Please check my install... Radian 80 in 2003 Jetta

Got a new Radian 80 for dd and tried installing in our '03 Jetta center position with the seat belt. On my own, try as I might, I could not get it tight. Then I had my hubby kneel in it and he could get a little more of the slack out of the belt. I *think* it's ok now but it is still not as rock solid as my Graco and Scenera previously were.

One question is, when I try to move the seat at the belt path it doesn't budge. But, if I grab it by the top shell, it totally moves side to side at least 1-2 inches. Is this ok...? I have always checked by grabbing the top shell and never had even an iota of movement. Still, going by their criteria of no more than 1 inch of movement side to side at the belt path this should be ok, right? I just don't feel 100% comfortable with it, am I nuts?

Also, I would love if you could check out the pics of the way the seat belt lays in the belt path, looks kind of bunched to me but it was the straightest I could possibly get it to lay.

Ever since we had the Scenera installed, I noticed that the seat leaned (massively) to the one side. I was hoping it was just the Cosco seat but now I'm seeing the same thing with the Radian. I'm including the pics but it may be hard to make out, does this seem normal? Does it seem ok? It's not as bad as the Scenera was but I'm still a little concerned about it.

I haven't tried installing in the outboard positions because I was always under the impression that the center was safest. If I can't get comfortable with this install though, I will be trying the outside position w/latch next. Any opinions/info on which side is safer?

I am using the Safe Stop since my daughter is around 33lbs and I am not using the extra incline feature. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Here are the photos (I hope this works):
http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh251/mamadoula/?action=view&current=IMG_0025.jpg

http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh251/mamadoula/?action=view&current=IMG_0020.jpg

http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh251/mamadoula/?action=view&current=IMG_0033.jpg

http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh251/mamadoula/?action=view&current=IMG_0036.jpg

You measure for movement at the belt path. As long as you have less than an inch of movement there, you are good. Movement anywhere else doesn't count Top tether it, and you shouldn't have any movement at the top. Also, the recline can help get a more solid install in some cars.

Thanks for your (super fast) response. I do have it top tethered. The person at the store said to tighten the belt first, then the tether, which I forgot to do. So, I guess I can try again, doing the tether last but I'll have to wait until my hubby is home because I'm afraid I won't get it tight.

Yes, definitely do the top tether last. Make sure you get a nice tight install first, with less than an inch of movement at the belt path, and then hook up that top tether

The tipping is coming because the shoulderbelt is so tight. It's not dangerous, but looks funny (And I'm having a flashback...this even happened with a Britax I installed once in the middle of a Jetta...the mom didn't notice it till I told her! lol).
The way to minimize, if not prevent it, is to not lock the belt till the very end of the installation... ie, get on the seat, tug the shoulderbelt at the buckle side to get the lapbelt super duper tight, and THEN very gently and slowly pull the shoulderbelt out...it'll be locked, but not as tight as possible, so it won't pull the seat up into a tip so fast (the lapbelt is the important part...THAT's the part you want twanging like a guitar string, the shoulderbelt can be locked, but not twanging). Or you can try a locking clip, but sometimes it's easier to put up with a tippy seat than to try to put one of those on, so that can be a last resort if you can't stand the tipping.

Great! Thank you for assuring me that the tipping is not dangerous. I will try the tips you mentioned maybe that will help get it a little more straight. Looks like one way or another I will be taking it out to try again anyway. Thanks!

The Radian is odd...it really does get easier to install with every try. Even in my 'everything installs great' minivan it was impossible for me at first...but now a few tries later, I have it *down* . You'll have the same experience, I bet.

:thumbsup:

That's pretty much how it looks in our '01 VW Golf, too (twisted belt, tilted seat). I'd thought the seats were different in the Golf and the Jetta, but from your pics they look pretty similar.

I'm gonna disagree about what's causing the tilt, though. I may be wrong, it's hard to tell in your pics, but it looks like you've got a divided seat just like in my Golf. Is the seat "split" between the center and the outboard driver's side? If so, that spot just dips. It did it with my dd's Marathon, too. In fact, it even did it with the Husky... here's a pic:


See the split below the Husky? (Mine's really obvious because of having a Marathon crammed into it for years.) Does your seat have that, too? It's not a safety issue, just a comfort issue. My dd never noticed the slight tilt in her Marathon, and I compensated for it as much as possible by putting my weight on the opposite side of the seat when installing. Even so, it was still a bit tilted.

And yes, definitely get it tight with the seat belt before the top-tether.

Debbie- yes! My seat has that split between the rear driver's side and the center&passenger side. I guess maybe over time that dip has gotten worse because I just never noticed it so severely with the Graco. I will be leaning into that side more to see if it makes a difference, tomorrow I'll get a chance to try it out. Thanks!