Successful Three Across thread

thistleglo said:

I'm a tech.

Honda Passport — which already offers so many seating positions and possibilities and by itself you can easily fit three across in the second row with most any car seats. However, we made it even easier using the RideSafer Travel Vest for our two "booster age" children, ages 8 and 6. Rear-facing Britax (I forgot which model, it was a hand me down, still within expiration date) using LATCH with a nearly 2yo.

We've managed to fit 6 kids (3 in each back row) using RideSafer vests for 4 of them and the RF seat and a friend's booster seat.

http://ridesafekids.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/photo-1.jpg

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting and welcome. The RideSafer vest does lend itself to three across carseat arrangements. We need you to clarify the vehicle model involved, though, because a Honda Passport doesn't have a third row and is a 5-passenger vehicle incapable of safely transporting 6 kids + a driver. Did you actually mean a Honda Pilot instead as that does have three rows? Your clarification would be appreciated.

2010 Subaru Outback

RF Radian with angle adjuster, LATCH, driver's side
FF Radian in upright mode, center
KeyFit with base, LATCH passenger's side

I am a tech.

2011 Sienna 3rd row:
Passenger side FF Radian, RF My Ride, RF Radian65. I am a tech.

2013 Sienna 3rd row:
Passenger side to driver side--Parkway, Frontier 85, RF Radian
Passenger side to driver side--RF Graco clone, Frontier85, RF Radian
Passenger side to driver side--Parkway, Literider, Incognito

I will add this here in case it helps anyone... Or warns them...

2014 Toyota Corolla

No three-across with child restraints are allowed, per the manual.



For the driver's side and center, a RF radian with the Angle Adjuster and latch, and BubbleBum fit next to each other. The Radian installs very upright and allows the drivers seat to be all the way back and reclined a little.

Things to consider about this scenario...

The belt stalks for the center and driver side are crossed, by design. The driver side one is recessed and doesn't move much, and the center one crosses over it and is held down by elastic.



The center seatbelt crosses the buckle for the passenger side.



So this isn't the best car for three-across.

sunflower said:

2010 Dodge Grand Caravan Stow n Go:

Driver to Passenger: Third row

RF Snugride 22 / FF Radian Premier / Clek Foonf

Checked by a tech.

Foonf / FF Radian / Foonf can also fit.

The Snugride and Radian both needed a locking clip.

Click to expand...

Can you get anything with at least two rf convertibles back there

I'm excited to post this because I thought it was going to be impossible to have three across in my SUV. It has cruddy wheel wells sticking out of the back seats, taking off an extra 6-8 inches of back seat space. But I found a way!!!

Make/Model/Year: '94 Nissan Pathfinder
Install method: Seatbelts
Configuration of seats: SK Radian is FF behind passenger seat, Diono Radian is rear facing in the center, booster seat is behind driver's seat
Seats used: Sunshine Kids Radian 80, Diono Radian RXT, Bubble Bum booster
Checked by a Tech: No, we live in BFE and haven't found a tech nearby yet, but each convertible seat is individually tight, and my oldest can easily seatbelt himself in. Also, the rf radian doesn't touch the front seats at all, and my husband is tall (6'4), so we're very thankful for that.

A configuration that does not work? Radian, radian, and Turbobooster. Any seat wider than the bubblebum would not fit.

Re: Successful Three Across thread 07 Honda Civic Hybrid

We fit a FF Radian, FF Britax Roundabout and RF Graco Snugride all with seatbelts and independently secure in an 07 Honda Civic Hybrid.

Re: Successful Three Across thread - 1988 Subaru Wagon (GL-10)

This is my husband's 1988 Subaru GL-10 wagon. The widest part of the seat is 50 inches. However, the molding where the seat belt comes out cuts in to the seat, leaving us with only 41.5 inches at the seat bight. Fortunately, the seat is flat - there are no contours.

I have done multiples that work.

My favorite: Frontier 90, RF Britax Roundabout 50, RF Radian (The Roundabout's widest parts fit PERFECTLY in the Frontier's most narrow parts, and then overlaps the Radian on the other side)

Frontier 90, FF Britax Roundabout 50, FF Radian (The Roundabout has to nest over the Radian)

Frontier 90, FF Radian, FF Britax Roundabout 50

Harmony Defender, FF Britax Roundabout 50, and FF Radian.

Frontier 90, RF Radian (With Angle Adjuster), RF Radian

Harmony Defender, RF Radian (with Angle Adjuster), RF Britax Roundabout 50 (Again, the Roundabout has to nest over the Radian.)

FF Radian, Harmony Defender, FF Britax Roundabout 50 (The Defender in the middle ONLY works when the other 2 are FF)

FF Radian, Harmony Defender, Baby Trend infant seat (I imagine a FF Britax Roundabout 50 would work in place of a Radian, but for some reason I didn't try)

RF Radian (with Angle Adjuster), Harmony Defender, Baby Trend infant seat (I don't believe a RF Britax Roundabout 50 would have fit in place of the Radian)

The most tricky are the rear-facing combos.

In case it matters, I have Sunshine Kids Radians, not Dionos.

Obviously all are using seat belt, as there was no lower anchors in 88. I had to twist the belt stalk 3 times on all of my seats in every scenario. The webbing is very tall. These belts are Active Locking Retractors (ALR), meaning as soon as you pull the belt out, it is locked. You will need someone to hold the belt while you thread it through the belt path, or something to grab it and hold it. In our case, we used a bread clip. It worked wonderfully. I can't install car seats without it in this car anymore.

I am a tech, but I don't believe that makes my installs any better than someone who has read their manual and knows how to get a seat belt tight. I have not had it double checked by anyone else, but I did check that they were all independently tight.

