Testing for Movement?

I have gleaned from this website over the years, that the way you should test your installs for movement is to grab the seat with your weaker hand at the belt path and check for movement only there. I was happy to learn that was acceptable, because otherwise I would have considered my Radian incompatible with many of the vehicles we've been in. However, in this thread, it seems I've interpreted something wrong.

How should one test their installs?

Usually you just need to check side-to-side at the belt path the way you described. (You don't want front-to-back motion, but with most seats, if it's in tight side-to-side, it won't move front-to-back, either).

I honestly don't know how to test for front-to-back motion (I've only done the Radian in training), but I would imagine you'd grab at the belt path and try to move it front-and-back. (Rather than at the front of the seat. Almost any install can become loose if you yank/twist away from the belt path.)

I have heard of people having their Radian loosen over time when they tighten the harness, because it's essentially pulling the seat forward. I've heard others advise (and have therefore advised myself) that people brace the seat with their knee/leg while they tighten. I've found the same thing happens--to a lesser extent--with my Regent sometimes. It must be a no-base thing.

Anyway, I'm also interested on more input from people familiar with the Radian.

LISmama810 said:

I would imagine you'd grab at the belt path and try to move it front-and-back. (Rather than at the front of the seat. Almost any install can become loose if you yank/twist away from the belt path.)

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This is how I've been doing it, and the movement's been within acceptable limits. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's interested.

Have I struck another "hot potato" topic?

Just bumping this up hoping for some more answers for you

It's kind of tough to say without seeing a particular seat, KWIM? I test for tightness with one hand at the belt path pulling side to side, but I do also check front to back by grabbing both sides of the seat and gently pulling forward, and also when tightening the harness to make sure there isn't a lot of movement. Minimal movement is ok (for example, I just installed my MA in my inlaw's camry, and it slides forward about 0.5 inches when you pull to tighten. I can see that it is moving because the seat compresses, but goes back to normal when you release, so I consider that acceptable). If the seat slides forward and the install loosens up, then it wasn't an acceptable install in the first place.

In the videos in that thread, the first install looks unacceptable from the start, but the 2nd looks like it's being tested with excessive force and being rotated around the belt, so of course it is loosening up.

I have that same problem with the Radian in the center of my CR-V. I thought it was rock solid until I uninstalled the seat next to it (after about a month of my dd riding in it!) and realized it had come completely loose! This was just from her climbing in and out of it and tightening the harness. Bad news.

I really wish SK would approve a reverse belt path installfor the Radian; I really think that would help with the install problems in a lot of cars. It seems that the Radian and the Regent have very similarly shaped shells and belt paths and the LBP really gets my Regent in rock solid as apposed to when I try SBP. I guess I can always wish...

loufrando said:

I really wish SK would approve a reverse belt path installfor the Radian.

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Yeah, I know we've discussed that here before. The sides of the Radian are just not made of sturdy enough material, I think. I was hoping that might be one of the improvements they announced at the ABC show.

tiggercat said:

Just bumping this up hoping for some more answers for you

It's kind of tough to say without seeing a particular seat, KWIM? I test for tightness with one hand at the belt path pulling side to side, but I do also check front to back by grabbing both sides of the seat and gently pulling forward, and also when tightening the harness to make sure there isn't a lot of movement. Minimal movement is ok (for example, I just installed my MA in my inlaw's camry, and it slides forward about 0.5 inches when you pull to tighten. I can see that it is moving because the seat compresses, but goes back to normal when you release, so I consider that acceptable). If the seat slides forward and the install loosens up, then it wasn't an acceptable install in the first place.

In the videos in that thread, the first install looks unacceptable from the start, but the 2nd looks like it's being tested with excessive force and being rotated around the belt, so of course it is loosening up.

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:yeahthat: Especially the bolded part. I really hate that video (the second one) because it's such a bad misrepresentation on how to test a seat for movement.

Quite honestly, I can make any seat come loose if I test for movement that way (including a Marathon with the lock-offs being used).