Odyssey 2010, 3 across for long drive

musicmama

New member
Got great info from the plus-one thread and it got me thinking.
Normal seating:
5.5yo: 40lbs., ff in Frontier (3rd row)
3.5yo: 35lbs., ff in Frontier
15mo: 22lbs., rf in Roundabout

We're going on a 4 day cross-country drive, and I want to put them in the middle row to save cargo & have easier access while on the road. Using the plus-one (2010, not 2011), I thought I'd have to switch out the Roundabout for something narrower, so I got a Radian XTSL. Now, the possibilities are hitting me, & I thought I'd ask for advice.

-FR/RN/FR: my original thought. Bulky, but the FRs are comfy. I think the RN would be OK rf. in the +1, but would it be a safer, easier install in a captain's chair?
-FR/RA/RN: baby still in center. Would a RN outboard make center access much easier? It's going to be a challenge to heft the baby into his seat.
-FR/RN/RA: RN ff w/ no tether. 5.5yo could get in there easily & buckle himself, but is it safe enough?

Any other thoughts? TIA
 
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Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I think I'd rather have the challenge of getting the baby into his seat than leave the 5yo untethered. Can 5yo hold the baby? What if you have 5yo sit down, hand him the baby, go around the other side while he sits the baby in the seat and buckle both 3.5 and baby?

(I just trained the 7 & 9yos to buckle the baby in between them, makes life sooo much easier!)
 

musicmama

New member
Not sure if the 5yo could hold the baby and then heft him up the height of the Roundabout. I'm OK not putting the 5yo in the center. Wonder if the Radian rf in the +1 seat would make it easier to load & buckle the baby?
 

amelia222

New member
I'd give plan #1 a try first. It will be easier for the 5yo to help the baby into the radian and the big kids are in their comfy regular seats.
 

musicmama

New member
OK, I'll go ahead and try the RN in the center. The 5yo is going to be very disappointed that he doesn't get to try the new seat (which he already claimed). Too bad for him! I don't think I could have gotten cushier seats between the three of them. He'll have to "suffer" in his FR. Thanks!

Is it weird that I'm actually a little excited to start installing these things?
 

rxmommy

New member
Have you tried the RA in the center? I got a True Fit Premier, which is a wide seat, installed RFing in the plus one seat. With a Boulevard and a classic Roundabout on either side FFing with plenty of room, no troubles at all. It was a bit of a hassle to buckle the RFing baby in the center, but not bad. Easier to reach the baby if you put them in first and had an older child wait. Then I could lean over the outboard seat easier to buckle baby. It wasn't my kids riding in the 2nd row, and I'm not so sure mine would do as well 3-across as my friend's kids did. The baby is a hair puller and a general annoyance to her sisters. :rolleyes:
 

musicmama

New member
The Radian is not compatible rear-facing in the 8th seat, it will over recline.

I thought I read your other post about this, but I wasn't sure since I've been reading a lot lately. So that pretty much makes a RN useless for both rf & ff in the older +1. How do you know when it is over reclining? I'd like to have this info. in mind for future installs. The RN is actually supposed to be for our Civic after this trip.

I could keep the Roundabout (classic) in the center. It seems pretty secure, and I'm going to tether it to the center tray housing, but the FR forces it slightly to the side, so there's no way I could use both FRs. I'll have to put the RN outboard, but that should work width-wise.
 

rxmommy

New member
I had the same problem with the TFP tipping to the side and it was due to the seatbelt. Once I tightened it pulling from the latchplate side vs the retractor side it was better.
 

musicmama

New member
I got them all in. The FR & RN are outboard and are rock solid. I can't remember the last time I got such a good install. That darn center +1 is still getting to me though. The Roundabout is all crooked. I think between the lap/shoulder install and the tether pulling slightly it just isn't as secure as I'd like. It seems to have something to do w/ the RF path causing the rear to pull up. W/ the RN on the side, it seems to have enough room for the install at least.

I tried your suggestion, RXmommy. It helped, but I seem to get to the point where as I tighten it, the seatbelt won't ratchet to the next setting.
 

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