desperately need help...3 seats across in back bench seat

[nbrackman]

Hi all,

I posted about this a couple months ago but I really really need some answers if anyone has any.

I MUST find a way to fit 3 carseats across the back of my 2003LX Ford Windstar. There are 2 shoulderbelts and a lap belt in the middle. The outer two seats can be BPB's. But I can't find 1) narrow enough boosters; or 2) a narrow enough FF harnessed seat that will allow me to fit all 3.

HELP! PLEASE!

Thanks!
Nicole

[o_mom]

Some things to try:

3 Radians
1 Radian and 2 Britax Starriser Comfys. (I don't know if you can even get the Starriser anymore, so try the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Booster)
1 Graco Cargo and 2 Britax Starriser Comfys. (this is what I know will fit in the thrid row of a Honda Odyssey)

[nbrackman]

thank you! is there anywhere to get the radians or starriser comfys IRL?

[o_mom]

The Right Start might have the Radian, otherwise your best bet is a locally owned children's shop. BRU doesn't carry them.

BRU has the FP booster, it is the same base as the Starriser, but the back is wider. I would try that first. The base adjusts to be narrower, so if you try it, make sure to make the base as narrow as you can with the child still fitting in it. If the base fits and the back doesn't, then you could look at the Starriser Comfy.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

I don't know how this compares, but I've fit a Marathon ff, Scenera rf, and a Graco turbo booster in that order in my dodge caravan's third row (a fisher price booster, because they adjust for width, would work better than the Turbobooster)
and if the middle seat should be ff, then I'd try the Radian... but sometimes there are issues with seatbelt installs, the Graco Ultra/Platinum Cargo, or the ride Safer travel vest.

Kat

[nbrackman]

Well, the middle position in the way back row is a lap belt only. So I don't think that rider vest thing will work out well.

Will the Graco Ultra Cargo work as well as the Cargo in the middle if I get two starriser comfys/fisher price safe voyager boosters?

What about that Safety First Tote n Go thingy? Bearing in mind that the middle position seat will be used a total of 5 minutes twice a week -- distance of about .25 miles.

However, safety can't be compromised and that is why I'm asking here. Thanks!

[nisi]

We had the same situation (1 harness, 2 boosters, back bench of a Windstar) at a check last Saturday. If you're ok with backless boosters and a 40lb limit for the harnessed seat, then an Evenflo Chase/Express and two Proriders will fit. It's very tight, but it fits. That's not to say there isn't a better solution - you have some great suggestions to try out - but if nothing else works, this will.

Good luck!

Nisi
CPST and mom of 2

PS Proriders are hard to find, and they don't have a shoulder belt guide, so they may not be a good choice for shorter booster-age kids. Also, I'm almost positive a Graco CarGo would work in place of the Express since they're almost the same size.

[o_mom]

The Ultra Cargo is the same as the Cargo. It comes in about 6 different versions (Ultra, cherished, platinum, etc.) The only one to avoid is the Treasured, since it doesn't have a front harness adjuster. The others are all the same except for padding.

[skipspin]

The Chase is quite a bit (I don't have measurements) wider than the Cargo, so a Cargo should definately work.

[Papooses]

I'm not sure how the specs compare, but I've recently managed a few 3-across combinations in my Freestar using Scenera, SafeSeat1, Turbo, Parkway, Boulevard & Wizard -- some methods of puzzling together working much easier than others!

I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine the Radian should install well on the flat bench & it's quite narrow, plus the Parkway is easier to buckle in 3 across situations than the Turbo.

I also noticed that I could have my Recaro Young Sport (rather wide combination harness/booster) & Parkway or Turbo both outboard with enough space to fit the larger Ride Safer Travel Vest.

[nbrackman]

Thank you!

I ordered a couple of those prorider boosters. If I can do one of those, the UltraCargo, and one of the Turboboosters, we will be good to go.

If not I am going to do some shuffling with my Marathons (2 in the bench middle seat) and see if they work any better. I'll keep y'all posted. Thanks!