Tell me everything I need to know about a 1995 Suubuurban

OK so in another area of the forums I was saying recently that I had fairly well narrowed my search for vehicles to a Sequoia or Sienna and dropped the Suburban.
Buuuut everytime I think I've found "the one" its sold out from under me or they can't take payments & its too expensive So today I found a guy with a 1995 Suburban and all things considered price & time really being the biggest issues so I think I'll go buy it tomorrow! Wow big step But now I need everyones help...in relation to installing carseats/boosters (preferably 5-6) what am I in for? No LATCH,ok. Top Tethers? Shoulder belts? Head rests? Can I retrofit? Will it get me through the next 6-18 months of Foster Parenting any range and combo of kids while I fix my credit and save for something newer and more carseat friendly?

Any help at all very much appreciated, Thank you.

*** Seats I have already: Britax Frontier and Marathon, EFTA, Graco SS1 and Nautilus, PrimoViaggio*** Willing to buy more (suggestions) and plan to buy CA convertible and PWSG & VV boosters very soon.***

It won't have tether anchors, unfortunately, and the only retrofit for them is an adaptor you use on the third row seat belts for carseats in the second row (so you lose at least one third row position if tethering.) There is no tether solution for third row carseats.

My parents have a '97 Suburban, and their's has lap belts in both centre positions, and lap/shoulder belts in all outboard ones. The lap/shoulder belts lock at the retractors. Headrests in only the outboard seats too. I'm not sure if that will be the same in a '95.

HTH!

Yes that does help thanks. I guess that means everyone under 40#s is going RF definately!

-Does the RN install well? where?
-The GN doesn't require TT correct? Neither the FR (or just under 65)? need to find my manuals...
- Would you say its better for the kids over 40#s to ff harnessed or be in a hbb like the PWSG?
- Is the 3rd row deep enough to put rf seats on it? how about 3-across on the 3rd row?

I'm going to call him now, then i'll check back here before I head out!

-Does the RN install well? where?
Yes, it installs well everywhere. Ok, I only tried FFing, but I don't see a problem RFing either.

- Would you say its better for the kids over 40#s to ff harnessed or be in a hbb like the PWSG?
Personally, I would go harness WITH tethers. I would not get this vehicle.

- Is the 3rd row deep enough to put rf seats on it? how about 3-across on the 3rd row?
Nice nice middle row and back row. I have installed regents, frontiers, nautilus and radian. Basically all the KMDF seats.

PHaley said:

-Does the RN install well? where?

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It's a tough, but doable install. I've really only had success in the centre of the second row (but I haven't put huge effort into getting it in other positions.) You need to do 3 full twists of the female stalk, and flip the male buckle a half-twist too.)

-The GN doesn't require TT correct?

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Not unless it's Canadian

- Would you say its better for the kids over 40#s to ff harnessed or be in a hbb like the PWSG?

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Depends on a lot of things, like their age, maturity and fit.

- Is the 3rd row deep enough to put rf seats on it? how about 3-across on the 3rd row?

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The third row is a smaller seat. You'd definitely need narrow seats to get three-across (I've never tried myself, though.) It's also a tighter squeeze for RF seats - I *think* I managed to get one of my sisters SS1's back there, though (if memory serves me correctly, lol,) so you *should* be able to get other convertible seats back there with less than 45° recline. I know other people have reported their RF convertibles coming up over the second row seat back though.

HTH!

ETA: Judi's answers are better than mine - I'm glad to hear the Radian can go anywhere! (My installs with it have always been FF too.)

I have a '98...

I recently got the top tether anchor retrofit and *gasp* it doesn't use the 3rd row seat belts!!!! I've been meaning to post pics (but now the camera's dead...) but FOR MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE model year it utilized the cargo anchors. They're drilled through the frame. The cargo hooks themselves are approved for the 3rd row outboard seats, and the retrofit is a strap that clips to both cargo anchors then has a metal loop in the middle, so the 3rd row center seat uses that for a TA. It's very cool, I was fully expecting to get the "retrofit" that uses the 3rd row seat belts.

Mine has fully adjustable headrests and l/s belts in all the outboard positions--but the l/s belts for the 3rd row ride high on the belly on ME and I wouldn't put a kid there without some booster.

The center seats of both rows have lap belts and no headrests. So if you get more than 4 who are booster age or older, you're SOL. To sum it up: I wouldn't buy an older sub for the purpose of transporting over 4 kids of unknown ages. Younger kids? Yes, knowing that a new vehicle will be needed as they grow, but to foster 0-18, I wouldn't buy it unless you're planning on turning down placements just because they won't SAFELY fit in the vehicle--I mean, if you're buying the car for this purpose, it should be one that truely fits your needs.

PHaley said:

-Does the RN install well? where?

Click to expand...

Installs well, but it's TOUGH to do until you get the hang of it. Search the RN successful install thread, I know I posted mine there and others have too (with details on how-to).

- Is the 3rd row deep enough to put rf seats on it? how about 3-across on the 3rd row?

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Yes RFing, not so sure about 45 degrees. In my siggy you can see the RN (and actually there's a BLVD next to it) going over the seat back of the 2nd row. This only works though if the person in front of it, in the 2nd row, is RFing or the seat is empty. FWIW I won't but an untethered RF seat in "front" of a tethered RF 3rd row seat. 3 across is doable--I have a post on the 3 across thread too; I can do BLVD/RN/BLVD but the all have to be either FF or RF, can't mix. Also have done snugride/RN/BLVD. If you have to mix FF and RF, the use of 2 radians ought to make it easy peasy.

In case someone is searching old threads and comes across this...

Please disregard my above posts about getting a Radian in the 98 suburban--I was getting a false tightness and have since found the Radian to be incompatible in the 3rd row both RF and FF, and in the 2nd row RF. I did not try FF in the 2nd row just because I don't have top tether anchors there, so it would not do me any good.