I switched the AO back to RF

luvmy2

New member
When I took the LATCH belt from the back of the seat to put in the front, it's attached to the back of the seat. I was still able to put it in the front of the seat, but I can feel where it is attached to the back under the seat cover, is this right? Also, the base is a rock solid install, no movement at all, but the top is so wobbly, is that just b/c I'm used to the top tether keeping it still?
I had to put the seat on the passenger side too, I couldn't get a good install in the middle.
I'm going to put the Regent back in the middle seat in the Escape too, but that will be a project for tomorrow. ;)

ETA: If I had my owner's manual I probably wouldn't be asking all these questions.
 
ADS

scatterbunny

New member
I can't help with the LATCH questions, never installed a seat with LATCH, yet. :p

Most rear-facing seats that don't allow rear-facing tethering will be wobbly at the top of the seat shell; what matters is that there is less than one inch of movement at the belt path. Yours sounds good. :)
 

mommycat

Well-known member
The LATCH belt is bolted/screwed to the seat shell on the AO (at least the one I have) and the manual gives instructions on how to detach it. I think they attached it just so that it doesn't get lost in storage? It really seemed to pull on the belt on mine when I tried to put it in the RF install position (I had the seat in with seatbelt, so we never actually used it that way). I would detach it - you need a screwdriver for this. If you don't have the manual at all, let me know and I can check for sure what mine says tomorrow or next day.
 

luvmy2

New member
I lost my manual and I emailed the company for a new one a few days ago. That would be great if you could check the manual for me! Thanks so much!
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Yeah, LATCH is legally supposed to be attached to the seat and only removeable 'with a tool', so usually it's got a little plastic rivet and a strap attaching to the back of the seat so it can kind of reach to be both RF and FF harness slots...so yeah, your strappy situation is normal :)

You could try taking the base off if you want... it'll still be pretty tippy at the top, but might be lower and easier to climb into and more solid feeling at the belt path (though you don't have to at all, if you're happy with it now, don't mess with it!)

As for the Regent in the middle of the Escape? Might fit, might be too wide...you are allowed to use LATCH there (per Britax and Ford allowing center latch usage...um...do all Escapes have LATCH? I'm assuming they do, lol), but it will probably cover your outboard seatbelt buckles.

:)
 

luvmy2

New member
The Escape only has LATCH anchors on the outboard positions. It does say in the car owner's manual that you can use the two inside outboard anchors IF the carseat has the non rigid hooks. So I would have to use the seatbelt in the middle, I know that it fits b/c I had it installed in my mom's 05 Escape and my niece & I both were able to sit in the back & fasten our seatbelts, it was a tight squeeze though.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
The Escape only has LATCH anchors on the outboard positions. It does say in the car owner's manual that you can use the two inside outboard anchors IF the carseat has the non rigid hooks. So I would have to use the seatbelt in the middle, I know that it fits b/c I had it installed in my mom's 05 Escape and my niece & I both were able to sit in the back & fasten our seatbelts, it was a tight squeeze though.

The Regent does not have rigid hooks, it has a flexible strap, just like the AO (Rigid LATCH is just little metal bars sticking out of the seat base, it won't work in the middle because the distance is a set 11 inches on the seat, while the bars in the Escape are a little farther apart than 11 inches). Ford is saying you can't use one of three possible seats in that middle position: the Baby Trend LATCH-Loc, the Britax Expressway, or the Jane' Indy Plus. The Regent is definitely ok there, because Britax says it's ok, too :)

:)
 

Murphy's Law

New member
You may get an even more solid install without the base on it. It's perfectly okay (says so in the manual) to remove it. I can never get a solid install with it on, so when we use this seat rf, we always remove the base. For whatever reason I can install it quite tightly with the base on in the ff position.

As for the latch strap, be sure that when you changed it to the rf belt path, that you have it threaded between where the lower part of the harness comes out (the part that goes around the legs/hips) and the crotch strap. I've made the mistake before of not rethreading it around where it needs to be and it totally prevents you from tightening the harness properly if it's not threaded properly. I think it's that connector strap that makes it confusing, so if you can remove that, I recommend it! We still have ours connected to the back of the seat as it came to us from the store, but now that I'm aware of how to rethread it (when switching ff to rf and vice versa) it hasn't been a problem.

Dd consistently chooses this seat to ride in over her Roundabout. I have no idea why. I much prefer the Roundabout, but whatever gets her into the car without a battle works for me!
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I had a 2004 DOM AO and the instructions explicitly said that the strap connecting the LATCH belt to the car seat shell was to be left attached to the shell when LATCH was in use, and when LATCH wasn't being used or when the seat was being used as a booster the LATCH belt was to be completely removed including undoing the screw. The screw is supposed to be put back into the shell though so that it doesn't get lost.

