safeinthecar
Moderator - CPS Technician
I've finally figured out how to get photobucket to work, so I can finally post the photos of my cracked seat. The cracks are on the interior portion of the seat where the adjuster strap runs through. WHen my dd sits in the seat, this area collapses under her and pinches the strap, making it very hard to tighten. I can't get pics of what is happenning becuase you can only see this area with the seat folded, but I put a ball of clay in the path, and set her in the seat. When I took her out, the ball of clay had been squished flat.
http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/safeinthecar/
And here is the email regarding this that has been sent between Russ and I. I've already posted about the phone conversations.
I agree, the seat bottom should not be capable of so much deflection. However,
it IS. There is no way for me to take a picture of it collapsing, because if I
set my child in the seat, which causes it to collapse, you can no longer see
the seat bottom because the child's bottom is on the way of the picture. Let
me see if I can explain it better. When my child is not in the seat the seating
area looks perfectly normal. When she sits in it, the whole seat flexes under
her bum and changes shape. It's similar to what you would see if you where to
squeeze a gallon milk container. When the seating area of the Radian sinks
under my daughter, she is tilted over onto one hip. Her weight is no longer
distributed.
I will allow that it is possible I have knelt in that same spot during
installation, and that the EPS foam *could* have been compressed by me without
realizing it. However, I don't understand how a seat could be cracking, and
without having an explanation for how such cracking could occur, you are able
to determine that the seat is safe to use. I would please like a more detailed
answer. I personally am not comfortable putting my child in the position of
testing out your theory that the seat is safe based on nothing more than your
telling me that you don't know why my seat has cracked. Would you be
comfortable doing so if the situation was reversed?
Kimberly Murphy
Original Message -----------------------
Kimberly,
Thanks for the pictures! OK - Regarding the first few photos: I've not seen
that before and I'm not sure how that could have happened. There is no
stress put on that area of plastic from either the harness strap during
tightening or the seat bottom which is 2.5" above it. In fact, the seat
bottom is not capable of that much downward deflection. Either way, the seat
is fine to use. The harness adjuster strap does not come in contact with
that plastic. It's purpose is to be a threading guide.
Regarding the EPS foam - how can I say this gently...a person's butt can't
do this. The weight distribution is to spread out. More than likely this is
either from a knee in the seat during tightenings, or maybe someone's knee
landing on the seat. Again, either way, the seat is OK to use. The slight
depression in the EPS foam in that area will not at all diminish the
performance of the foam for its purpose.
Thanks for your email and taking the time to ask these detailed questions.
I hope I have answered your questions. More parents should show this same
level of concern about the details of travel safety!
Thanks for choosing a Radian seat!
Best regards,
Russ
------------------------------------
Sunshine Kids
Russ Berger
russ@skjp.com
147 Tower Avenue
Needham, MA 02494
USA
tel: 253-859-5700 ext 240
fax: 305-574-0309
mobile: 617-817-3201
www.skjp.com
------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: safeinthecar@hdiss.net [mailto:safeinthecar@hdiss.net]
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 2:38 PM
To: Russ Berger
Subject: re: Sunshine Kids
Here re the pics you requested.
The first 3 are of the cracking adjuster strap path.
The 4th is the label
The last two are the seating area of the seat, with the seat folded. You can
see the difference in thickness of the EPS foam on the right and left sides
of the seat, the collasped side of the ESP corresponds with the section of
the seat that is sinking under the weight of my child
Kimberly
http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/safeinthecar/
And here is the email regarding this that has been sent between Russ and I. I've already posted about the phone conversations.
I agree, the seat bottom should not be capable of so much deflection. However,
it IS. There is no way for me to take a picture of it collapsing, because if I
set my child in the seat, which causes it to collapse, you can no longer see
the seat bottom because the child's bottom is on the way of the picture. Let
me see if I can explain it better. When my child is not in the seat the seating
area looks perfectly normal. When she sits in it, the whole seat flexes under
her bum and changes shape. It's similar to what you would see if you where to
squeeze a gallon milk container. When the seating area of the Radian sinks
under my daughter, she is tilted over onto one hip. Her weight is no longer
distributed.
I will allow that it is possible I have knelt in that same spot during
installation, and that the EPS foam *could* have been compressed by me without
realizing it. However, I don't understand how a seat could be cracking, and
without having an explanation for how such cracking could occur, you are able
to determine that the seat is safe to use. I would please like a more detailed
answer. I personally am not comfortable putting my child in the position of
testing out your theory that the seat is safe based on nothing more than your
telling me that you don't know why my seat has cracked. Would you be
comfortable doing so if the situation was reversed?
Kimberly Murphy
Original Message -----------------------
Kimberly,
Thanks for the pictures! OK - Regarding the first few photos: I've not seen
that before and I'm not sure how that could have happened. There is no
stress put on that area of plastic from either the harness strap during
tightening or the seat bottom which is 2.5" above it. In fact, the seat
bottom is not capable of that much downward deflection. Either way, the seat
is fine to use. The harness adjuster strap does not come in contact with
that plastic. It's purpose is to be a threading guide.
Regarding the EPS foam - how can I say this gently...a person's butt can't
do this. The weight distribution is to spread out. More than likely this is
either from a knee in the seat during tightenings, or maybe someone's knee
landing on the seat. Again, either way, the seat is OK to use. The slight
depression in the EPS foam in that area will not at all diminish the
performance of the foam for its purpose.
Thanks for your email and taking the time to ask these detailed questions.
I hope I have answered your questions. More parents should show this same
level of concern about the details of travel safety!
Thanks for choosing a Radian seat!
Best regards,
Russ
------------------------------------
Sunshine Kids
Russ Berger
russ@skjp.com
147 Tower Avenue
Needham, MA 02494
USA
tel: 253-859-5700 ext 240
fax: 305-574-0309
mobile: 617-817-3201
www.skjp.com
------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: safeinthecar@hdiss.net [mailto:safeinthecar@hdiss.net]
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 2:38 PM
To: Russ Berger
Subject: re: Sunshine Kids
Here re the pics you requested.
The first 3 are of the cracking adjuster strap path.
The 4th is the label
The last two are the seating area of the seat, with the seat folded. You can
see the difference in thickness of the EPS foam on the right and left sides
of the seat, the collasped side of the ESP corresponds with the section of
the seat that is sinking under the weight of my child
Kimberly