Question Chevy Suburban 3rd row Question

[~Kristina~]

Chevy Suburban 3rd row Q - Updated with pic.

I have an 07 Suburban with capt. chairs in the middle row. I have a Marathon and Decathon in those chairs. I have my 2 girls in the back row with a Cosco booster and a Graco Turbo booster and my 9 yr old is in the seatbelt because I can't find a booster narrow enough to put him in between the Cosco/Graco seats. My dh thinks I'm crazy for wanting him in a booster still because he's 9. I know my dh won't want me buying all new expensive car seats, but we're going to be hauling a large travel trailer for the first time this summer with a lot of traveling. I really don't want to make it on this site in a article showing the importance of long term seat use.

I've tried the conbination of Graco/Cosco boosters, 3 Cosco boosters since they are smaller in width than Graco. I don't know what to do.

TIA.

ETA: Luckily he's almost never in my truck. Usually in dh's with a booster.

Here's the space and the two buckles do not move up and out of the storage space.

with the two Cosco boosters

 

[Jillybeans5]

My yukon xl is an 05 so the backseat is a little different but I don't know if any booster will fit in between, you could try the evenflo amp or harmony literider. If it fit you would need to move the turbo to the center since there isn't a headrest(right?), the boosters I mentioned are backless so need head support as does the cosco HBB. If no booster will fit you could purchase a Ride Safer Travel Vest assuming your sons head is still low enough to be supported by the vehicle seat back, it would only take up as much space as your son. It is a bit of a pain for everyday use but is great for traveling. I also wonder if you have tried your son in that seat without a booster to see if he passes the 5 step test. My oldest 2 had by 9, but are very tall for their age. If he passed then you wouldn't have to go buy anything. Good luck!

 

[~Kristina~]

He slouches in the seat and it drives me nuts. I have to keep on him about seating up in the seat. I'm not sure about the 5 step test, but his knees are bent correctly and the belt sits fine on his neck/shoulder - when he's not slouching!

 

[Jillybeans5]

Is your Cosco HBB a pronto? If so there are other more narrow boosters that might work better for a 3 across, although a 3 across with boosters is almost always a tight squeeze for buckling. The turbo is one of the narrowest, so that one should be good.

 

[Jillybeans5]

Here is what I would try if it were me. Big kid sport, turbo, amp in that order 2nd oldest in big kid, middle child still in turbo, oldest in amp. I can't guarantee that will work but those are some of the narrowest(also inexpensive) boosters and both are available at walmart.

I feel for you, every time one of my kids has a growth spurt its a new puzzle with the carseats. You would think that wouldn't be an issue with a big ole suburban.

 

[casey_446]

are any of them in hbb? because if they are the one in the middle should be the hbb since there is no head rest in the middle seat...well i should say there is no head rest in the middle in my 07 Yukon I just assumed it was the same in your car

 

[TXDani]

:yeahthat:

I have a Yukon XL so we have the same third row. If you son is in the middle seating position he must be in a high back booster since there is no headrest for him. How much head support does he have seating there now with no booster? I have never stuck any child in the center of my third row except a harnessed seat.

What has worked for us when we have family in town and have a full car is putting my sons Marathon in the center of the third row. Then a no back Graco turbo booster on one side and a Compass B510 high back booster on the other side. It is a total pain in the butt to buckle the boosters in but it fits.

Otherwise if he passes the 5 step test, which is probable in that third row, I would leave him back there in no booster but move him to an outboard seating position so he has that headrest. Then move a harnessed seat to the middle position or a high back booster. My 10 yo daughter has passed the 5 step test in the third row forever and sits back there with no booster and I am 100% comfortable with it. Do you have the LTZ? I only ask because I know it came standard with side curtain airbags in 07.

 

[~Kristina~]

It doesn't have the head rest. CRAP! I didn't even think about that. Okay, here are my seats:

I have this ONE in a different print that my 5yr old sit in.

And this ONE that my 7yr old sits in.

Another issue in the back seat, the middle seat would be really hard to buckle with a booster there. The buckle/latch would be under the seat because it's so narrow.


It is an LTZ.

 

[~Kristina~]

I never thought I'd have carseat placement issues in this monster of a vehicle.

 

[Jillybeans5]

I never thought I'd have carseat placement issues in this monster of a vehicle.

I'm with you on that.

If the 3rd row center seat belt is too narrow for a booster to fit between then I would put your FF MA in the 3rd row center with the older two in backless boosters beside him and move your youngest booster rider to the second row where the MA previously sat. Since it is hard to buckle back there I would expect it to be easier for the older booster riders to buckle themselves.

When we first bought our yukon XL I had FF MA 3rd row center with the same cosco booster that you have beside it for my then 8 yr old and she had no problem buckling.

 

[casey_446]

I think that sounds like a good idea...I think you are going to have to put a car seat middle center its the only thing I can see possibly working since everyone has to have a head rest

 

[~Kristina~]

I just went out and tried putting the MA in the middle of the third row. The belt buckles would be UNDER the MA for all 3 seats and I don't know how I could secure the MA properly like that. The boosters don't fit in the middle for this reason as well. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[glockchick]

Under the base or under the seat area?

It works in my 99 but like you said, the buckles are under the seat area. It's a pita, but I can slide my hand in from the front and buckle the kids in. They can't do it themselves though. I've done this with a turbo booster and an original parkway.

Also, try pulling the buckle stalk behind the seat base if it's under the base.

 

[~Kristina~]

It's completely under the base and I can't get the buckles to pull up and they don't move much at all.

 

[glockchick]

Hmmm. My car has crazy long buckle stalks that the webbing will go behind the base of the seat so it works.

I don't know what to tell you. Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Jillybeans5]

How big is your youngest booster rider? If she is under 50lbs maybe you could try a Maestro in the center, the way the back of the seat is shaped it might not cover your buckles. I have a maestro in the center of my 3rd row(different 3rd row, 05) and just thought that might work for you. If it does then you could put next smaller child in it when she outgrows it, or put your current FFer in it(I think you said you had a FFer?) with the turbo in 2nd row. Narrow boosters should fit next to the Maestro in the 3rd row for the oldest 2 kiddos.

I hope you are able to find a solution soon, I know how frustrating it can be. Good Luck!

 

[~Kristina~]

I'm going to try a Radian tonight and see if that fits. I'm going to go measure the bench and see what I can do. I think my dh is on board with another seat. So I feel better about that. If the Radian fits, I'll move my 5 3/4yr old (50lbs) into that seat and keep my 3 and 1 yr olds in the Britax in the capt chairs. Move my 9yr old into the cosco booster and keep my 7 3/4 yr old (50lbs) in a cosco booster.

 

[TXDani]

Try to push it towards the drivers side a little bit. I have our Marathon in the center of the third row of my Yukon XL all the time and it fits fine.

 

[~Kristina~]

Added photo's in orginal post.

 

[TXDani]

Did you try the Marathon in the center position or are you just guessing it won't fit? Because it looks like it won't fit but it does. Is there anything I can do to help you with the installation? I know the buckles don't stay out but they do come out and up.

Here is a picture of my buckle up and out in the third row