Question 2006 Town ne Country

U

Unregistered

Guest
I have 4 children and a 5th baby due in a few weeks. I need to find out what I can do to fit my 7 yr old son (60 lbs and average height), my 5 yr old daughter (46lbs and average height) and my 3 yr old (40lbs and tall for her age), across the very back row of the van. There is a lap belt in the middle of the back row which is complicating things. What arrangement of car seats can I do to make all three of those kiddos fit in the back row together??
 
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littleangelfire

Well-known member
Thank you. Was hoping I was wrong. Any thoughts on who should go where? She wants baby in 2nd row. We've been using the 3 across thread to get ideas. She got an R100, planning to put it center 3rd row. Tried an Amp on each side and both had overhang.
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
There is a tether in that center spot, correct? How about a ride safer travel vest for one of the kids. Should open up enough space for 2 boosters on the side. The Harmony Dreamtime is pretty narrow.

And how old and big is the 5th child?
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
There is a tether in that center spot, correct? How about a ride safer travel vest for one of the kids. Should open up enough space for 2 boosters on the side. The Harmony Dreamtime is pretty narrow.

And how old and big is the 5th child?

Yes, tether center 3rd row. I've suggested at least one kid in a vest because I think it'll make everyone fit easier. Other child is 9 years old, 5 steps in some seats. I hadn't thought of vest in center and 2 boosters back there, that's good.

I was trying to figure a way to have the 9 year old up front because if he hasn't outgrown highbacks he will at some point and then the shoulder belts in the back are likely to be an issue, from what I understand of how they fit. A BBB employee told her she couldn't use a vest in either outboard position because of the way the belts were there. Not sure why he'd say that. Course, he also told her her vehicle manual allowed the Amp boosters to overhand on the sides...Sounds like he was trying very hard to be helpful but missed the boat.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
There is a tether in that center spot, correct? How about a ride safer travel vest for one of the kids. Should open up enough space for 2 boosters on the side. The Harmony Dreamtime is pretty narrow.

And how old and big is the 5th child?

I posted a reply, I'm not sure where it went. Yes, tether in center 3rd row. I suggested at least 1 vest to make things easier. I didn't think of using a vest and 2 boosters in that row. The other child is 9, she said he 5 stepped in at least one spot in the previous vehicle, Kia Sorento. I don't know about headrest, I wasn't paying attention to the pics I saw, but since it's lap belt only there I'd assume no headrest either.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
S at some point 2 posts will pop up from another unregistered user..and it was me. THAT'S why my post didn't show up when I did it several hours ago. Forgot to log in.

I suggested a vest to make things easier, didn't thinkof putting it back there with 2 boosters, though. Yes, tether in that center position, lap belt only. I don't think there's a headrest, but I wasn't paying close attention. The other child is 9 years old, will use a booster probably but did 5 step in at least one position in their previous vehicle, Kia Sorento.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
The vest will only work for very small children in the outboard positions because the belt pulls away from the body there for anyone taller. Center with the lap belt will work but only if the child has support to the top of the ears obviously.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
The vest will only work for very small children in the outboard positions because the belt pulls away from the body there for anyone taller. Center with the lap belt will work but only if the child has support to the top of the ears obviously.

Can't use the vest to position the belt the same as a high back booster does?

Are those the same shoulder belts third row as the 2001 model year?

I think so, online it said 01-07 should be same
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Correct, the belt pull is strong enough that it pops out of the guides on the rstv on any child tall enough for that to be an issue without a booster, which is basically any child not right at the bottom of the minimums for size small.

Many high back boosters also have this problem, the belt pops out of the guides and then is hovering in front of the chest again.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I believe the belts have been that far forward that long. I know I've had a problem in an 03 with the forward belts, which should be the same as the 06.
 

lgenne

New member
I know it violates Evenflo’s unpublished overlap rule, but I don’t see any solution better than Amp/Sureride/Amp here.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
Yeah, the overlap rule was furthest from my mind because there's too many other things to consider. The three across thread had several instances of a Diono working well in the middle 3rd row and OP already bought one so figured we'd make use of that. She also already has 2 amps, but there's side overhang on both of them with the Diono. Would a Sureride fix that you think? Since maybe outta narrower at the base? Any boosters we know work well with the shoulder belts back there?
 

lgenne

New member
I’ve seen that Amp/Sureride/Amp works on other threads. I’ve never seen it myself. But its base is WAY narrower than a Radian. Like 3-6” narrower.

I thought Diono was incompatible in the center spot? Maybe that only applies to newer model years?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
With a lot of swearing and sweating I got a Diono ff in the center with a lap belt. I wouldn't expect a parent to replicate it and it doesn't work with the lap/shoulder; it's basically incompatible with the lap belt because it takes 2 experienced people and a lot of wrangling to make it work and I would be uncomfortable doing it at a check event knowing the parent couldn't fix it if it came undone.

It does that thing where you think it's good until you try to tighten the straps in that position. You have to use the recline, pull forward and press straight down while installing (leaving a gap behind.) And basically jump in it to get it tight enough, after unbuckling and tightening more. The other person is needed to force the belt to buckle.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
So forward facing the Diono won't work center 3rd row, rear facing there were posts saying it would, though, any experience there? I will mention the SureRide to her, though.
 

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