Not in love with RN

NannyMom

Well-known member
So, I traded someone my TF for their RN. I was sooo excited :) Not anymore :( I can install the seat easily, and it's right at 45* I think. When Sofi got in, it reclined more, enough that I had to tighten the tether a few more inches :( So as she gets bigger, it'll recline even more :(

But, at least ti'll take up less space in the closet than the TF did, lol. It'll come in handy though with the 40LB RF limit. My friend's DD is a few months younger than Sofi, but she's at least 30 pounds. So I'm sure she'll get to 35 before I want to have her FF in my car. The RN installs better outboard, so she and BabyS can use it there.

(so don't worry, I'm not regretting the trade)
 
ADS

NannyMom

Well-known member
It's not. I installed the seat, then pulled the tether to get rid of the slack. After Sofi sat in it, the seat reclined more, and the tether was hanging looser. So I pulled out the slack again. Put more pressure on the seat (with my hand, simulating more weight- Sofi's only 27 pounds) and it would recline more, again tether would be loose.

The seat was rock solid at the belt path, so a good install. But I can now see what luckychix was talking about. If I installed it, and had a front seat behind it, you wouldn't see the carseat recline more (because it'd be leaning on the front seat).
 

lovinwaves

New member
So you have so much room in your car that the top of the radian isn't touching your front seat? :eek:

Could you maybe move back your front seat a bit to keep the radian reclining more when your DD gets in?

What about trying to install the radian more upright?

My radian always, always would slip down even if I got a more upright tight install. Then one day....it didn't. I hit a install sweet spot I guess. The trick was to REALLY recline the vehicle seat I was installing the radian on. Then once installed tight I put the seat back upright. Since the radian allows for alot of leg room rear-facing, having my vehicle seatback pretty upright didn't matter.

I know you know this, but a tether should not be used to adjust angle.

I read it as the seat reclined once her daughter got in and created slack in the tether which made her have to tighten up the tether.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
That was why I got rid of my RN. It was SO reclined when inthe center, and when I had it outboard it took up too much room.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
So you have so much room in your car that the top of the radian isn't touching your front seat? :eek:

Could you maybe move back your front seat a bit to keep the radian reclining more when your DD gets in?

What about trying to install the radian more upright?

My radian always, always would slip down even if I got a more upright tight install. Then one day....it didn't. I hit a install sweet spot I guess. The trick was to REALLY recline the vehicle seat I was installing the radian on. Then once installed tight I put the seat back upright. Since the radian allows for alot of leg room rear-facing, having my vehicle seatback pretty upright didn't matter.


I read it as the seat reclined once her daughter got in and created slack in the tether which made her have to tighten up the tether.

It's in the center of my van, so no front seat for it to touch :) If the seat were outboard, and the front seat was pushed back after I installed the seat.... is it ok that once Sofi gets in, it is held up by the vehicle seat? I don't think that's allowed in my van because of the airbags.... but if that weren't an issue.....?

I'm about to go out now and try again with seatbelt. Hopefully that will work. Otherwise I may need to drive to NC and see Emandbri :p
 

lovinwaves

New member
I would put her outboard. Your van should allow the seat to touch the front seat. I wouldn't let the seat be jammed up against it or anything, but if when she gets in the seat lightly rests on it it should be fine.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure Emandbri is about 4 hours from me, and I'm in Missouri. :D
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I thought EmandBri was in NC :confused: LOL, oh well. I need a trip to wherever she is :whistle:

I installed again with latch, and same results. I installed with seatbelt, and it went better. The paper test looks like it's 45* (uh... level with the line between van window and door), and it didn't recline much when she sat in it (not enough to loosen the tether).

BRB with pics.

I won't be putting Sofi outboard. She'll go back in the Titan. She has at least 2.5 inches above her head (or was it 2.5 inches to grow?). I'm sure it'll last her at least 1 more year. The I can out that FF in Grandma's car and put the MA rf in my van.

