Anyone RF'd in a 2011 Sienna without towel/noodle?

luckymommy0219 · Mar 9, 2011

I am wondering if anyone has had success installing a RF seat in a 2011 Sienna second row captains chairs without having to use a pool noodle or towel? If so...which seat?

I can't get the proper recline for my 7 month old with my BV classic.

Thank you!!

wendytthomas · Mar 9, 2011

Yup. I put a TFP in a Sienna.

Wendy

luckymommy0219 · Mar 9, 2011

Wendy you were able to get the TFP in an '11 Sienna at the correct angle for an infant without towel or noodle....second row?

wendytthomas · Mar 9, 2011

For a seven month old, yes. For a newborn, no. But then, I had to use five pool noodles for Laine in her TFP when she was born.

Wendy

luckymommy0219 · Mar 9, 2011

Well my son is 7 months.....so technically not an infant. At what age can the recline be less than 45? That is the recline I have been trying to get.

wendytthomas · Mar 9, 2011

When they have head control. Usually around four months.

Mummy2Summer · Mar 9, 2011

yes. I had a KF30 and a Britax RA50 both with no noodles/towels. I bet my TFP would have installed too.

henrietta · Mar 9, 2011

We got our Decathlon in my friend's 2010 Sienna, second row captain's chair. Didn't need to adjust it much at all. He was older, over a year, but slept comfortably on a 3 hr trip. (rearfacing)

henrietta

murphydog77 · Mar 9, 2011

Is there a reason why you don't want to use a noodle or tightly rolled towel? It seems from your post that you're trying to find a new seat instead of using a noodle.

NannyMom · Mar 9, 2011

henrietta said:
We got our Decathlon in my friend's 2010 Sienna, second row captain's chair. Didn't need to adjust it much at all. He was older, over a year, but slept comfortably on a 3 hr trip. (rearfacing)

henrietta

The 2010 is very different from the 2011. They redesigned and the van and the seats are very slanted.

luckymommy0219 · Mar 9, 2011

I tried a towel...haven't tried a noodle yet. I didn't like the install I got. The seat was tight and didn't budge at the belt path but the top felt wobbly. I drove with it like that and the seat kind of bounced at the top when I was driving down the road. I am not opposed to buying him a new seat because this seat and his infant seat were both handed down from my daughter so I haven't had to spend any money on a carseat for him. Also I need a seat for him to use in my husbands car so if I buy a new one for my van I can always use the BV in his car.

wendytthomas · Mar 9, 2011

1. You can tether the Boulevard rear facing, so it wouldn't bounce.

2. You only check for movement at the belt path. The head of a rear facing seat will often bounce and that's fine.

Wendy

murphydog77 · Mar 9, 2011

luckymommy0219 said:
I tried a towel...haven't tried a noodle yet. I didn't like the install I got. The seat was tight and didn't budge at the belt path but the top felt wobbly. I drove with it like that and the seat kind of bounced at the top when I was driving down the road. I am not opposed to buying him a new seat because this seat and his infant seat were both handed down from my daughter so I haven't had to spend any money on a carseat for him. Also I need a seat for him to use in my husbands car so if I buy a new one for my van I can always use the BV in his car.

Ah. Well, we're definitely not opposed to helping you find new ways to spend money on carseats, lol, but when you've got one that's perfectly fine, we can show you how to use it too.

wendytthomas said:
1. You can tether the Boulevard rear facing, so it wouldn't bounce.

2. You only check for movement at the belt path. The head of a rear facing seat will often bounce and that's fine.

Wendy

:thumbsup:

luckymommy0219 · Mar 10, 2011

Yes I figured if I was going to have to buy one for his car anyways I might as well try and find out if there was one that would fit well in my van without having to mess with the towels and noodles.

So let's say I go that route....are there any convertibles out there that recline further than the BV. It doesn't have to be at 45 since he is almost 8 months but would still like him to be reclined comfortably.

Also since he is almost 20lbs already I would like to get something that RF longer than my BV classic....so that is another plus for buying him a new one.

