Regent installation questions

[colleenfs]

Just got Julia's new Regent in Blue Bouquet. MAN, is it BIG! I hope I made the right choice...Anyway, it looks like there are a few different options for installing with a seatbelt. How do I know which one to go with? And if I use the rear tether, then I do no need that extra bar thing, right? Thanks. (We're in a 2000 4-Runner.)

~Colleen
Julia, 1-10-02
Emma, 7-27-05

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, could that seat BE any more... um.. versatile? You have LATCH, right? and she's under 48 pounds? I'd try WITH the recline bar and LATCH first, and then WITH the recline bar and the seatbelt if you have to, and then withOUT the recline bar and the seatbelt as a last resort (if you skipped the gym lately, here's your chance to make up for weightlifting....).

This page has 'all you ever wanted to know about installing a husky but were afraid to ask'

http://www.car-safety.org/husky.html

(Why do I say use the recline bar? I read once that it's purpose is to reduce head excursion, and even with the top tether, I'm big on 'reducing head excursion' :D...plus it's more comfy.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[kphil]

piggy-backing on this thread, because we just got ours and installed it also, and I had the same questions (and the same comment--it's huge when you first take it out of the box!). So, to double-check that we did the right thing: We installed in the middle row outboard on a Sienna LE8 and we put the recline bar on, used the long belt path, and the tether. I don't know if my logic is correct, but since the long belt path doesn't require a tether, I figured it must be more secure than the short belt path, so we used that way even though we were tethering. I also figured it was good to use the seatbelt since dd is about 45 pounds, and if the seatbelt is required after 48 pounds, it might be a good idea to use it starting now.

The install feels good--did I do the right thing?

Kirsten

[Joolsplus2]

That's how I do mine :) That shoulderbelt does 'act like' a top tether, so having that plus the top tether plus the recline bar seems to be the most safe option to me, personally...plus, I've tried the LATCH and couldn't get as tight an install as I could with the belt in my car, so I went back to the seatbelt way I knew the best.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx