Musical carseats

cdncasper

New member
Ok it is time for us to play musical carseats.

Player 1 (boy): 17 mths old 26 lbs 34" (I think)
Player 2 (girl): 3 yrs old 31 lbs 37"
Player 3 (girl): 3 yrs old 35 lbs 38 1/2"
Player 4 (boy): 3 yrs old 42 lbs 40"

Carseats: 2 Radians, 1 Bolero and 1 AOE

Vehicle: 99 Dodge Caravan with 2 bench seats

Things to know: 2 top tethers outboard rear seat, 1 top tether middle bench, RF seat can't go behind driver, FF seats must be top tethered (we are in Canada)

I know how I would arrange them but how would you arrange everything???
 
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CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Radians in the third row outboard positions for the twins.

Bolero for the remaining 3 yr old in the top tethered position in the middle bench.

That leaves AOE for the baby. I would have baby RFing at a more upright angle. Not sure if that is the outboard center bench position or the middle bench position... I'm a little unclear which spot has the tether for the FFing seat.

You should have enough space to RF the AOE at a more upright angle behind the driver if it needs to be there though. My friend's 99 Voyageur (sister to the caravan) has more than adequate space to RF behind the driver... unless I'm missing another reason why you can't have a RFing seat behind the driver?

If it really can't be there and the middle position is the FFing tethered spot, then I would put baby RFing between the two Radians in the 3rd row.

Hope that helps and have fun playing carseats! :)
 
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cdncasper

New member
I am 5'9" and I have the driver seat back almost all the way. If I have a RF seat behind me than either I have to move forward and I am uncomfy or the back of the carseat is smushed into the back of my seat. The tether for the middle seat is in between the two seats so can be used for either or I can use the lapbelt from the rear bench if that isn't used.
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Okay, then bolero behind driver and AOE RF in middle position.

OR... (this is a fun game ;))

Radian FFing behind driver tethered to outboard seatbelt in 3rd row.
Bolero FFing center 2nd row using available tether anchor.
Radian FFing outboard passenger side 3rd row using available tether.
RFing AOE center of 3rd row.

All FFing seats have free access (with the exception of the shoulderbelt they have to go under to gain access to third row).

Hmmm... I still like the original idea better.

Are you sure you don't have enough room, the AOE can be quite upright for a 17 month old and my friend's 6'2" hubby could drive their van with no problems and the seat did not touch the back of the driver's seat.

OR... this is the best one yet...

Both Radians FFing outboard in 3rd row tethered to approved locations.
RFing AOE center of 3rd row.
Bolero outboard 2nd row middle bench seat tethered to approved location.

The center position of the middle bench seat is not used and therefore no lap/shoulder belt to get in your way of buckling kids in the 3rd row or of kids climbing into the 3rd row.

You can lift the smallest 31lb child over the middle bench into the far Radian and buckle all kids from that middle bench position.

That's totally what I'd do! Is it crazy to get excited over a good solution? :D
 

cdncasper

New member
Are you sure you don't have enough room, the AOE can be quite upright for a 17 month old and my friend's 6'2" hubby could drive their van with no problems and the seat did not touch the back of the driver's seat.

So glad you are having fun with this. I thought it would be a cool game to play. In a little I will even tell you how I have it currently which is different than you have said so far. Since it won't be needed until tues I can re-arrange this weekend and have fun.

I do have the AOE quite upright (no base w/ 2 pool noodles at about a 35 degree). I could have my seat up a notch or 2 to allow a RF AOE behind me for the day I guess.
I drive with the seat on the second last postion and with it reclined about 3 notches. If I do it more upright it feels so weird and uncomfy.

How about I throw in another thing to think about: the 2 girls I have in the van daily while the 2 boys are once every 2 weeks or so. Now how would you do it?
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
I'd keep it the same so that I don't have to uninstall/reinstall seats all the time.

OR

Remove AOE and install when needed.

Move one Radian up to middle bench beside Bolero and tether to unused seatbelt where AOE used to be and put both girls in the middle bench.

I *really* hate having to work around a shoulder belt in the way, so I'd pretty much look for a combination that had me moving seats as few times as possible but kept that middle bench seat open so the lap/shoulder belt would not be in the way.
 

cdncasper

New member
Ok so I currently have:
middle bench
Radian outboard driver, AOE RF outboard passanger
rear bench
Bolero outboard driver, Radian outboard passanger.
I might just change it to
rear bench
Radian outboard driver, Radian RF middle, Bolero outboard passanger
middle bench
AOE outboard driver

I love switching seats around to see what fits and works good
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Ok so I currently have:
middle bench
Radian outboard driver, AOE RF outboard passanger
rear bench
Bolero outboard driver, Radian outboard passanger.
I might just change it to
rear bench
Radian outboard driver, Radian RF middle, Bolero outboard passanger
middle bench
AOE outboard driver

I love switching seats around to see what fits and works good

You must have some short torso's to work with if one of the kids fits in the AO harness FFing. ;):)
 

cdncasper

New member
Actually both girls fit in it. J has a 13 1/2 inch torso and K has about a 14 inch torso. Most people are really surprised that they still fit. I actually had K in it today and she was on the middle harness slots, but she does tend to slouch alot and nothing I do can stop it.
 

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