RF Radian in Honda Pilot: need angle adjuster?

[minimalistmama]

In a couple months I'll be trying to install 2 RF Radians in the second row of our 2009 Pilot (new body style) -- driver's side and center. One for a newborn (probably in center) and the other for a nearly 2yo. We have the 2nd row as far forward as it'll go, since we have 3 harnessed kiddos in the 3rd row who like to have room to get into their seats. Do you think we'll need an angle adjuster for the Radian behind the driver's seat?

 

[Carrie_R]

With the second row all the way forward, I would say yes. I have mine braced and tethered behind the driver in my 2006, but the second row is all the way back. My seat bottom is pretty far back but my driver's side is very upright (I'm 5'4" so not terribly tall.) If I had that second row scooted forward even a click, it wouldn't fit, so the AA is probably going to be a necessity.

On the plus side, the center Radian should install nice and reclined for you!

 

[minimalistmama]

Thanks! So now for the follow-up question: Is it going to be tough, do you think, to reach across that Radian w/the AA to load a newborn in the center seat? I'm short (5'1") but we have running boards. I think that'll be easier than trying to load on the other side, where I'd have to climb onto the collapsed outboard seat, but I can't picture just how upright that outboard Radian is going to be.

We've always tethered the RF seats, but what's the deal with bracing? I'd like to try to install the one behind my seat w/out the AA first, because if it fits that'd make boarding easier. My seat is somewhat far back (long legs) but also quite upright, and I could maybe move the 2nd row back one click. I'm pretty sure the 2009 has slightly more room front-to-back than does the 2006, but probably not much.

My husband doesn't readjust the driver's seat when he's in it, so maybe it wouldn't be an issue to have the seat braced, if that works?

 

[Carrie_R]

Honest answer: Diono/Sunshine Kids keeps changing their minds on what degree of bracing is allowed. The way I have it may currently be disallowed by them, so I would go directly to the source to find out how they currently feel about bracing. However I have it installed was allowed at the time I first installed it that way, and I haven't felt the need to change it as a consumer - as a tech I'd recommend always looking at the most current recommendations. You'll also want to verify that there's no airbag interference (in my vehicle, that's only an issue on the passenger side.)

I think the stats I looked at today have 1-2" more in each the second and third rows in your vehicle over mine - something like 1.4 and 1.9" respectively. So you might get a bit more space.

Loading a newborn into the center might be tough. I'd probably aim to do it from the opposite side. Honestly, if you set that seat up and sat in it, it would probably make your life a lot easier. (A lot of that depends on if you're able to work out the three-across situation in the third row, or whether you need to move a car seat to the second row, of course.)

An alternate option might be putting your toddler in the center, and your newborn outboard in something shorter-shelled that puzzles well - a MyRide or a Coccoro for example. I am a big proponent of using a convertible from birth, but lifting a newborn into the center seat with another car seat next to it sounds a bit like torture.

I can take a photo of my current setup (RF Radian behind driver, braced but no AA,) if that helps? If it's warm enough and I have energy when I finish at the office, I could possibly even get it installed with the angle adjuster.

 

[minimalistmama]

Thanks again! I'd love to have a picture of the Radian behind your seat. I just set one into ours when I had it out of our other car, and it fit but was touching the back of the driver's seat -- so I'd guess that if bracing is allowed (I'll call Diono) then we'd be fine.

Update: I called Diono and the official word is that it is absolutely acceptable to have the Radian touching the driver's seat, but not to have it braced. She said the difference is that bracing forcibly changes the angle of the carseat, while "touching" would allow the carseat to move in the event of an accident.

So I'll try the Radian again next time I have one out of the other car. And if it doesn't work, maybe I'll put a Marathon there and use that until the littlest one is big enough to sit more upright.

 

[aporthole]

I think your best bet is going to be the 3 forward facers across the 2nd row and then your 2 rear facers in the 3rd row and load/unload them through the cargo area. It is going to be a royal pain in the rear but is honestly the only option I can see even remotely working with 5 kids in car seats in a Pilot.

 

[Carrie_R]

I attached photos... I think. Yes, my car is messy... do as I say not as I do with respect to projectiles. And the mirror. (To be fair, I'm required by my employers to have that, lol.)

In thinking about how I install, I don't think it's braced - it is definitely touching, maybe even forcefully touching, but not braced to the point that it changes the angle. (And *everything* is going to move in a crash, so I'm not concerned about my seat inhibiting movement.) Obviously the angle adjuster would get you several inches of additional clearance. I tried to photograph not only where the seat is but how they come together and where my driver's seat is (I took it square on, looking directly at the B pillar.) Unfortunately I haven't had the time/energy to redo the install with the angle adjuster in order to photograph it - it's been a rough week - but if I am feeling adventuresome this weekend I might manage to make it happen.

I can say that when I had six, my "ideal" setup was three forward-facers in the second row and three rear-facers in the third row. Loading through the hatch really *wasn't* all that difficult. We looked a little silly, but... I would lift the kids so that they were standing on the tailgate, and they would lean forward so that their chests were on my shoulders. Then I'd grasp them around the ankles, lift them foot-first into their seats, and they'd sit down. Once each kiddo was in their seat, I'd kind of crouch up in the tailgate and buckle them. I'm 5'4" - I had a friend with me who's a couple of inches taller and she was able to load/buckle from the ground. That may be different in the newer body style, since those headrests attached (I believed) whereas I kept mine removed, but, yeah. It was totally do-able.