Graco Nautilus - can't get tight with belt

[mochajunkie]

I need some help / tips getting my 47lb son's Graco Nautilus tight in the driver's side outboard position of a 2011 Nissan Xterra. I can get it in rock solid with latch, but he's at the latch weight limit (pretty sure it's 48lbs).

I'm trying to get it in tight with the seatbelt and it's still too floppy.

Here are the steps I've already taken:
1) Lock seat belt by fully extending
2) thread through belt path without twists, buckle and pull tight.
3) Kneel in seat, unbuckle, bounce, re-buckle
4) While kneeling in seat, unbuckle, let seatbelt retract a few clicks, re-buckle.

Regardless, I can't get it from acting slippery at the belt path (side to side). It's not going anywhere front to back at the bite, but it's not difficult to slide it left / right across the bench over an inch. I have yanked the rear tether in attempts to help and am getting no-where.

The seats are cloth. Do I maybe need a non-skid mat under the bite? One of those "seat protector" things (I've always been hesitant to use one because I'm afraid I can't get the install tight with something between the seat). Maybe a towel instead?

Can anyone help?

[kelkel2090]

I find it extremely helpful to pull the cover back when installing with seat belts. this allows you to grab the seatbelt nearest the buckle and pulling upward rather than over. I have a really hard time getting a tight install by killing from the door side, the angle and friction from the double belt makes it harder. Hope that helps!

[wendytthomas]

With an Xterra twisting the female end up to three full turns should help.

I'd also lock the belt after you've threaded it through. It's much easier to not twist a belt when you don't have six feet of it out.

Wendy

[Baylor]

Also put your knee against the front of the seat and use your other hand to push down while you pull slack. I also attach belt first and then pull out and lock belt in dh's car and then keep pulling and feeding.

I have installed it in my brothers pathfinder and gotten a great install with belt.

[mochajunkie]

Thanks ladies, I got it after another go.

I ended up having to route the tether to the other side of the headrest (I had it door side and switched it to center). I think this helped pull the seat away from the door and toward the buckle which reduced the ability to slip left/right.

Buckled first, then pulled belt to lock was really helpful as well (). Rocked left-right-left-right to seat it in really hard. I had to unbuckled and retract belt 4 times or a total of 14 extra clicks before I felt like I had it. If I had to retract it any more I would have definitely needed that female end twist because the guard on the male end is very close to wanting to conflict with the belt path.

Latch in the Xterra for this seat is EASY (2 minutes). Belt installations are hard.

[wendytthomas]

I never had a problem with our Nautilius in our 2001 Xterra. But the insides are pretty different now.

Do you have adjustable headrests? If so, I'd go under the headrest, if not, I'd go straight over the top of it.

Wendy