1999 suburban 3rd row issues

[Unregistered]

I need to install 6 car seats in my suburban (no LATCH). Right now I have 2 rf seats and one ff seat in the second row. The third row has a ff seat and a high back booster. I would like to find a way for all the kids to sit in 5 point harnesses (plus I hate the fact the someone ends up in the middle in the lap-belt-only position). In the past I have been able to puzzle together one or two ff seats with one or two high back boosters in the back, but this makes it nearly impossible to buckle the booster seats (not just for the kids, but for me too). All the kids that I currently transport are 40# or less and 48" or less. I know I will have to buy more seats, currently I have an Evenflow Titian and 2 Costco seats, plus a Graco snug ride that I install w/o the base. Thanks for your help!

 

[babyherder]

How old are the kids? Which Cosco seats do you have? The good news about your lap belt only spot is it is safe to use for a harnessed car seat so I'm sure we can help you figure out how to get a kid riding safely there.

 

[Unregistered]

The kids are 2, 5, 7 and one one the way (so I'll need a new infant seat). Plus daycare kids who are 8 mo, 16mo, 2, and 3 (they aren't all in the car at the same time).

 

[babyherder]

I would go to a store such as Babies r Us that carries car seats and allows you to try them out in your car so you can get an idea of what fits. To install car seats 3 in a row you must make sure they're independently tight.
1. Install the seat in the middle and make sure it is tight.
2. Install the seats on the sides.
3. Mark the seatbelt on the middle seat so you know how much you used to install. I just put a clip (paper clip, binder clip) on mine for a few minutes and take it off when I'm done with the whole process.
4. Remove the middle car seat and make sure the 2 side car seats are still tight.
5. Install the middle car seat and make sure you use the same amount of seatbelt so you know its tight. Remove clip from seatbelt.
6. Eat chocolate.

I'm thinking the safety 1st complete air car seat might be good in your situation. It is relatively narrow, rf to 40lbs, and has a no rethread harness meaning you don't need to uninstall the seat to change the harness height. This is great if you're using the seat for different kids.

Are you looking to have 4 seats for your own children and then 2 that your daycare children use? Or do your own children and your daycare children share seats? Which vehicle seats have top tethers?

 

[Unregistered]

I prefer my kids to have their own seats, since this is the vehicle that we use for family travel too. The Costco is a Scenera. The other costco seat is expired and needs to be replaced. There are no overhead tethers in the car at all. I have been using the cargo hooks on the floor for the back, and hooking onto the middle seat frame for the middle. Not by the book, but at least I can get them in there tight. I think if I put the Evenflow Titian in the back row I might be able to better fit two 5 points in the back. The titian is a lot shorter than the costco. Plus the costco can fit one of the larger kiddos better. The eight month old is with me most of the time... She's the one with the snug ride (belongs to her parents), but she weighs 22#, so she needs something else soon. Right now I have been using the high back boosters for the 3, 5 and 7 year old, but would like something safer.

 

[4gsus]

I was able to get the Titan in rf in the third row, but it touches the back of the 2nd row seat (is that okay?)... Seems to recline properly though. I am seeing that I need to get at least two harness seats. I was thinking of maybe a radian and/or a gn. I have heard that radians are really hard to install, or impossible to properly install depending on who you talk to. The radian would have to be forward facing, and I have to use locking clips anyways.... The safety 1st looks promising. Does anyone have a measurement on how ride it is?

 

[babyherder]

Highback boosters are very safe for 5 and 7 year olds. However, harnessed seats are easier to buckle in a 3 across so whichever way works best for you is fine. 3 year olds need to be harnessed so I would get a new seat for that kid. Which high back boosters do you have? Do you have a budget in mind?

Can you see about getting top tethers retrofitted in your van? Tethers can only be attached to tether hooks so having some is useful.

I would ff the 5 and 7 year olds, either ff or rf the 3 year old (whichever works better for your set up) and rf the others. I'm going to list some narrow seats that I would try.

Boosters:
- Graco high back turbo booster
- Evenflo high back big kid
- Evenflo high back amp
- Recaro Vivo

Combo Seats (ff with harness and booster)
- Evenflo Maestro
- Evenflo Secure Kid 300 or 400
- Harmony Defender 360 (from Walmart)

Convertible Seats
- Evenflo tribute (or the titan you already have)
- safety first guide 65
- Graco myride (wide overall but has a narrow base so sometimes fits well next to other seats)

 

[4gsus]

Also, here's the breakdown on the kiddos height/weight/age:
MS: 22# 28" 8mo
GR: 39# 40" 3yr
MR: 32# 38" 2yr
AL: about 22# 31" 16mo

My kids:
N: Baby on the way
D: 35# 38" 2yr, will be 3 in Dec
A: 33# 42" 5yr
J: 42# 46" 7yr

Think I'll skip to the eat chocolate step just thinking about this! Wish I could get a 12 passenger van!

