88 Pontiac Grand Am

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jun 25, 2007

• #1

My RF infant seat fits great in the backseat. I tried to put my FF Cosco Scenera (i think thats the name) in this weekend and no matter how tight i get the belt, the back easily comes forward. I have no idea how to make it right.

 

lovinwaves

New member

• Jun 25, 2007

• #2

As long as the Scenera does not move more than inch side to side or front to back at the "beltpath", then the seat is just fine. After that, you can attach the top tether to help reduce the child's forward head movement in the event of a crash.

In order to get your child restraint tight you must first be able to lock the seatbelt. There are a variety of ways to do that, but at last resort you may need to use a locking clip.

How old is the child in the Scenera, and what is their weight?

 

all together ooky

New member

• Jun 25, 2007

• #3

Are you installing it with the rear foot up or down (reclined or upright)?

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• Jun 25, 2007

• #4

Are you replacing the infant seat with the Scenera? If so, the Scenera should be rear facing still.

 

J

jdsmom

New member

• Jun 26, 2007

• #5

My son is 18 months, 21lbs and 31 inches.

The seat we have is a FF only... The seat belt does lock, thats how i was able to get it as tight as i did.. i dont think it can get much tighter. My main concern was the amount of forward travel the back does. How do i tether it to make it more secure?

Thanks

 

J

jdsmom

New member

• Jun 26, 2007

• #6

Also.. the seat we have does not recline.

 

J

jdsmom

New member

• Jun 26, 2007

• #7

Ok, I lied... I asked DH and it is the Alpha Omega not the Scenaro. Sorry for the confusion.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Jun 26, 2007

• #8

At 21 pounds, he is really at the bare minimum to go forward-facing; here we like to ask, "why do just the bare minimum when it comes to safety?"

Your Alpha Omega is a convertible carseat; meaning, it CAN rear-face (to 35 pounds, highest rear-facing weight limit on the market), then it can forward-face (to 40 pounds, or when shoulders go over top harness slots, which are the second-to-top headrest setting).

Do you have the base on or off? It can be removed if it helps the install.

Your 88 should not have locking belts, as far as I know. What infant seat did you have installed?

 

J

jdsmom

New member

• Jun 27, 2007

• #9

I have a graco snugride that i am able to get very tight and have almost no movement. The Alpha Omega i have does not have a base.

My seatbelts are locking in the backseat, i am able to get the bottom part pretty snug, its the back movement that concerns me.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Jun 27, 2007

• #10

An untethered RFing seat is not going to be tight at the head. You're looking for less than 1" of movement AT THE BELT PATH. It will rebound in a collision and cocoon back toward the back seat. That's fine, that's what it's designed to do. Unless it's tethered (and only Britaxes, Sunshine Kids, and the new Recaros are designed for that) it'll rebound.

At 16 months and 21 pounds definitely turn your kiddo RFing again. It's so much safer, and you have 14 whole pounds to go in that seat. It's really a great RFing seat.

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx Check out the videos at the bottom. They're really quite telling. The videos are of a tethered RFing seat, but you'll probably see why it's so important to keep a young baby RFing.

Here's another picture to go with that. http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=13&topic_id=44503&mesg_id=44503&page
The neck bones of a one year old can move up to two inches. The spinal column only a quarter inch. That's a lot of movement and bones are sharp. What can result is called internal decapitation. It's really quite scary.

Wendy

 

lovinwaves

New member

• Jun 27, 2007

• #11

jdsmom said:

I have a graco snugride that i am able to get very tight and have almost no movement. The Alpha Omega i have does not have a base.

My seatbelts are locking in the backseat, i am able to get the bottom part pretty snug, its the back movement that concerns me.

Click to expand...

Again the carseat ONLY needs to be tight at the BELTPATH not anywhere else on the seat. Less than an inch movement is what you want.

You are going to install him rear-facing right? If so, then yes there WILL be movement with the carseats back. It's kind of like how your Graco SnugRide base moves (the part nearest the front of the vehicle). This is Ok, and there shouldn't be any worries.

How is the seatbelt locking? Is it in the latchplate? If so, you may need to flip it over and then buckle it to keep it locked. This is a technique commonly used with Locking Latchplates. Because they must be FLAT to stay locked. Sometimes the child restraint will have the seatbelt latch tilted slightly enough to keep the seatbelt from staying locked.

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• Jun 27, 2007

• #12

Also, Cosco seats have a 22 lb minimum for forward facing - your 21 lb child is too small to FF in the seat you own.