Would you switch backless yet?

M

mommyof3tx

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #1

We have a new (to us) 08 grand caravan and right now we have 3yr old in his radian in one of the captain's chairs and 5 (almost 6yr) in his parkway in other captains chair and almost 8yr old in the back bench with his parkway. Problem is my oldest's parkway leans quite bad on the bench. He can stay in position but it's def leaning. But is also blocks my view quite a bit too. I think it's because of the height it's at, my 5yr olds isn't AS bad but he likes to lock his seatbelt on him and if he does that with his on the back bench the seatbelt can't retract far enough for it to release the lock for him to buckle back in the next time. So he really needs to stay in the captain's chair. I'm considering switching my oldest to a backless but wanted some opinions on it first.

He's about 49-50in I need to measure him again and no more than 52lbs fully clothed, might be right at 50lbs even. He also sleeps a lot in the car and leans his head onto his headrest so he stays in position but I worry that without the back he wouldn't be able to stay in position as easily

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #2

Until you said he sleeps a lot I thought it'd be no problem. However, if he uses the wings for sleeping often I'd definitely keep him in a high back booster.

Wendy

 

M

mommyof3tx

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #3

Do you think it would be ok to just try him in it and watch when he falls asleep and if he does fall over pull over and wake him up and switch him back? Is there any other reason to keep the back on IF he can sleep ok without it?

 

DaniChildcare

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #4

I don't know about the bench in your van, but if it's connected to the vehicle with the LATCH connectors would that keep it from tilting? (I'm remembering correctly that the parkway has latch right?)

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #5

No. That'd be fine.

Wendy

 

seamonkeys

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #6

DaniChildcare said:

I don't know about the bench in your van, but if it's connected to the vehicle with the LATCH connectors would that keep it from tilting? (I'm remembering correctly that the parkway has latch right?)

Click to expand...

If it's the original Parkway, then no LATCH. It's the new PWSG that has LATCH. (ETA: Whoops, what I am thinking, the SG one doesn't have LATCH, either. I think I was thinking about the Montery.)

 

Last edited: Feb 14, 2011

M

mommyof3tx

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #7

No ours is just the SG model, not the one with latch I was tempted to try and sell these and buy the latch ones instead though because we have a baby on the way and both will HAVE to be on that back bench. Our seats are really new, I think I got them in June and my 5yr old has only been using his maybe 2mo and then my older one since we got them but they were manufactured in March 2010 so almost a year old now.....wasn't sure it would be worth it though?

 

DaniChildcare

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #8

If they are tipping that much on the bench, i probably would. Even if your 8 yo was able to go backless, you 5yo won't be able to, and i'd imagine the tilting would be an issue.

If you have something to trade in, i would take something to trade in at BRU now, get 2 new parkways for 90 dollars, and then sell your other ones on CL for 80 after the trade in event is over

They aren't even a year old, you should be able to get a decent amount out of them.

 

Baylor

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #9

I had the same problem in the back of my Caravan 01. I have a Nautilus and since they can be latched in booster mode, It solved the problem.

I had my 6.5 in the backless booster today for a short ride. I wanted to see how he would do. The back will be back on tomorrow. He liked it but I had to tell him over and over and over to sit in position. So I may let him do it to and from school from time to time to start getting used to it, but Not full time for a LONG LONG LONG time.

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Feb 14, 2011

• #10

The Caravan has offset LATCH in the back, right? If so you can't get two LATCHable boosters -- you can't use LATCH for the second one. If the LATCH spots are in actual seating positions then nevermind.

I have a 7yo who I let ride backless to/from school -- on longer trips I put the back back on. I'm constantly pulling my seats out though so it's not a big deal to do this. I find it's made our lives easier, and honestly made everyone safer because he can buckle himself and I'm much less rushed in the morning.

 

M

mommyof3tx

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #11

You know I'm not sure how the LATCH is in the back, we've only had the van for about 2wks so I'm not really familiar with it yet. I'm going to have to go out there and check that.

If I could get $80 back out of them so I'm only paying about $10 each to upgrade that's def doable...maybe I should do that....assuming both can be latched back there.

 

M

mommyof3tx

New member

• Feb 14, 2011

• #12

I'm looking online at BRU now and it's only showing the SG models, do they actually carry the SGL in store? Does anyone happen to know which covers they have in store if so?