gilby4runner

I am trying to get my child seat in my runner and i am having issues. Its an all in one deal and its a PITA. It has to be rear facing for the first few months of the kiddos life. I have worked the lap belt through it but it just doesn't seem tight enough. There is play from side to side. I don't have anything to use the latch system with until i make it forward facing. NO DUCT TAPE AND RATCHET STRAPS wont work. (already thought of it and the wife didn't find it funny.) Any info you guys could give would be great!
Gilby

gilby4runner

Bump...

Adam F

Just get it as tight as you can. There will be side to side play, but it will work. I thought it was too loose when I first put mine in. I've put several car seats in several cars, and they are all that way. I also read that you are supposed to put the seat in the middle, inbetween the 2 rear seats. I tried that, and it was worse. The seat almost fell over sideways while I was driving!

The seat will be rear facing for at least 18-24 months. And there are weight limits on car seats too. Most of the smaller newborn seats with the carrying handle are good only up to 20-25 pounds. Mine was good up to 22 pounds. We recently upgraded to a larger seat.

eric-the-red

With enough duct tape you don't even need a child seat

Let us know when you figure it out, my daughter is expecting a baby in September so I'll probably be having the same issues soon after that

digitalracer

a couple things ive seen people do.... roll up some towels and put them in the empty spots between the car seat and the the vehicles seat. second is to get in the back seat and push down with your hands or with a knee while someone else pulls the seat belt as tight as possible..

hope it helps

CJM

Ive seen towels and I have seen people move the pass seat as far back as possible to touch the other seat so it cant move.

dbcx

Is it the regular or quick release. I got my 4runner partially for this reason we just had a baby in january.
I use the regular one in mine, i just run the lap belt across like is should be then pull the shoulder belt all the way out so it ratchets back in the pull it tight. Push across the top and pull the shoulder part back, that gets her in pretty tight.
I havent put the quick release in mine, i put it in my wifes trailblazer but i did it close to the same on the base.
Never thought i would be givin baby advice

gilby4runner

Thanks for the info. I just seems a little loose. It an all in one deal (convertible) the one i put in my wife acura seems to different. Her seat belts auto lock where the runners has a lot of give to it.

Andrey

you can also stop by at your local fire station, they can help you install car seat for free.

Small play is normal, as long as the car seat doesn't move, you're okay. It's impossible to lock the seat so tight so there won't be any play... after all, when you're buckled up, you can still breath, right?

Congrat's on the baby!

toytech76

I dont know the laws where you are but the seat can be turned forward facing here in cali at 12m/20lbs. As far as getting it tight, get a large pool noodle floaty thing and cut a section as wide as the car seat base to put in the seam where the seat and back meet. We were told be the fire dept not to use a towel actually. I buckled the base in mine and put my knee in it to get it down and tight. You also need to use the little brass looking bracket down by the latch to keep the belts from moving. It should stay pretty tight like that

gilby4runner

Funny thing, i went by the local fire dept. The girl who is in charge of that is on maternity leave....just my luck

4x4phil

Ya just rachet/pull the belt ALL the way out, until it starts clicking on the way back in, then hold it tight and run it thru the base, then get on top of it and push it down with all your weight and pull up on the belt until you can't go any more. should be nice and secure.

but first play around with rolled up towels on the back side of the seat piled up (ussally 2-3 towels max if that) that way the seat will sit more leval, sometimes if you don't, your kids head will be falling forward in the seat.
also put one small towel right under the base to help with impressions left in the seat, all the crumbs and liquids that fall down on the seats.

Roadtripr

There should be more than one person who knows how to help you at the firestation. I think my wife had to two firemen work hard to get it set right.

The center position is the safest, but the lapbelt doesn't ratchet (not sure it will need a safety clip though). As other have said put foam noodles under it to level it, then put the safetybelt through and tighten it down putting your knee into the seat and pressing your back against the roof (gettting it tight will be a workout and you will give people grief if they unbuckle it . The seat shouldn't be able to move more than an inch side to side. Make sure neither front seat touches the child seat. It should have some up down movement room in an accident.

Adam F

Thats not the case around here. I stopped at one fire station, and they had nobody onhand that could do it. I called another station, and they diddnt either.


Even the people at the hospital diddnt help us. They never even looked at the carseat in the car or how we buckled her in. They just waved goodbye!

gilby4runner

I know that feeling...

Djlarroc

Damn, that sucks. Did you research the car seat you bought? My wife's getting ready to deliver in August and when were choosing the seat, I read up on it to see which was the easiest to install and which were a PITA. There IS a difference.

Roadtripr

Yikes, here the hospitals doesn't let you leave before they see you have car seat and it is installed. However they do not want the responsibility of proper installation (lawsuits I guess).

Tell us what model you have and perhaps we can guide you better.


some links that might be useful:
This one should guide you to a child seat technician
http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nht...d17110cba046a0
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/div...jsp?id=77972#6