it all works when we get them in...

Need 3 across in Ford Freestar 3rd row

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Senior Community Member

New member

New member

Senior Community Member

New member

New member

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics