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Please help: We FAIL at seatbelt install.
The short version:
We seriously do not know how to get a good install with the seatbelt. LATCH was so easy!
2002 Honda Odyssey
Diono Radian RXT
Rear-facing
Tried lap belt only, shoulder belt, using the locking clip. Nothing comes even close to tight.
So, that is the short version of the question. How in the world do you get a good seatbelt install?
The long version:
We have a Britax Boulevard 70 (the new one) installed in our Kia Spectra using the seat belt. It's a great install because of the cool seat belt path snap-downs (not sure of the official term) that Britax added- makes for a nice, tight install. With both of our previous seats (a Graco infant seat and old Britax Boulevard), we struggled with the locking clip and found a seatbelt install nearly impossible. We only used the Graco for three months (huge kid) and shed tears over the install and then took it to a professional. With the Boulevard, we only ever used LATCH and got nice, tight installs. We stopped using LATCH and went to belt path with the current Boulevard because I read that LATCH only works up until certain weight limits, 40 lbs for most vehicles. Again, she is getting close. We were dreading it but the new Britax design makes it much easier! So, my Boulevard is nice and tight in my Kia, but just about to turn around FF (my 3.5-year-old is getting close to 40 lbs). We just bought a Honda Odyssey (older model, 02) and a Dinio Radian which we picked because it goes to 45 lbs RF and I wanted to get her a few more miles out of RFing, at least in the vehicle she will be in most often. So far, my husband is still driving the van and I the car because I cannot get a good install in the van. No matter how hard we try, we can still push the seat all over the place. We tried first in the captain chair (moved over toward the middle) in the middle row. That seatbelt has the locking mechanism, but the install was still loose and so we tried the locking clip. That didn't help, still moving way more than 1" at the base. Also, there was nowhere to hook the top tether really (optional, but we thought it might help secure it). Next, we went to the 3rd row and tried to install. Here the middle seat has the shoulder belt that comes down from the ceiling and it doesn't seem to lock. We tried doing the install with just the lap belt and with the lap belt attached to the shoulder belt. We tried using the locking clip and we attached the top tether. Nothing helped. We have shitty seatbelt install skills, I guess. We just CANNOT get it tight.
My DH thinks we should ignore the Honda recommendation of 40 lbs for LATCH (it's not even an official recommendation written in the manual, but scouring the internet has told me that's Honda's position, most of the time) as the Radian says it can go to 80 lbs LATCH. LATCH is steel he says and he doesn't think 40-45 lbs of our kid, even at high speeds would break that. We both agree that the 40 lbs is probably a conservative estimate meant to CYA Honda in a lawsuit. However, again, it's not even listed in their manual or on their website or in any official capacity, but I found the info from other car seat freaks who have contacted them. Also, he says, we won't use it past 45 LBS so we won't be trusting it much beyond the supposed limit. I'm not sure about this and I think we may still have a problem installing the Radian FF because it would still just need to be through a belt path and made tight. IDK though as we haven't tried yet.
Now, before we bought the van we tried our Boulevard out in it. We did get a tight RF install with that (and I am guessing we would get a tight FF install as well because of the cool locking clips). I am thinking maybe I should switch the carseats and try the Radian in my Kia. I have no indication that it will work better in there but.... maybe? Do you think that is worth a try? Then she could have the Boulevard in the Odyssey and the Radian in the Kia and we would just wait a while before switching vehicles so that she would mostly be RFing until she outgrows that limit.
Are there any tips for getting a tight seatbelt install with just the seatbelt and the locking clip? Any special tips for just installing with the lap belt?
Is it okay to have the seatbelt pulled over from the side when the captain chair is kind of moved over to a more centered position? Was that affecting our install? Any clue what the heck was affecting us with the 3rd row install?
WWYD?
The short version:
We seriously do not know how to get a good install with the seatbelt. LATCH was so easy!
2002 Honda Odyssey
Diono Radian RXT
Rear-facing
Tried lap belt only, shoulder belt, using the locking clip. Nothing comes even close to tight.
So, that is the short version of the question. How in the world do you get a good seatbelt install?
The long version:
We have a Britax Boulevard 70 (the new one) installed in our Kia Spectra using the seat belt. It's a great install because of the cool seat belt path snap-downs (not sure of the official term) that Britax added- makes for a nice, tight install. With both of our previous seats (a Graco infant seat and old Britax Boulevard), we struggled with the locking clip and found a seatbelt install nearly impossible. We only used the Graco for three months (huge kid) and shed tears over the install and then took it to a professional. With the Boulevard, we only ever used LATCH and got nice, tight installs. We stopped using LATCH and went to belt path with the current Boulevard because I read that LATCH only works up until certain weight limits, 40 lbs for most vehicles. Again, she is getting close. We were dreading it but the new Britax design makes it much easier! So, my Boulevard is nice and tight in my Kia, but just about to turn around FF (my 3.5-year-old is getting close to 40 lbs). We just bought a Honda Odyssey (older model, 02) and a Dinio Radian which we picked because it goes to 45 lbs RF and I wanted to get her a few more miles out of RFing, at least in the vehicle she will be in most often. So far, my husband is still driving the van and I the car because I cannot get a good install in the van. No matter how hard we try, we can still push the seat all over the place. We tried first in the captain chair (moved over toward the middle) in the middle row. That seatbelt has the locking mechanism, but the install was still loose and so we tried the locking clip. That didn't help, still moving way more than 1" at the base. Also, there was nowhere to hook the top tether really (optional, but we thought it might help secure it). Next, we went to the 3rd row and tried to install. Here the middle seat has the shoulder belt that comes down from the ceiling and it doesn't seem to lock. We tried doing the install with just the lap belt and with the lap belt attached to the shoulder belt. We tried using the locking clip and we attached the top tether. Nothing helped. We have shitty seatbelt install skills, I guess. We just CANNOT get it tight.
My DH thinks we should ignore the Honda recommendation of 40 lbs for LATCH (it's not even an official recommendation written in the manual, but scouring the internet has told me that's Honda's position, most of the time) as the Radian says it can go to 80 lbs LATCH. LATCH is steel he says and he doesn't think 40-45 lbs of our kid, even at high speeds would break that. We both agree that the 40 lbs is probably a conservative estimate meant to CYA Honda in a lawsuit. However, again, it's not even listed in their manual or on their website or in any official capacity, but I found the info from other car seat freaks who have contacted them. Also, he says, we won't use it past 45 LBS so we won't be trusting it much beyond the supposed limit. I'm not sure about this and I think we may still have a problem installing the Radian FF because it would still just need to be through a belt path and made tight. IDK though as we haven't tried yet.
Now, before we bought the van we tried our Boulevard out in it. We did get a tight RF install with that (and I am guessing we would get a tight FF install as well because of the cool locking clips). I am thinking maybe I should switch the carseats and try the Radian in my Kia. I have no indication that it will work better in there but.... maybe? Do you think that is worth a try? Then she could have the Boulevard in the Odyssey and the Radian in the Kia and we would just wait a while before switching vehicles so that she would mostly be RFing until she outgrows that limit.
Are there any tips for getting a tight seatbelt install with just the seatbelt and the locking clip? Any special tips for just installing with the lap belt?
Is it okay to have the seatbelt pulled over from the side when the captain chair is kind of moved over to a more centered position? Was that affecting our install? Any clue what the heck was affecting us with the 3rd row install?
WWYD?