 

[4gsus]

I have two graco hbb and one Evenflow. I would like to get in for $500 or less.

 

[4gsus]

Here's what I have so far. A friend is going to sell me another harness seat to replace the one that is expired!

 

[babyherder]

Its completely ok to start with the eating chocolate step! Maybe even stop for a chocolate break in the middle of all those installing steps.

This is a link for a used seat checklist so you can make sure the seat your friend is selling you is safe.

I would skip the GN. Its is wide and does not play nicely in most 3 across situations. I'm not sure about the Titan touching the seat in front of it or how difficult it is to install a radian in your vehicle. Hopefully a tech will be able to give some input on those issues. The radian is a narrow seat and great for 3 across. I'm not sure why I didn't put it on my list of seats. Glad you found it on your own!

Which daycare kids do you have in your van at the same time? Who can share seats depends on which seats I would recommend. For your own baby do you for sure want an infant carrier or are you ok with using a convertible from birth? If you're installing an infant seat now without the base it might be easier to just leave a convertible installed.

I've been thinking about this for a few days and here's what I've got (other than wishing someone who knows your vehicle would come along and magically provide all the answers!)
- When installing a harness seat next to a booster try twisting the belt stalk a half turn. This turns the release button towards the car seat and away from the booster seat so the booster rider will be less likely to unbuckle the harnessed seat by accident.
For the 3rd row:
- Leave J in a booster (whichever one fits best).
- Put A in a harnessed seat (I'd try a radian or a Defender).
- If its ok for a rf seat so touch the second row seat in front of it I'd put something rf in the 3rd row middle for D. Possibly a radian or a complete air. You can get an angle adjuster for the radian that makes it much more upright so it might fit. If there's no way to get a rf seat in there use a ff harnessed seat in the middle.
- Put A's harnessed seat on whichever side the middle buckle belt stalk is on. This way the booster does not have another buckle near it to be accidentally unbuckled.
For the 2nd row:
- rf seat for your baby (if you're ok with a convertible I'd try a coccoro or a tribute/titan. Both fit newborns well.
- 2 seats for your daycare kids. Maybe a tribute or guide 65 for MS and AL. With it installed rf you can change strap heights without uninstalling the seats. Ideally MR would rf too but that might be challenging as GR is too heavy to rf in most seats. If these 2 can share a seat I'd probably try a complete air ff. You can adjust the harness straps without uninstalling the seat.

Let me know what you think and if you have any further questions!

 

[4gsus]

Yes, here's the breakdown of who is in the car when... MR and GR are brothers, so they need their own seats, and I have them 2-3 days a week. AL doesn't ride with MR or GR, so I could possibly rf a safety 1st 65 and have MR and AL share it. I need a dedicated rf seat for MS, since I have her everyday... I will most likely use the Titan for this. Since J is in school all day, I would probably have A use the booster when he isn't in the car and GR use her harness seat (I am going to look at a Harmony today for that purpose... A is so small! Can you see why I wanted her harnessed?). D will use the Costo ff (it won't fit in the 3rd row rf). I would like to get an infant carrier for baby. I would prefer to use a base with it. The only issue I have is that it is really hard to get the kids in the third row without folding down the passenger side 2nd row seat. I need a seat (either infant carrier or booster) I can stick there that can be easily pulled in and out. Otherwise the kids have to climb on the car seats to get to their seat and I have to lean over them to buckle (not easy when you are preggo).

So I am thinking...
3rd row Harmony, costco s FF, Titan Rf
2nd row my Evenflow big kid booster, baby seat with base (yet to be determined), safety 1st adjustable Rf.

Or 3rd row: HBB, Costco S ff, Harmony.
2nd row: infant carrier w/o base, Titan rf, Safety 1st adjustable Rf

Seems like a waste of buying a carrier, but I suppose I could use the Safety 1st seat for baby N too when the others are not in the car.



Thanks for all your help!

 

[4gsus]

I ended up getting a Safety 1st all in one sport. It has the adjustable from the front shoulder height straps. Thanks for suggesting that! I didn't even know such a thing existed. I installed it RF in the 2nd row. Since MR and AL will share it, and they are completely different sizes, I think it will work perfectly (until MR gets up past 35#, but that's a problem for another day). I am going to have to order a Harmony Defender since we couldn't find one in the stores local to here. I'll post a pic when I get it!

 

[4gsus]

Successful three in a row!

 

[4gsus]

My RF seats!

 

[babyherder]

Awesome! Glad you found something that works! Now go enjoy some chocolate before the baby comes and you have to add another seat.