I (almost) hate my TrueFit

mamoomorgan

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #1

How do you tighten the straps when it's rf???!!!!!

I loosened it yesterday just to get dd's arms in and I could not get it to tighten again!
Aaaaaarrrrrgggg!
Dh says the MA was easier to tighten when it was rf but I feel like it was a PITA too.

With the TF I tried reaching behind and grabbing the straps and pulling them down with one hand while pulling on the tightener strap with the other. It would seem to tighten but as soon as I let go of the tightener strap they loosened up again. I'm hoping I can tighten them a bit without her in it but really I feel like I'm going to break her arms sometimes trying to jam her in there.
Yes I drove with straps looser than I like yesterday . I felt awful but I couldn't figure out what the h3ll to do!

TIA for advice.

 

jess71903

Ambassador

• Dec 19, 2008

• #2

Hmm, I don't really have this problem with mine. Do you think part of it may be the continuous loop harness? Sometimes one will be loose and I think I need to use the adjuster, but I really just need to even out the straps first.

 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador

• Dec 19, 2008

• #3

I found both of mine to be harder to tighten for the first week or so, then they got much better. I had to do a tug tug tug action when it got to that point that you are referring to, for the first week (and I had to tug HARD) and now I don't have to do that anymore.

 

mamoomorgan

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #4

I know about the continuous loop thing (thanks to someone on here) and do adjust side to side first and we've had the seat for a few months so it's not brand new.....
I just don't know, even dh who's big and strong can't really tighten it with dd in it. It just sort of locks up and that's it, it won't go any tighter. We do drive a big vehicle so it's up high but I try to stand on the running board to get a better angle.
The reason I got it too loose is that in order to get it to loosen at all I have to tuck some of the strap down by the seat and then pull on the shoulders, I have no real control this way.

Thanks again for any more ideas!

p.s. could it be the install?

 

jess71903

Ambassador

• Dec 19, 2008

• #5

You know, mine is installed with 2 noodles...I wonder if that gives me just the tiniest bit of room away from the seat back to get it tightened.

 

Blondie87

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #6

I have my seat back reclined a couple clicks so it gives me more room to reach the adjuster. Not sure if you can do that on your car or not..

 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #7

Sometimes the easiest way around this is to buckle one side, tighten the straps, then buckle the other side. Maybe that will help?

 

F

flick37

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #8

I was having major issues loosening my straps to get DD into the seat and it turned out that there was a small twist in my adjuster strap. Maybe there is one in yours that is preventing it from tightening? Just a thought.

 

mamoomorgan

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #9

hmmm, all good ideas.
unfortunately the seat can't recline because it's a 60/40 split with the TF and MA sharing the 60.
If there was a twist, where would it be? under the seat?
I'll try the tightening with one strap buckled too

Thanks!

(It almost makes me wish I could turn her ff soon, but no worries, I won't)

 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Dec 19, 2008

• #10

I had the same type of problem at first when I was using it rf'ing with dd. What I noticed was that with her height the splitter plate was ending up right on the bend of the shell, and because the splitter plate is hard and doesn't bend around that, it wouldn't go any tighter and didn't seem quite tight enough. (There wasn't enough slack to tighten the splitter plate beyond that edge, so there was naturally some slack in the area due to the splitter plate not laying flat.)

I solved the problem by switching to the shorter set of loops on the harness. The instructions are in the manual, so you might try doing that in case your's is sitting in the same place. I left the harness on the shorter set of loops when she went ff'ing since she doesn't need the extra length anyways.

I've found mine to be easy to adjust aside from when I had the problem of the splitter plate on the edge. :thumbsup:

 

F

flick37

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #11

I found my twist right inside where the metal adjuster thing is. I could not see it at all until I took the seat out.
I have my TF installed so that the adjuster is smushed into the vehicle seat a bit, which makes it difficult to pull the strap. I do manage to get it fairly tight, but not without a lot of effort. My MA was much easier.
I think I will reinstall it (once it warms up from -30!!).

What do you mean by the shorter loop??

 

lemurmommies

New member

• Dec 19, 2008

• #12

I found that the easiest way to adjust the straps on my TF when it was RF was to get E into the seat, buckle the chest clip, then tighten the straps while eyeballing how tight I thought it needed to be. Then I'd buckle the crotch buckle. I usually overtightened it a bit and had to struggle to get the crotch buckle done up, but I'd loosen it a little once he was all buckled in. It was definitely easier to loosen than tighten it!