Question 2004 ford freestar and a radian rxt

[Beasts]

We just bought this car yesterday, and the only way to drive comfortably is to have forceful bracing of the seat against the drivers seat. Is this allowed? This is with the angle adjuster. The passenger seat has the light that knows the weight etc of a passenger to turn the air bag off or on, and while I can't find in the manual where it addresses forceful bracing I was under the impression that it would not be allowed. Our other option is to put her in the third row (I would really like to avoid this. Or put her behind the passenger seat, put that all the way up and have the passenger sit in the bucket behind the driver. This defeats the purpose of having a mini van, as this was our situation before the angle adjuster in the station wagon. Help!

 

[Mamasboys]

What angle is the Radian at with the AA? We have a 2003 Windstar (can't be *too* different in the interior than yours, I'd think). My Radian isn't in there now, but I tried it w/ the AA, and it was VERY upright--like 20 degrees or less. Driver could be very far back that way before it touched (we're 5'6" and 5'10", though--not very tall people).

Is the driver's seat reclined? It helps (and is safer) to have the driver as upright as is comfortably possible. Also, if the driver seat adjusts up and down as well, sometimes adjusting that way can make some room for the car seat behind it, without compromising driver leg room.

You're right that nothing should touch the front passenger seat for sure. Also, if your front seats have airbags in them (driver and passenger--they'll be marked SRS or similar on their shoulders), nothing should touch the backs of them, I believe.

 

[Beasts]

The seat is quite a bit more reclined than it is in our Taurus, so much so that it compares to the radian in the Taurus with out the adjuster. Here is a pic of it installed in the van. Braced and not braced.

And as I was taking the pictures, all I did was change the recline of the drivers seat to make it not touch. Idk why I didn't think of that LOL. Thank you!

 

[Mamasboys]

Oh yeah, there ya go! Night-and-day difference, right? Also, the Radian could even get more upright if you wanted to. That Radian looks like you could back it away from the seat bight about an inch before tightening down (while pushing down, not in) to make it more upright.

Is the rearfacing boot resting on the vehicle seat or the AA (it's hard to tell in the pictures)? It almost looks like it's on the AA; if that's the case, you might want to back the AA up a little bit.

 

[Beasts]

The AA comes right up to the boot, but the boot doesn't sit on it. The sun was making for a rough picture we may look into making it more upright later, but DD is only 6 months old so for now this works. She sits independently for more than 20 minutes and crawls, so I know she is safe with the AA ( we also watched her sleep and she does not flop her head forward). That is good info for when we need it though! She is already in the third slot from the bottom...big baby!