Radian RXT installation HELP

I just spent 2 hours attempting to safely install our new Diono Radian RXT in our Honda CRV. I am installing it rear-facing behind the passenger seat. I would prefer to use the LATCH connectors, but I also attempted using the regular seat belt, both unsuccessful. We have to use the Diono Angle adjuster because without it, the car seat leans too far back for us to sit in the front passenger seat.

The problem is that we can't seem to get the car seat installed tight enough. I am used to installing our Britax Boulevard rear-facing & it does not budge AT ALL at the base of the seat. The Radian, however, is slipping and sliding all over the place. When I get it as tight as possible, there is WAY more than 1 inch of movement at the belt path. ONE time out of multiple installation attempts, we were able to get it installed where it was moving less than 1/2 inch at the belt path - but that was without the angle adjuster and with both my husband and I pulling and pushing on the latch strap, with my 8.5 month pregnant self sitting in the Radian I have to be able to install this seat safely myself because my husband is not always available for assistance, and we have to be able to use the angle adjuster.

We also tried 2 brands of non-slip mats; one by Diono and one by Summer. Neither helped at all. In looking at how tight the belt is at the belt path, I really don't think that's the issue - I think it might be the angle adjuster causing the issue.

Any tips? I really wanted this seat to work because it will keep my long-torsoed 2 year old rear facing for the longest (our goal is 4 years old) but if i can't get it tight enough...we'll buy another Britax Boulevard.

Thanks for any suggestions you have.

I don't have any experience with CRVs, but when using the angle adjuster, install the seat as you would regularly, tighten just a little bit, put the AA in, THEN tighten all the way. No idea if that will help your situation, but that's my tip!

I don't know if this will work as well with the RN, but when I use LATCH to install my Frontier 85, it isn't always in as tight when I first pull the strap to tighten the LATCH connectors. I always need to actually put some weight into the seat, then feed the strap back through the rear facing belt path and pull it a little more. So rather than pulling it up, it's more of at a horizontal angle.

I now have it installed with the seat belt, and figured out that I really have to pull up on the seat belt and feed it back into the retractor as I put weight in the seat. That seems to help get the last bit in to where there will be less than 1 inch of movement.

I've only used the seat belt to install my RXT and it goes in like a dream in my '03 Highlander so I really haven't had to figure out any more tricks to getting it tight.

What year is your CRV? My friend has a 2005, so I just might have to try to install my RXT in it to see!

Not sure if this will help, but it is a Diono video on installing the angle adjuster:


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcPh2ORw9LY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcPh2ORw9LY[/ame]

Position yourself like this - well, probably not you with a belly, but have your husband do this. It's so much easier to get the right leverage. As mentioned, connect the UAS strap, remove the slack only, and then lift the back of the seat up and slide the angle adjuster in. Then get behind the seat like this and pull straight up towards you, while pressing in with your pelvis. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-7uHFw3als"]Rear-Facing Infant/Child seat with UAS - YouTube[/ame]

Do you have leather seats?

In our back seat we have leather seats. DH used some leather cleaning wipe things on the middle seat and the seat behind the driver seat. He didn't do the seat behind the passenger as DD's car seat was already there. Now we can put her RadianRXT (with AA) in the seat behind the passenger but when I try to put her in the center I can't because the stupid wipes that he used made the seats sooo slippery.

Pixelated said:

Position yourself like this - well, probably not you with a belly, but have your husband do this. It's so much easier to get the right leverage. As mentioned, connect the UAS strap, remove the slack only, and then lift the back of the seat up and slide the angle adjuster in. Then get behind the seat like this and pull straight up towards you, while pressing in with your pelvis. Rear-Facing Infant/Child seat with UAS - YouTube

Click to expand...

This is how I was able to get the Radian RXT tight in my Odyssey yesterday, even with a 7.5 month pregnant belly (just used the upper part of my torso above the belly to press the seat down and towards the back of the car, moving side to side as I tightened.)

Thanks for the advice. We were positioned at that angle (and all sorts of angles) and even tried with me IN the seat pushing down on it. We installed the angle adjuster as the instructions indicated - attaching latch connectors slightly tightened, then sliding angle adjuster under, then tightening all the way. We have cloth seats in the CRV. We tried 2 brands of non-skid mats with no luck. Weird thing is that in my husband's Camry w/ leather seats, it installed perfectly on the first try - took only a few minutes. So I'm thinking it's the seats in my CRV? They are cloth but they are kind of a slippery cloth, hard to describe.

We decided to return the seat and get a Boulevard. If I can't get it tight enough to feel comfortable w/ it, then it's safer to get the Britax. I'd take it to an installation station, but I have to reinstall my seat often and so having to have someone else do it all the time is not an option :-( I'm really disappointed I wanted the seat to work out so bad!