Moving Crotch Buckle on Nautilus

[AllieK]

I need help moving the crotch buckle on the Nautilus. I can't get the metal clip to slide through the slot like it says it should. DH was at it for about 20 minutes as well without success. He found a YouTube video that showed a lady HAMMERING to get it out. I'm not sure that's the best thing to do so I thought I'd ask here before I call Graco tomorrow. Any tips?

 

[jess71903]

No real tip, but just commiseration! I had to move it for my DD's Nauti and it was a PAIN. the slot isn't big enough or something. I can't remember what exactly I did, but it took a lot of frustration and maybe a few special words...

 

[rosey2007]

No real tip, but just commiseration! I had to move it for my DD's Nauti and it was a PAIN. the slot isn't big enough or something. I can't remember what exactly I did, but it took a lot of frustration and maybe a few special words...

It took me a lot of patients to take that out myself when the seat was new. I was to get it out the other day but dont remember how.

 

[Brianna]

Definitely don't hammer it! You just have to keep playing with the angle and trying to pull the fabric through at the right time. It wants to all bunch up which is why you're having a hard time getting it through.

 

[AllieK]

Ugh, we've given up for the night and will try again tomorrow! I've done this a thousand times on our Britax seats so it really shouldn't be this difficult!

I found an old thread on here that said some of the stalks are sewn differently than others making it more difficult...? Not sure what Graco will be able to do for me when I call, unless they send me a new piece and tell me to cut the old one off.

 

[joolsplus3]

Needle nose pliers for pulling? Just keep trying to get that fabric smooth as you pull.

I know some of them are way harder to get out than others, also make sure it's not the recalled model...? In that case they'd have to send you a free new one, and you could just cut the old one off (I had to do about a dozen at BRU once, some popped out, some I just lost patience and cut them...)

 

[AllieK]

I'm pretty sure it's not the recalled buckle. The box said "New improved buckle" when I bought it last year.

Graco is closed for the holiday today so I can't talk to them but this thing is truly impossible. Both DH and I have taken turns on it today with no luck. DS isn't sitting on the actual buckle, just the stalk so I think it will be safe (but uncomfortable) to use until I can get an answer from Graco.

I loved this seat until now!

 

[AllieK]

Also wanted to add, I seriously think it may be impossible to get it through the slot. The seat belt fabric is really thick where it connects to the metal clip. There's even a flap sewn down that makes me think it's tripled over at the clip. I'm tempted to go to BRU and check out their floor model to see if our buckle is just poorly made or something.

 

[Muskrat]

I struggled with ours for a good 20 minutes and then my husband did it immediately (and then did it a second time to prove is wasn't a fluke). He did mention the fabric flap where it is sewn has to be flat and not folded to get the buckle out.

 

[Shanrahan]

Try a bit of WD-40.

 

[Brianna]

I absolutely would not use WD-40 on a harness component I intended to use again. And if I wasn't going to use it again, I would just cut it.

 

[AllieK]

Graco was absolutely no help! They said to take it to a tech, which is what we will have to do I guess. Does anyone know if a tech would charge me for that? In the past when I looked into getting assistance from a tech an install issue the cost was prohibitive for us.