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missionfamily
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| Posted: Feb 07 2008 at 10:47am | IP Logged
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For those of you driving 12 and 15 passenger vans...if the are older and bare bones style (ors is military surplus...no extras), how do you get your car seats to stay snugly in place...even with my locking clips mine keep coming loose...have you found some brands easier to fit than others? (we're in the market for new ones anyway). And where do you put them so that they're accessible to you but the big ones don't push on them as they go to their seats? I'm so frustrated about loading everyone up and then having to undo the little ones to tighten car seats. With three in seats, it's just exhausting. If I could I undo them once a week when we clean the car and car seats and re-install them and they'd stay secure for the week, it would be a beautiful. Can anyone help?
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Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 07 2008 at 11:26am | IP Logged
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hmm I've never had a problem.. I install the full carseats in the middle seats leaving the shoulder harnesses for the ones in the belt positioning boosters.
I really like the Graco seats. When I bought the latest car seats Graco were the ones that were both affordable and went to the tallest height. And my kids outgrow in height before weight and I like keeping them in the full car seats as long as possible.
I use the locking clip over the end of the belt so that it can't slide open.. and I watch where the clip ends up.. if it's at a spot that is trying to curve into the seat or such it often won't really "lock". SO I make sure it's either right next to the end of the seat belt so not into the car seat at all.. or far enough up that the end will lay flat on the car seat.
Don't know if that would help at all.
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Feb 07 2008 at 11:40am | IP Logged
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Once car seats are installed I have them checked by a certified inspector. AAA and many police stations do free inspections. You can find a local inspection station at this website: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm
I also do not remove the car seats unless absolutely necessary. I limit food in the car and clean around them. I might remove them once a year to clean underneath, but I always have them re-inspected. They do need to be periodically tightened as they naturally come slightly loose over time.
I don't have a large passenger van, and I haven't had to fool with locking clips since our vehicles have either had LATCH or seat belts that lock up to hold car seats in place. A certified inspector, though, should be able to give you some tips on getting them in as tight as can be and re-tightening them.
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Barbara
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Maddie
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| Posted: Feb 07 2008 at 3:01pm | IP Logged
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Do you kneel in the car seat to buckle them in? I also have three in car seats in a Dodge Ram 15 pass. and this is the only way to make the seats fit in tight. It is a major pain and back wearing. I rarely take the seats out because of the hassle. My 17 y/o son does it now and does a great job of it. He has a fit if someone else does it and they're not tight enough. 
We kneel in the seat and lace the seat buckle through, the pressure of kneeling keeps the seat down so when you release it is super tight. Of course you have to buckle it tight and that is hard to do at that angle. We use the shoulder harness belts.
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BlessedbyGod
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| Posted: April 03 2008 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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I never feel safe while my babies are in the rear facing carseats. We've tried everything to make the car seats secure and it just doesn't work. It's very scary and frustrating. We have an 11 passanger van that is very bare bones. I thought maybe we had the wrong car seats but now we have tried several types.
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Fuzzy
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| Posted: April 04 2008 at 8:31am | IP Logged
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Maddie, My DH is the SAME way! We had carseat inspections one year at our Parish festival. The Police officer showed my 6'3" husband how to properly kneel in the carseat to use the latch or belt system to keep them in place. Let me tell you, those seats aren't going ANYWHERE and heaven help 5'2" me if I need to take one of them out! 
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 Fuzzy
Mom to DS 12, DD 10, DS 7, and DS 4, and DD 1!
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: big vans and car seats
