Seatbelt slipping after Radian install

Well I LOVE my radian as a seat itself, it's the install part that's killing me! I am used to Britax installs. I've NEVER had a problem installing a Britax with seatbelt or LATCH. But this Radian is killing me! I have it RF and can get a decent LATCH install in my 02 Impala (not as tight as I'd like, but certinaly within acceptable parameters) and can't get any kind of seatbelt RF install that is decent which is fine. I want to buy another seat for my husbands car (he has an 03 taurus) but it has to be FF because we can only fit one rear facing seat in that car due to his height. My baby is on the passanger side RF in a Marathon so behind the drive has to be FF. Even the Marathon doesn't fit behind him upright. I'd really like another Radian so I tried ours FF today since I am going tonight to USA Baby to buy another seat(have a 25.00 gift card that expires tomorrow!!) So I tried to install the Radian in his car. LATCH didn't seem to be that great. When I gently shook it at the belt path it didnt seem to move much but when I did it more forcefully it definately loosened (i've done this to the britax's a million times and they've never loosened) So I tried the seatbelt install. I got it very tight (he has the ALR belts) however when I shook it at the belt path it instantly started to loosen and I could almost tip the seat on it's side! The belt stayed tight it just seems like the seat itself could move along the seat belt path. I've NEVER seen this before. What do I do??? I have to buy a seat tonight because I need another one. Do I just suck it up and buy a Marathon??? (I didnt want another one because of my chunky monkey I have and I thought she'd be too tight in the shoulders as she got bigger and USA baby doesnt carry the EFTA which is what I'd really like) ANy other seat suggestions?? Or help with this crazy install?? Sorry so long! I haven't tried it FF in the impala yet and I'm afraid of what will happen if I can't get it tight (i cant afford any more seats and my husband will kill me if I buy any more than this one tonight....I've bought 4 in the past month....I'm getting tired of this)

This happens in some vehicles using the seatbelt to install the Radian. Have you seen the youtube video, maybe your problem is similar??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvR-BKqjrNs&feature=related

Sorry I don't have any advice to offer for this problem!! I will let a tech chime in.

Have you tried these tricks...
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=28939

I haven't met a vehicle yet that I couldn't install this seat into using one of (or a combination of) those tricks.

That youtube video is EXACTLY what my seat does

Eviesmama said:

That youtube video is EXACTLY what my seat does

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Her initial test with her hand up by the belt path was fine.

Once she grabbed lower on the seat and started moving it back and forth is what we refer to as *reefing* on the seat. That is NOT how we test for movement... it's coming loose because it's being manipulated to come loose.

While I do think that video shows excessive "reefing", I also think it wasn't an acceptable install, period. It loosened up even with light tugging, before she started "reefing" on it. And the same thing happens to me in my 99 Windstar, in any of the rear seating positions. I can get it installed where it seems tight, and it's okay side-to-side, but the minute I try front-to-back it pulls right out at least four inches.

But I could do that to the EFTA and Britax's and it never moved. I really didn't move it that hard...I feel like that wasn't really excessive. I guess I don't understand not "reefing" on it if thats what its called. The force of a crash will be greater than what they did in that video and that seat will move WAY out of position during a crash. Like PP said, if I move it front to back it starts to loosen and then when I go back to side to side it loosens more.

I feel ya' - I'm a long-time Britax user and I was not impressed with the Radian when I first got it! All my skills seemed worthless when installing it!

It really does get better the more you do it, though. It just has a totally different set of skills required. I like the Radian more the more times I install it.

Try lowering the recline for FF installs - it really makes a huge difference. I don't even bother trying to install it FF without the recline down.

Also, unlike the Britax convertibles, you want to push it down more than back. With the Britax convertibles, once I got them installed they were usually flush with the back of the vehicle seat, but I've found that with the Radian there is usually a small gap between the very bottom of the seat and the vehicle seat, like this:


If I install the seat like this, it's loose:

Defrost said:

.....
It really does get better the more you do it, though. It just has a totally different set of skills required. I like the Radian more the more times I install it.

Try lowering the recline for FF installs - it really makes a huge difference. I don't even bother trying to install it FF without the recline down.

Also, unlike the Britax convertibles, you want to push it down more than back. With the Britax convertibles, once I got them installed they were usually flush with the back of the vehicle seat, but I've found that with the Radian there is usually a small gap between the very bottom of the seat and the vehicle seat, like this:

If I install the seat like this, it's loose:

Click to expand...

I'm going to bookmark this, so I can refer back to it when I have to turn our Radian FF -- I tried some trial FF installs back when I got the seat, and wasn't 100% satisfied with the center install, not satisfied at all outboard -- these sound like some very useful tips!

