Need 3 across install help

[Jumanji]

I need some help with my car seats. I'm just trying to configure my van for my daycare. I have a 3 seater bench in my middle row and I want to be able to fit a them rf | ff | rf. Right now I'm working with two Eddie Bauer 3-in-1's and a Scenera.

Here's a picture of what it looks like installed:


My question is are the seats ok sitting at the edge like they are?

Drivers side seat:

Passenger side seat:

 

[scatterbunny]

Yes, they are fine being that close to the edge.

I'm jealous of your 8-seater. I'd love to have three across my middle row.

 

[Jumanji]

Thanks for the quick reply Jenny. I'm glad they will work. I was dreading having to buy more seats. The back row is going to be Parkway | Radian | Parkway. Those darn EB's are so wide. I will eventually upgrade them to Radian's but there's no way I can buy that many all at once. Just not in the budget. The EB's will expire in the next few years anyway.

 

[scatterbunny]

Yes, the 3-in-1s are some wide seats. So are the Britax seats (about the same width as the 3-in-1s) but because the Britax sit up on a narrow base they tend to puzzle better with other seats than the 3-in-1s do. And since the Britax harness longer the width can be forgiven.

What van do you have?

I SO want a Radian just so I can fit three across my third row. And I'm not even a daycare provider, and I only have one child. I'm just a crazy carseat nut. :ROTFLMAO:

 

[Jumanji]

I'm so obsessed with car seats right now. I have a 2004 Grand Caravan. I have two 3-seater benchs in it making it a 8 seater. I was very sad to have to take out my captains chairs but a Sienna just isn't possible...one day.

I'm hoping the Radian will work well beside the Parkways. I've tried the Scenera beside and it is doable but I need something that harnesses higher which is why I'm going to go with the Radian. I'm just waiting to make sure I get one with the new stickers.

 

[scatterbunny]

Wow, I wasn't aware you could put two three-seater benches in a Caravan! Cool. How do you access the third row with a bench in the middle?

 

[Jumanji]

When I was originally shopping for my van I had come across one at the dealership that was an 8 seater. They had used a 50/50 split seat in the middle row which allowed better access. I was originally going to go that route but I figured since there would be car seats on it anyway I wouldn't be able to fold the seats anyways. There is enough room on either side of the bench for the kids to get through and I can lean over the seat to buckle them in. I was originally going to put the rearfacing kids in the back row but I find they like the middle much better because they can see the kids in the back row. Plus it's easier to get them in and out.

 

[shirada]

CozyCorner, your post has given me hope about my latest new idea for our GrandCaravan.

I have been lamenting the fact that I cannot fit three across in my van at the back, nor use the middle seat in the 2nd row, (the safest because it is a center seat), due to poor access to the 3rd row when a carseat is positioned there. Then, Eureka............the other day , I remembered that it is possible to move our third row bench to the 2nd row, thereby making it three across in the 2nd row which means more room either side. If you can fit 2 Eddie Bauers and a Scenera, then there is a small chance that I would be able to fit a Regent and 2 RA, (RF and FF) three across.

 

[Jumanji]

It certainly was a squeeze making sure they all sat on the seats. Hopefully it works for you too

 

[CDNTech]

I'm so obsessed with car seats right now. I have a 2004 Grand Caravan.

I thought all 2004 and newer Grand Caravan's came with stow and go seating? Your seats look like they are on a track similar to my 2003 and older models?

We have the captains chairs in the back with the 50/50 split bench. I have to say that the 50/50 split bench makes it difficult to install some seats on because it has plastic bumps at the edge of the center of the seat. I can not get a good install with the Radian in the center position of my 50/50 split bench, so it's probably a good thing that you went without the 50/50 split.

 

[Starlight]

I don't know if it's just the angle, but it seems like the Scenera is really reclined.

Is it installed right?

 

[Jumanji]

Stow N Go didn't get introduced until 2005, and it's only available on the higher end models.

 

[Jumanji]

It might be a little more reclined then normal because of the seats beside it and puzzling them together. Here is another angle. Does it look any different?

 

[Jumanji]

I thought all 2004 and newer Grand Caravan's came with stow and go seating? Your seats look like they are on a track similar to my 2003 and older models?

We have the captains chairs in the back with the 50/50 split bench. I have to say that the 50/50 split bench makes it difficult to install some seats on because it has plastic bumps at the edge of the center of the seat. I can not get a good install with the Radian in the center position of my 50/50 split bench, so it's probably a good thing that you went without the 50/50 split.

That's very good to know. Now I'm kind of glad I didn't go the 50/50 route. I can get a very solid install with the Radian center on the bench.

 

[joolsplus3]

Is the front facing 'foot' rotated out/down on the Scenera? I can't really tell if it looks too reclined, but that would be the way to make it more upright (the AO's have the same foot, but it's up/in for the RF installs of those).

 

[Jumanji]

Yes, the foot is out/down. I'll see if I can get a better picture of it when we go out later. I'll probably go pick up the Radian soon. I think I'm going to move the Scenera to the back and put the Radian between the EB's.

 

[scatterbunny]

Very cool that you can do a three-seater bench in the middle of a Caravan instead of the two-seater option.

I wonder if that's possible with my Windstar? Probably not.

 

[Jumanji]

In my van manual it talked about different seating configurations. You should have a look at your manual. I don't know if it works on vans that have fold-flat third row like MPV, Sienna, etc. No idea if you van has that.