If you're wanting to have the AO in the middle, I'd try installing it with the base off. Removing the base on the AO really makes a difference in the install you get with it in rf'ing mode. The base tends to get in the way of where the LATCH belt comes down, so removing the base allows you to get the seat in tighter. It can be stiff to remove the rod that holds the base on the first time you do it, but once it's been done a couple times it does slide more easy. And it's pretty straight forward.

Hopefully your new manual comes soon. Although I will forewarn you that the AO manual is one confusing manual to sort through - at least it was for me and also friends of mine who've had it.
 

Jumanji

New member
I had no idea that you could remove the base for a RF install. I have mine installed with the seat belt and the base as I can't get a decent install with latch and the base.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I had no idea that you could remove the base for a RF install. I have mine installed with the seat belt and the base as I can't get a decent install with latch and the base.

The base can be removed for both ff'ing and rf'ing installations. It's real easy to do and it often results in a better installation.:thumbsup:
 

mommycat

Well-known member
Out of 7 different installs with the AO (only one RF), 6 of them have been better for us without the base. The RF was definitely one of those. The only time I used the base was in a center LATCH position in a Silverado extended cab, and the only reason I put it in was to raise the seat a bit to make the LATCH clips fit better against the seat. Definitely try the install without the base.

I will try to remember to get the manual out of the car tonight and check what it says. I didn't realize the LATCH belt needed to stay attached by the bolt when in use, but that's because the only time it was in the way and we removed it was for the RF seatbelt install in my car. (All the other seats were bought later and put in FF because it was easier for the grandparents to put him in that way and he was a bit past the minimums for FF. I didn't have the heart to fight them all.)
 

sirrahn

Active member
Dd consistently chooses this seat to ride in over her Roundabout. I have no idea why. I much prefer the Roundabout, but whatever gets her into the car without a battle works for me!

My 26 mo old likes the AOE better than her RA too. I've got the RA in now, but she's asked for her black seat (we have the same one as the OP) back a couple of times. I think it's just that it's roomier.
 

lynsgirl

New member
AO bases aren't nick-named "crumb catchers" for no reason :whistle: .

I am impressed with anyone who gets a correct RF install with the base on and I would like to hand them a roll of gauze and first-aid tape to fix their hands with! :eek: :D That's always been my major hang-up with a RF install with the AO - I can't fit my hands well enough into the belt path to accomplish anything well. It *can* be done, of course, but wowzers is it ever easier with the base off! :rolleyes:
 

luvmy2

New member
The Regent does not have rigid hooks, it has a flexible strap, just like the AO (Rigid LATCH is just little metal bars sticking out of the seat base, it won't work in the middle because the distance is a set 11 inches on the seat, while the bars in the Escape are a little farther apart than 11 inches). Ford is saying you can't use one of three possible seats in that middle position: the Baby Trend LATCH-Loc, the Britax Expressway, or the Jane' Indy Plus. The Regent is definitely ok there, because Britax says it's ok, too :)

:)

Thank you for that info!!!
 

luvmy2

New member
Is my recline ok?

100_0372.jpg
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Is my recline ok?

100_0372.jpg

It looks like it might be teency bit too upright to me. Do you have the seat itself in the full recline mode? It needs to be fully reclined when installed rf'ing. (Looking at the pic I think you have it reclined, but it's hard to tell for the base so I just thought I'd throw that in there.)

I was going to give you the link to SPB's recline angle thread, but I see you just posted the pic there. ;)
 

luvmy2

New member
It is in full recline mode. When I had it in the Escape I had to put a towel under the front to get it reclined enough. And look how much my seat slopes!
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Southpaw posted the angel on your seat earlier tonight and it's measuring at 23 degrees, so definitely too upright.

Seeing as it's summer now you should be able to find a couple pool noodles. I like those better than towel for leveling purposes. :thumbsup:
 

Jumanji

New member
The base can be removed for both ff'ing and rf'ing installations. It's real easy to do and it often results in a better installation.:thumbsup:

That is so great to know. I just pulled out my manual and sure enough, there it is. And I've had my seat for 3 years and didn't know that. Although it's only been the past few months when I started using if for my daughter rf in my van that I've had problems. Never had a problem with my son. Although I had it in the center of my Mazda using the latch hooks for the two outboard seats. Now that I've visited here I have discovered that it was likely a no-no but of course I didn't know better back then.
 

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