Share your Radian installation tricks/tips.

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Lots of people have difficulty with compatibility issues between the Radian and their vehicle, so I thought a tricks thread specifically for the Radian would be useful. What I've seen so far is that when you're more familiar with the seat and have more tricks to use when installing it, it's compatible with more cars.

So this is the place to share them all: Tricks for getting a tight install with the seat belt, tips for getting a rf'ing installation more upright while still using the rf'ing foot and anything else you think would be helpful for others to know about the seat.

(I'll come back and add my post later, :eek: It's 2am and I have to go to sleep...lol)
 
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Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
For a FF seatbelt install in our '02 Saturn L100, extending the FF-only built-in recline foot was what it finally took to get a tight installation. I also had to twist the female seatbelt buckle stalk, but it was the FF recline mode that was the final step to achieve the installation. :thumbsup:
 

LEAW

New member
Ok I've tried it, in my Grand Caravan, and I can't get the upright angle. No matter what I do, the RF foot smacks into the lower anchors and won't let me pull down/forward/tighter at all. There is a ton of seat bight left in front of the anchors.

My 2.5 yr old is FF at the moment because I needed to ride in the front seat. I want to put her back RF at a more upright angle.

I'll see if I can get pics to show what I mean.
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Ok I've tried it, in my Grand Caravan, and I can't get the upright angle. No matter what I do, the RF foot smacks into the lower anchors and won't let me pull down/forward/tighter at all. There is a ton of seat bight left in front of the anchors.

My 2.5 yr old is FF at the moment because I needed to ride in the front seat. I want to put her back RF at a more upright angle.

I'll see if I can get pics to show what I mean.

Radian installed RFing in an '03 Grand Caravan... it is at a 30 degree angle and that is *after* I tightened down the tether.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1139/980637850_c62386b558.jpg?v=0

The RF boot is right up against the lower anchors...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/462194388_d38678bdf7.jpg?v=0

The lower anchors come up and around the RFing boot...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/237/462194390_875bccba43.jpg?v=0

When tightening the LATCH strap, pressure is put on the front of the carseat (where babies legs would go) and all slack pulled out.

The captains chair is reclined two clicks back of upright per the vehicle owner's manual for LATCH installs.

There is not a ton of room left in the front seat, but it is adequate and keeps me (and my 6'3" dh for that matter) a safe distance away from the airbag.

Hope that helps...

I'll post tricks later when I have more time.
 

LEAW

New member
Jen, yes, I've seen your pics before, for some reason I can't replicate it! I'm putting ds down for a nap now and I'll go try again. If those lower anchors weren't there I could get an awesome install so quickly. I do get a good install, just not at the angle i want.
 

cdncasper

New member
I installed my Radian RF middle bench 99 Caravan last night and by recling the van seat and not pushing the foot all the way in the crease when tightening, I was able to get it more upright. I put the van seat back to normal afterwards and the Radian was rock solid. I could only do that on the passanger side since I have the drivers seat almost all the way back.
 

skipspin

New member
I just put mine FFing in the center of my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (4 dr JK). In the past I was able to get it with about exactly 1" of movement, but today I was in my old grubbies and already sweaty from FL in August (Is there such I think as 99.9% humidity??) so I decided to try a little harder. Since the belt comes from the seat-back I had to get the seatbelt through the beltpath, then buckle in, then tighten the lap portion. If you don't hold the webbing it crinkles and gets stuck in the seatbelt's latchplate. That's the hardest thing. Then I had to work all the slack out of the shoulderbelt and run it up behind the seat since the shoulder belt comes from behind the seat. I have maybe 1/4" movement now before I attached the TA. I took about 5 minutes of good sweating- so not all the hard. I did twist the stalk 2x just to keep the buckle farther away from the frame of the seat. I wish they would have put LATCH in the center. (I really miss that about my VUE.)
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
My most useful trick with the Radian comes from Jen, and it's one that works with other seats too, but makes a huge difference for Radian installations.

When installing with a switchable retractor belt, you pull all the slack out and engage the ALR as usual and check for wiggle room. If you have too much movement, then unbuckle the belt and allow 2 or 3 clicks to go into the retractor, then rebuckle and try again. It tends to be a 2 person job because you need someone to work the buckle and someone to put pressure in the seat. Could be done by one person I'm sure, but 2 people make it much easier.

Worth noting, because this is different than a lot of other seats - the Radian is allowed to have the buckle in the belt path - either out or all the way in, as long as it's not partly in and partly out, then you're good.

Jen's pictures covered getting a more upright install rf'ing very well. That's exactly what mine looked like at the base.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
This one work for any car seat, but I used it recently for the Radian. If theres not enough room between the buckle and the seat to put a locking clip, use a belt shortening clip on the opposite side instead. This also works for extremely long webbing attaching the female end of the seat belt (such as in full size vans) to the car.

If the rfing foot is sitting on the latch anchors, put a rolled up recieving blanket or tiny piece of noodle over the anchors. This will let you get some compression and tighten the belt.

To get less of a recline, tilt the Radian toward the back window as you tighten the belt. Tighten to the point the back of the Radian is "levitating" slightly, then use the tether to bring it back down flush with the seat and to a happy angle for older kiddos. You can also just push it back down and wiggle and it will stay, but it is easier to get just the right angle with the tether.(this one works with Britax too)

Adjust the angle of the Radian so that it lines up with the gap between the front seat, and it's head restraint. This will allow you an extra couple of inches to move the front seat back.

Kimberly
 

cdncasper

New member
To get less of a recline, tilt the Radian toward the back window as you tighten the belt. Tighten to the point the back of the Radian is "levitating" slightly, then use the tether to bring it back down flush with the seat and to a happy angle for older kiddos. You can also just push it back down and wiggle and it will stay, but it is easier to get just the right angle with the tether.(this one works with Britax too)

Kimberly

I just did this today in a Honda Civic RF middle and it worked great. Didn't even think of doing that before.
 

Beckers

Active member
I think this is a fairly common trick, but I just used it for the first time and it made a big difference! I was putting the radain in the middle 3rd row in a chevy Venture with a lap belt.

I just couldn't tighten the last 1/2 inch of slack, but then I threaded the end of the belt back into the beltpath and out the velcro hole. That put the belt at the right angle to pull that last little bit!
 

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