Rearfacing Roundabout question

[lmintzer]

Hi. I am hoping Julie or other carseat techs might be able to help me out on this one. I am installing a Britax Roundabout rear-facing in my nanny's car. She does not have LATCH, so I am using the seatbelt route. I am putting the seat on the passenger side since my older DS rides forward-facing behind the driver.

Her seatbelts are ratcheting lap belts. I remember having trouble instaling the base to my infant carseat, because when we put the belt in its self-locking (ratcheting) mode, the side of the base would pull up. So, I went with the good advise given to me hear and did not use the ratcheting mode and instead used the locking clip that came with the seat.

With the Roundabout, the self-locking/ratcheting mode didn't seem to pull the side of the seat up much (maybe a tiny bit but nothing like with the infant car seat base). So, assuming we can use the belt in this mode, here's my question: when I snap down the lock off clip on the seat, do I clamp it over just the lap-belt portion of the seatbelt or both the lap-belt and the shoulder-belt piece? Does that make any sense? I'm extremely tired (sick toddler and sleepless infant!) so am not feeling particularly eloquent here. Also, if we decide NOT to use the seatbelt in its self-locking mode, does that change how I use the lock off clip on the seat?

Let me know if you need clarification.

[murphydog77]

Hi Lisa. Whenever you use the lockoff, you put both the lap and the shoulder portions through.

When I install my RA rear-facing in my van, I often don't do it the same way twice for whatever reason. Sometimes I get a good install without much tipping if I lock just the belt (keep the lockoffs closed while you install the seat). Sometimes it tips too much and I end up using the lockoffs only, instead of locking the belt.

Hope you get some sleep tonight! There's nothing worse than being bone tired and having kids to deal with, IMO, lol!

Heather, CPS Tech
http://www.carseatsite.com

[lmintzer]

Hi Heather. Thanks for responding. I'm a little confused, though. What do you mean by saying "keep the lockoffs closed while you install the seat"? Do you mean just snap them down ahead of time and don't pull the belt through either of them? Why would you NOT use a lockoff? Even with a belt locked, wouldn't the locoff provide an extra measure of security?

Also, just to make sure I'm really clear: when I pull both the lap and shoulder portions through the lockoff, it kind of pinches them together tightly, no? It's almost tough to get the lockoff to snap since there is tension between the lap and shoulder parts. Is that okay? I'm not going to break the lockoff, am I? The stupid pictures provided in the manual are useless!

TIA--and thanks for your good wishes re: sleep. It's not too likely to happen, but here's to hoping!

[murphydog77]

Yes, just snap the lockoffs closed before putting the seat belt in the belt path. If you lock the seat belt, there's no need to use the lockoff. In fact, unless Britax has changed their minds yet again on something, when I called about it a few years ago, they told me one or the other, but not both (meaning locked seat belt or lockoff, but not both).

Some seat belts are thicker than others and can make it difficult to get the lockoff closed over both parts. What I've found works in my van is to make it so that the shoulder portion isn't directly on top of the lap portion of the belt.

Lockoffs do break and if your seat is under warranty, Britax will send you a new one. If it's past the warranty age, then you can buy one inexpensively from Britax.

HTH!

Heather