Katrin

YES, Debbie's tips are right-on. I was *so* frustrated with the Radian when I first tried installing it, and couldn't get acceptable installs anywhere in my Windstar. But after messing with it more, I got it in solid in my third row (all positions). The trick, for me, was using the FF recline and leaving a small gap at the bottom like Debbie's pics show. Pushing more DOWN instead of down and BACK was the key. I usually push back on the front of the seat with my knees along with putting pressure in the seat itself, but pushing it back didn't help at all, it made the install worse.

Thanks so much. I was mainly installing it RF but couldn't get a good install either RF or FF. But like Defrost said I just took it out and installed it like 4 times in a row By the last time I got it pretty tight, not solid like my Britax's, but solid enough. Stilll haven't tried it FF that way yet though. I found that if you have ALR, kneel on the seat, unbuckle the belt, let it retract 3 or 4 times and then bounce on the seat until you can get it rebuckled. Worked like a charm! THanks for your help

I'm so glad you were finally able to get it RF. There are some seats that just take a bit of practice to get it right (the Regent is that way for some folks in some vehicles, too).

Awesome! So glad you got it to work out for you. This thread is awesome, I hadn't seen such great advice for installing the radian before. Those pictures are great!! :thumbsup:

This is just a great forum, so much valuable information. And this is just the thread I have been looking for. My wife and I bought a Radian to install in our 2007 Passat Wagon. We already have a Marathon and will be installing an infant car seat (Peg I believe) shortly as we are expecting our third child in July. To get three across, I believe that we need to do seat belt installations as using the LATCH will not allow enough room in the middle for the infant car seat.

I was able to install the Marathon just fine with seat belts but the Radian was a true pain, so I temporarily just used the LATCH. Sooner or later, though, I have to re-install the Radian using the seat belts to give me a little more space in the middle seat. So, the above suggestions are great.

My question is, do I need to use a locking clip on a 2007 Passat? I suspect not. Would a locking clip be helpful in making the installation easier?

Thanks.

Norm

tor378 said:

I was able to install the Marathon just fine with seat belts but the Radian was a true pain, so I temporarily just used the LATCH. Sooner or later, though, I have to re-install the Radian using the seat belts to give me a little more space in the middle seat. So, the above suggestions are great.

My question is, do I need to use a locking clip on a 2007 Passat? I suspect not. Would a locking clip be helpful in making the installation easier?

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Hi! You're right, you don't need a locking clip for your vehicle, and installing the seats with the seat belt instead of LATCH will most likely help with the fit. Your seat belts probably lock at the retractor, which means you pull the seat belt alllll the way out, and it "switches" the mechanism to locking mode.

You also wouldn't need a locking clip regardless with the Britax, because it has built-in lock-offs.

Sometimes with a rear-facing carseat, however, seat belts that lock at the retractor will pull up on the carseat and make it tilt; in those situations, you can use a locking clip instead of locking the retractor. That's pretty much the only situation you'd need a locking clip in your vehicle.

Is your Radian forward-facing or rear-facing? What about your Marathon? Have you considered installing the Radian in the center instead of the infant seat? It might fit better that way, but you'll have to play around to see what works best for you.

I've installed my Radian FF for my nephew a few times, and I never could get it tight enough. I'll have to try lowering the recline next time.

Defrost said:

Is your Radian forward-facing or rear-facing? What about your Marathon? Have you considered installing the Radian in the center instead of the infant seat? It might fit better that way, but you'll have to play around to see what works best for you.

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The Radian and Marathon are both forward-facing. I'm going to try the Radian on the outside again, failing that, I'll try it in the middle. Failing that, I'll tie it to the roof rack! only kidding....

tor378 said:

The Radian and Marathon are both forward-facing. I'm going to try the Radian on the outside again, failing that, I'll try it in the middle. Failing that, I'll tie it to the roof rack! only kidding....

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Duct tape...

Just KIDDING! It's tech humor - don't use duct tape! You should be able to get a perfectly acceptable install, once you completely change your method. The Marathon and the Radian just have completely different "tricks" - different ways you need to compress the seat while tightening, different angles to use while tightening the belt, etc.

All of these Radian tips are wonderful! I, too, have been having issues with installing our RF Radian 65.
I'm going to give some of these tricks a try and see if I can't get it so I'm a bit more pleased with it. I love this seat for many reasons, I just wish it wasn't such a pain to install.
Any tips for RF install in an 03 Oldsmobile Alero?

Thanks!

AJ