I was looking at the TF and I noticed the TF recline. Does it recline further back than the other TF's? Does it recline back even further than the TFP??

henrietta · Mar 10, 2011

NannyMom said:
The 2010 is very different from the 2011. They redesigned and the van and the seats are very slanted.

Ah, yuck. The 2010 was so easy. :thumbsdown: What's wrong w/manufacturers???

henrietta

henrietta · Mar 10, 2011

Honestly, lots of car's seats require the use of a pool noodle to get a rearfacing carseat at a comfy and safe angle. It's not unusual at all. So many cars have those seats that slant.

It seems to me that most convertible carseats recline exactly the same, since they are made to recline to 45 degrees for a newborn and it looks like they test that on a level surface (which your car's seat is not). So, many will need a noodle.

The Radian leans back really far and may not need one (don't know if it's even allowed--someone here will know). That's one complaint about it for some kiddos--they don't like being so reclined when they are older.

The Complete Air often needs noodles to get a good install, but I think the Deluxe version has a base that makes that unnecessary (or at least easier).

The Radian, Complete Air, and True Fit will all last much longer than the Blvd rearfacing. The Evenflo Triumph Advance will last a smidge longer. It may recline a bit more, but we used noodles w/it in our Passat that has slanted seats (and I'll bet they're not as slanted as your new van).

I found the product that is made to use in place of a rolled towel or noodles much easier--esp the one that is shaped differently on each of it's three sides. That way, one product worked perfectly no matter what vehicle we moved the seat to.

hths

henrietta

luckymommy0219 · Mar 10, 2011

Thanks for the information Henrietta! I don't understand what Toyota was thinking either.....it seems like they were trying to make the second row more comfortable for adults when what so many people are buying vans for is to have more convenience with carseats and kids.

I figured most most seats recline about the same....I was just curious about the TF recline since they specifically call it a recline what makes it so different than every other carseat that reclines?? The picture of it on The First Years website make it look like it reclines back much further than my BV does on a flat surface although I know pics can be deceiving. Maybe I should start a new thread and ask that specific question about the TF recline. Thanks again to everyone for your info!

henrietta · Mar 10, 2011

luckymommy0219 said:
Thanks for the information Henrietta! I don't understand what Toyota was thinking either.....it seems like they were trying to make the second row more comfortable for adults when what so many people are buying vans for is to have more convenience with carseats and kids.

I figured most most seats recline about the same....I was just curious about the TF recline since they specifically call it a recline what makes it so different than every other carseat that reclines?? The picture of it on The First Years website make it look like it reclines back much further than my BV does on a flat surface although I know pics can be deceiving. Maybe I should start a new thread and ask that specific question about the TF recline. Thanks again to everyone for your info!

I know...makes no sense to me either! Wouldn't it be great if there was an option for a special wedge that was made and tested by the carseat manufacturer to insert in the seat for use w/carseats???

Definitely start the thread on the True Fit Recline--there's lots of True Fit owners here who can answer your question.

GL!

henrietta

NannyMom · Mar 10, 2011

luckymommy0219 said:
Thanks for the information Henrietta! I don't understand what Toyota was thinking either.....it seems like they were trying to make the second row more comfortable for adults when what so many people are buying vans for is to have more convenience with carseats and kids.

I figured most most seats recline about the same....I was just curious about the TF recline since they specifically call it a recline what makes it so different than every other carseat that reclines?? The picture of it on The First Years website make it look like it reclines back much further than my BV does on a flat surface although I know pics can be deceiving. Maybe I should start a new thread and ask that specific question about the TF recline. Thanks again to everyone for your info!

They called it the TF Recline to differentiate it between the other versions of the TF. FIirst was the True Fit, simple basic model. Then came the True Fit Premiere, with the extra recline feature (to be used RF or FF), and the anti rebound bar. Then they made the True Fit Recline which has the extra recline feature like the Premiere, but no anti rebound bar.

luckymommy0219 · Mar 10, 2011

Yes or a seat that had some sort of infinite adjust recline so the base could sit flush on the seat and you could adjust the carseat to get the proper recline no matter how flat or slanted your seat is!

Anyone RF'd in a 2011 Sienna without towel/noodle?

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