The tether needs to be retro-fitted if you are going to use either the Harmony or the Frontier, as both REQUIRE the tether to be used. It is hiding in the headliner in the very back of the car. You may need this to get it done:

http://www.seccs.org/tech/1996 Legacy/Tech Service Bulletin/17-04-9934511.pdf

If I can do 3-across with 41.5 inches to work with, I bet anyone can get a wider back seat to work (contours in the seat definitely make or break it though).

I got three across in a 2006 Chevy Equinox. All seat belt use per car's manual instructions a Britax Frontier 90, a FF Graco Mysize 70, and a rf Safety 1st Onside air.

I tried to post a picture but idk how there is no upload button

Got 3 across all rear facing in 1998 Cadillac DeVille.

Safety 1st Guide 65/Eddie Bauer XRS, Chicco Nextfit, Combi Coccoro.

I need to cut down the size of the pool noodle but all are independently tight and self inspected by me.

2005 Chevy Impala

This vehicle has 3 dedicated sets of lower anchors which can all be used simultaneously.

Rear-facing Scenera (outboard with lower anchors)
Forward-facing Maestro - institutional model without cupholders (center with LATCH)
Forward-facing Evenflo Tribute convertible (outboard with LATCH)

Rear-facing Scenera (outboard with lower anchors)
Evenflo AMP highback booster (center)
Forward-facing Maestro - institutional model without cupholders (outboard with LATCH)

Forward-facing Scenera (outboard with LATCH)
Evenflo AMP highback booster (center)
Forward-facing Evenflo Tribute convertible (outboard with LATCH)

2013 Infiniti JX

Driver Outboard: Radian RXT (latch)
Center: Britax Frontier 90 (seatbelt)
Passenger Outboard: Graco Classic Connect 35 (latch).

We tried really hard to get the RXT in the middle but it was nearly impossible to get a tight install with the seatbelt. I'm trusting the Radian manual that the super latch will work over 40 lbs, as DD1 is 41 lbs.

Found another combination for our 1998 Cadillac DeVille.

3 across, all rear facing
Keyfit with base, Peg convertible, Coccoro

All independently installed by me and in fact the seats barely even touch.

This is a much better combo for us in this car so I'm thrilled. I really wanted the Keyfit in here.

2014 Prius V

Tech checked at the Fire Station

Maxi Cosi Rodi
FF Diono Radian 100
FF Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL

2011 Prius:

Driver: bubblebum or harmony youth booster (bubblebum easier to buckle)
Center: Radian 65, FF (recline mode)
Pass: Recaro vivo or harmony youth booster

Driver: Britax parkway SGL
Center: bubblebum (hard to buckle and child must have skinny torso/shoulders!)
Pass: FF Radian 65 (recline mode)

Driver: Britax parkway SGL
Center: harmony youth booster
Pass: RF Radian 65 with angle adjuster or RF
Radian RXT with angle adjuster

Driver: RF radian 65 with angle adjuster
Center: FF radian 65 (recline mode)
Pass: RF Radian RXT with angle adjuster

Driver: Britax parkway SGL
Center: RF Radian 65 with angle adjuster
Pass: FF Radian 65 (recline mode)

Jeanum said:

Thanks for posting and welcome. The RideSafer vest does lend itself to three across carseat arrangements. We need you to clarify the vehicle model involved, though, because a Honda Passport doesn't have a third row and is a 5-passenger vehicle incapable of safely transporting 6 kids + a driver. Did you actually mean a Honda Pilot instead as that does have three rows? Your clarification would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Sorry yes a 2012 Honda Pilot, (used to have Passport years ago, oops).

2012 Honda Odyssey

Two Chaperones, one Pavilion. All RF. Any combo should work in third row, I can snug them in independently. Not checked.

Second row is limited by driver's seat, the Chaperones are fine, the Pavilion just is a little too tight. But it's sturdy in center or passenger. I'm 5'10", most of my height is in my legs, I've got the seat back pretty far. I'll count the clicks back tomorrow. Kid in Pavilion is also more comfortable with the deeper recline, so if he could sit up more, he'd clear fine.

But he gets dizzy outboard yet from looking out the side, and I can't monkey myself around to get him harnessed in the second row center, so we aren't doing three in a row.

That being said, in the wide setting, I think any three seats could clear width.

2006 Honda Odyssey

FF Britax Blvd (old style) passenger outboard
RF Blvd (old style) plus-one (center)
Britax Frontier85 -or- 90 driver outboard

Pretty sure the FF Blvd could have also been a F90. The 90 fit better than the 85 on the driver's side.

I really didn't think these were going to fit. When you pulled out the center Blvd, the outboard seats *looked* a little funny, but the installs remained solid.

Three across in Radian RXT's in a 2008 Toyota Scion XB

3 across in 2009 Honda Pilot, all installed using LATCH. I'm going to try DH's 2011 Honda CRV when I have some time.

1st Configuration, I did side by side in 60 split (driver outboard & center)
Driver Outboard, RF: Chicco NextFit Zip
Center, RF: Chicco KeyFit 30 Magic
Passenger Outboard, RF: I didn't physically install the seat but know I had plenty of room to place the Chicco NextFit rear-facing in it but would then lose access to the 3rd row.




2nd Configuration, I decided on this configuration b/c I could easily detach the KeyFit base if I needed access to the 3rd row. Plus, I could strap the center child in their seat from the front.

Driver Outboard, RF: Chicco NextFit Zip
Center, FF: Chicco NextFit
Passenger Outboard, RF: Chicco KeyFit 30 Magic. Even though I didn't have a 3rd NextFit to try, I am quite confident it would fit rear-facing.




I wish I had a 3rd NextFit to confirm 3 NextFits across!