Radian Installs in an 03 Montana, 8 pass. PLS read and ADVISE.!!

2boys3girls

New member
hello, just a quick intro, as this is my first time here. I am Dana, Mom of 2 boys & 3 girls. I drive a lovely 03 Montana, 8 passenger. I have 2 Britax Marathons, which I used and love-to-this-day when my youngest was still in her baby bucket. (she was in a Baby Trend Latch-loc... not sure just how good those are). I really wanted to be able to fit my 3 girls in the back of my Montana (3 car seats on the bench) so I could leave the middle of the van for my bigger boys. So anyway, I purchased 3 Radians ASAP ( one 80 & two 65's), only to discover that it's virtually impossible to install them CORRECTLY in the 3rd row of my van. I DID have a CPST try the install, as well as work on it myself. We both came to the conclusion, and I have read on here, that it's NOT POSSIBLE with these seats and this VAN. But, lo & behold, yesterday I DID MANAGE to put my RADIAN 80 in the 3rd row, middle seat and get a ROCK SOLID INSTALL, TETHERED. And that seat does not BUDGE. DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLACEMENT? jUST WONDERING IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE MISSED WITH THE SEAT-BELT, ITSELF??? That's where my 6 1/2 year old DD1 sits. My 18m DD3 is RF (Radian 65) behind the driver. ROCK SOLID install. I have LATCH in that seat, but she is not latched ATM, and there is no tether connector FOR RF in that spot. DD2 (43m) is currently in a FF RADIAN 65 , ROCK SOLID, in the "middle of the middle", TETHERED, no LATCH in that seat. I know she could be RF at her size, though she is borderline at 36", 31 lbs. The Radian is up to 33lbs RF. sHE WAS "MAINLY" REAR-FACED UNTIL YESTERDAY WHEN I MANAGED THESE "AWESOME"
INSTALLS. Anyway, that's about all I wanted to say at the moment. I am just looking for Information & YOUR EXPERIENCE/knowledge about Radians and 03 Montanas (8p) I AM SO ECSTATIC THAT I HAVE 3 "SOLID" INSTALLS OF RADIANS IN MY VAN. bUT IF SOMETHING IS INCORRECT I DO WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. I'M NOT SURE THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE 3 OF THEM INSTALLED CORRECTLY FRONT-FACING (WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT) IN THE BACK, THOUGH THEY DO FIT. BUT THAT'S OKAY, I GUESS, BECAUSE I'LL PROBABLY BUY A NEW (DIFFERENT) VEHICLE BY THE TIME DD3 IS FF.

SO THANKS FOR LISTENING TO MY LONG POST AND PLEASE REPLY IF YOU HAVE ANY RELEVANT INFO! :) <><
 
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featherhead

Well-known member
I do not have experience with your van, but I do have experience with the Radian. I know that it isn't always easy:) For the rear-facing seat, you can tether it. Usually when tethering rear-facing there is no actual factory tether anchor. You have to use the "d-ring" that comes with the seat. You wrap it around a seat leg, or some unmovable part of the vehicle. Then you hook the tether to the metal ring. That's awesome that you rear-faced your dd2 till now! :thumbsup: If you have her seat in good and tight the way it is, I would not worry about it. She is big enough to be forward facing. One thing you could do is go back and get the seats checked, not that you got them in, just to make sure everything is done right.
 

2boys3girls

New member
Thanks for the reply. tHAT BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER POINT: When i had my installs checked before ( not with this current placement) the tech and I read my owner's manual together (i READ as best as possible trying to watch my 3 girls at the same time) and here's what she said: THE OWNER'S MANUAL OF MY VAN DOES NOT SAY *SPECIFICALLY* THAT IT'S OKAY TO TETHER REAR-FACING, SO I CANNOT TETHER RF IN ANY SEAT IN MY VAN. THE MANUAL SPOKE ONLY OF TETHERING FRONT-FACING IN THE MIDDLE SEATS. THERE IS A TETHER CONNECTING SPOT ON THE BACK OF EACH MIDDLE SEAT (IT'S NOT A BENCH, BUT RATHER 3 SEP. SEATS) RIGHT WHERE THE SEAT BACK FOLDS OVER. AND THEN IN THE TRUNK AREA THERE IS ONE TETHER CONNECTION SPOT. ??? i THOUGHT IT KIND OF STRANGE THAT SHE SAID "NOT" TO TETHER REAR FACING *ONLY BECAUSE* THE VAN'S MANUAL DID NOT *SPECIFICALLY* SAY THAT IT'S OKAY. ALSO: A QUESTION: I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING COMING WITH MY SEATS FOR TETHERING, LIKE WHAT YOU MENTIONED? I'M GOING TO RE-READ YOUR REPLY AND CHECK WITH SK, IF NEEDED. THANKS AGAIN! :) BTW, I AM GOING TO HAVE MY INSTALLS CHECKED AGAIN.... :)
 

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