Graco Nautilus Install Questions...

[DebiF]

I found it in a store (my daughter will be SO excited) but I want to be sure I install this one correctly and the instructions are a bit confusing (I'll need to make whatever corrections to the seat in husband's car when I get home).

1. Recline foot. Since my daughter is still a sleeper on our road trips, is it recommended I recline it as much as it goes (says it has 3 recline positions) or does that depend on how it sits in my car?

2. In a separate bag there's a black belt with a red clip (maybe the shoulder belt positioning clip? hard to tell from book), and a locking clip attached to the back of the seat. Since I'm installing with LATCH and tethering the seat in, I don't use either of these 2 items, correct?

3. Should the harness be in the position right above her shoulders, or can I go one up to the top slot to avoid rethreading later? If I remember correctly, when we were adjusting the seat to fit her in husband's car, the slot right below the top one was above her shoulders but not by much.

I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm a bit spoiled in that I never installed any of her prior car seats (always had someone at the local police dept. do it for me) and I want to be sure I'm doing it right. TIA!!

 

[wendytthomas]

1. Recline foot. Since my daughter is still a sleeper on our road trips, is it recommended I recline it as much as it goes (says it has 3 recline positions) or does that depend on how it sits in my car?

Depends how it sits in your car, and her comfort level. Whatever works best.

2. In a separate bag there's a black belt with a red clip (maybe the shoulder belt positioning clip? hard to tell from book), and a locking clip attached to the back of the seat. Since I'm installing with LATCH and tethering the seat in, I don't use either of these 2 items, correct?

The locking clip is for a belt that doesn't lock before a crash. The black belt with red clip is the shoulder belt positioner for when you use the seat backless. So neither are necessary right now.

3. Should the harness be in the position right above her shoulders, or can I go one up to the top slot to avoid rethreading later? If I remember correctly, when we were adjusting the seat to fit her in husband's car, the slot right below the top one was above her shoulders but not by much.

At or above. If it's going to be next week when you need to rethread I'd just put it up one. If it's going to be six months or a year from now, I'd leave it where it is.

Are you checking with her sitting in the car, or in your living room? Check to see where her shoulders are in the car before you thread it for the final time.

I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm a bit spoiled in that I never installed any of her prior car seats (always had someone at the local police dept. do it for me) and I want to be sure I'm doing it right. TIA!!

That's not spoiled. That's not a good thing. What if you took it out to wash after a mess, or your car broke down? Or you traveled with it? Besides, a tech's job is not to install seats. I hate hearing of techs who do that. You meet with me and we're going to be together about an hour. We're going to go over the Nautilus harnessed, high back, and backless. We're going to talk about your car and the projectiles in it and how to keep everyone safe. We're going to go over how to install the seat on a plane. And then we're going to get into the car and spend about 20 minutes figuring out where in the car you want it, how to install it in that position (LATCH or seatbelt), I'll show you how to install it the other way (seatbelt or LATCH), and then you're going to install it. When I leave you'll have installed the seat and that's how it'll stay. Occasionally if a mom is very pregnant I won't have her install her seat. Or if there's a medical reason I'll simply install it (grandparents with arthritis, for instance). But for the most part, you're going to learn how to use and install your seat. If I have a customer coming back to me with the same seat and same car, I've done something wrong (I can get needing a refresher, but if they come back every time they move the seat, I'm being an idiot and not teaching them well).

So definitely install it. Read the manual and your car's manual. Then post pictures here and we'll tell you what we see and how it looks. You're going to look for less than 1" of movement side to side and front to back at the belt path. That's it.

And don't go back to this "tech" you see. They're not doing their job.

Wendy

 

[DebiF]

Thank you so much Wendy. I wish I had a tech like you local -- closest one that I found on the board here is at least an hour away from me. Since I know I'll be doing this more than once now that she's had sleepovers and situations like you mentioned, I know I NEED to learn this.

And when I did husband's seat, I fit her into it with the seat on our living room couch figuring it didn't make a difference. Although now that you asked, I'm guessing it does?

 

[MommyShannon]

The recline will change where the harness needs to be a little too, so I'd put it in the slot you think she needs, put it in the car and decide on a recline and then check the harness height.

 

[wendytthomas]

Angles are everything when it comes to carseats. If you have a reclined backseat she'll lose harness height. If you have a flat backseat then doing it on the living room floor is fine. If the sofa slopes toward the front, it'll be different than if your car's seat slopes toward the back. Kids can change by an inch or more between floor and car.

Wendy

 

[DebiF]

So best course of action is to have her sit in the carseat in the car, figure out which recline mode she likes best, then make any adjustments to the harness and crotch straps, and then LATCH and tether it into place?

 

[wendytthomas]

Yup.

Are you putting her in the middle or on the side?

Wendy

 

[DebiF]

She'll be on the right behind the passenger seat. Will post pics after I get this done. Thank you so much again for all your help.

 

[DebiF]

Does this look like a good install? I wanted to lower the head rest more, but when I do it covers over the slot where the harness strap comes out on top and not sure if its supposed to do that or not. Also not sure if I can really go down another slot on the harness. I did the ruler test from the top of her shoulder to the slot where the harness comes out and even zoomed in on the full photo of her sitting in the seat, and her shoulder is right in line with that slot. Also I did NOT tighten the harness to set it until I'm sure I have the rest of the settings right.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Jessica61624]

How heavy is she and what car is that?

 

[Patriot201]

YOu probably could move the harness down one slot, which would allow you to move the headrest down, but you might have to move it again soon if she has a growth spurt.

I know you said you didn't tighten the harness yet until you knew where it needed to be, but make sure you tighten that harness before you go anywhere.

 

[DebiF]

How heavy is she and what car is that?

She's 35 lbs and its a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe.

 

[DebiF]

YOu probably could move the harness down one slot, which would allow you to move the headrest down, but you might have to move it again soon if she has a growth spurt.

I know you said you didn't tighten the harness yet until you knew where it needed to be, but make sure you tighten that harness before you go anywhere.

Here's a close-up of pic #3. Do you still think I can move the harness down another slot or is it safe to leave where it is?? Fortunately we've been having warm weather, but with a bulkier sweater (that was just a long sleeved t-shirt), the harness would be below her shoulder. And the harness was tightened already, although I find the Nautilus' 5 pt harness is stiffer to lock in at the crotch than my Boulevard was, I hope it gets easier with use and time. thanks!!

 

[Patriot201]

Wow. With that close-up, I see that you are right that the harness would be below her shoulder (or would be VERY soon!). I'd leave it where it is.

 

[DebiF]

thank you, does it look like its an overall good/safe install though?? first time i'm installing any of her seats myself, and a bit nervous doing so. also am I orrect in assuming i can't lower the headrest because it'll cover over where the harness strap comes out of the slot, or it really doesn't make a difference? thanks again!!

 

[wendytthomas]

Right, you can't cover the harness slot with the headrest.

Looks good! You have less than 1" of movement at the belt path, and the top tether done?

Wendy

 

[DebiF]

Yes, I'm both top tethered as well as using LATCH (I believe she's good to 48#) and although I'm unsure how to measure if it moves 1", I got it in so tight it doesn't move much if at all. Thanks for all the input and advice, glad I now know how to do it.

 

[jourdysmom]

Looks great, just tighten up the straps and get her chest clip up to armpit level and you are good to go!

Sent from my DROIDX using Car-Seat.Org

 

[DebiF]

Thank you.