I'm not a huge fan of the lack of depth to the seat either. Seeing her sitting next to BabyS' seat makes me a little nervous. Maybe it's unfounded.... but it still does :eek: I miss the depth in the MR :(


ETA- The pics were too dark to tell anything. So I'll take pics tomorrow. It's currently installed with seatbelt. And it seems like it is right at 45*. We'll see how it does with Sofi in and out tomorrow.
 

Amaris

New member
I'm having the same problem with my new RN. So, is it ok for the RN to rest against the front seat after I put Kaitlin in it, even if it didn't start out that way? I do not have side airbags, and touching the front seat is not mentioned in the manual for the truck. It seemed like it was really pushing against the front seat once she was in it.
 

emandbri

Well-known member
I wasn't happy with the tilting I was getting so I now have it installed with a locking clip instead. It was a PITA, I had to have Jacob sit in the seat and had to move the locking clip over and over and over again. I'm scared to move it but it is in tight. It is 38 degrees, sorry no pix I can't find my camera.
 

Spam

New member
I traded my tf for rn as well... and I miss it :crying: I like that it's easy to get A in and out of and he can see around the sides easily, but I miss the deep sides and I don't like the recline.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
RN wins, I loose. I took it out today and put the Titan back in. Sofi sat in it today, and it reclined, just like it had when installed with latch. So, I'll just wait until it needs to be used outboard.
 

Amaris

New member
Actually, if you read the Radian manual, it says you CAN adjust the angle using the tether.

The problem is that the only way to adjust the rear facing recline with the tether is to make it more reclined, and it's too reclined as it is, and the darned thing just reclines more when you put a child in it, or at least it does for me.
 

featherhead

Well-known member
The problem is that the only way to adjust the rear facing recline with the tether is to make it more reclined, and it's too reclined as it is, and the darned thing just reclines more when you put a child in it, or at least it does for me.

Yup, I know, just clearing up the little bit of misinformation.
 

arly1983

New member
Oh, I hate that you are not liking it. We really don't know if we like the TF yet or not either. I haven't had a chance to use it.

I installed again with latch, and same results.

Oh, so you have only used latch?

I don't like using latch to install RFing in my van. I feel like I get a bad angle or something and even though its rock solid side to side, it slides too much foward and back.

So I use the seatbelt but I also only press on the very front of the seat of the RA (does that make sense?) Not in the back or lowest part of the seat where the childs butt goes.

Also practice, practice does help (sorry). There is a sweet spot in my van for the RA. Its actually away from the bight of the van seat. I always want to push the RFIng foot into the bight but that only makes it harder to get tight like I want it. With the radian, I have to remind myself that the belt paths are soooo close to the seat, that I need to tighten it DOWN not back. Only pressing down not back. Its hard to explain. Its like you have to get a feel for this seat.

Also, I wonder if your NS rfing foot might be contributing to the problem. I could send you the OS and see if it helps.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
The old foot is too wide for the center seat (though it got it nicely more upright outboard), which is why I asked for the newer one :)

I am only pushing on the very front, like you describe. I did try it with seatbelt too, same issues. If it doesn't rain today, I may try some more. I try pulling it out from the seat bight, and it slides right back in :rolleyes: What van do you have?

Even if I am getting it install AT 45*, it looks sooo reclined, and is freaking me out. I know Sofi'd be better off more upright. Since she doesn't yet need the height or weight of the RN, I feel like she should be using a seat that can be more upright.

Sorry you're not sure if you like the TF. I hope once you start using it, you love it. I forgot to throw the cupholder in the box. I'll see if I can find it and send it out this weekend.
 

arly1983

New member
I hope once you start using it, you love it. I forgot to throw the cupholder in the box. I'll see if I can find it and send it out this weekend.

Oh, pretty pretty please DO! That is the first thing C asked for: "Where cup go, Mama? I needs to put my drink."

I think we are going to like it. Its just going to take getting used to. Like you think that the RA is so small, I look at the TF and think HUGE, LOL.

I am installing my Radian in capts chairs of an 04 Freestar. That probably makes a difference. :(
 

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