We didn't. All it is is a ratchet. You really have to pull *hard* on the belt to get it tight enough, though; if you're not happy with the way the seat is secured, it should enable you to take some extra slack out of the belt.
If your vehicle has LATCH connectors (I think 1992 is when they started becoming standard on cars), use those instead (if your seat supports them, I believe most do these days) -- it's much easier to to get a secure installation (imo).
I have a 94 subaru & on the rear facing mode it was fine - on front facing it tips a bit for me even though I do tighten it down - if it tips Athena says "uh oh mommie" heh but it doesn't fall over unless it's not tightened right.
I think the reason my rear facing seat tighted fine was because the belt went flat across the bottom, so I could get it very tight - on the front facing car seat I have to wind it through the back, so I just can't get it tight enough - I may consider this: the latch under the seat does secure it more (we have those on the van) but the kids are hardly ever in the van so the seat's never in there: it's a real pain to take in & out the metal latch ones, easier to leave those in & not mess w/em.
The trick all parents learn is to literally kneel in the seat while you are tightening the belt, the, depending on your belt, either you are all set or you have to install a metal 'belt holder' that comes standard on all child seats.
Regardless of anything else, car seat bases are still proving to be tremendously unreliable (the kind of seat sold most often for newborns with a carrier that snaps in and out), so please, strap the seat in but leave the base at home(in a recent government test, 9/10 or some outrageously high number of bases failed to prevent injury, some severe).
"Won't you come home lil Nico, won't you come home..." :-)
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 12:32 pm (UTC)If your vehicle has LATCH connectors (I think 1992 is when they started becoming standard on cars), use those instead (if your seat supports them, I believe most do these days) -- it's much easier to to get a secure installation (imo).
-b
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 05:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 06:16 pm (UTC)I think the reason my rear facing seat tighted fine was because the belt went flat across the bottom, so I could get it very tight - on the front facing car seat I have to wind it through the back, so I just can't get it tight enough - I may consider this: the latch under the seat does secure it more (we have those on the van) but the kids are hardly ever in the van so the seat's never in there: it's a real pain to take in & out the metal latch ones, easier to leave those in & not mess w/em.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 04:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 02:59 pm (UTC)B
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 05:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 03:11 pm (UTC)From your mouth to God's ear!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 04:00 pm (UTC)The trick all parents learn is to literally kneel in the seat while you are tightening the belt, the, depending on your belt, either you are all set or you have to install a metal 'belt holder' that comes standard on all child seats.
Regardless of anything else, car seat bases are still proving to be tremendously unreliable (the kind of seat sold most often for newborns with a carrier that snaps in and out), so please, strap the seat in but leave the base at home(in a recent government test, 9/10 or some outrageously high number of bases failed to prevent injury, some severe).
"Won't you come home lil Nico, won't you come home..." :-)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 05:15 pm (UTC)The kneeling trick is good to know. I lacked leverage this morning. And it was COLD. But I just pulled a lot.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 05:52 pm (UTC)Ours had dual capability-it could go in with or without the base. You may want to check your instruction manual just to be sure, though.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 06:19 pm (UTC)I thought I needed the base too; I think some you do, others have a belt option to skip the base "snap in/snap out" option...
no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 04:23 am (UTC)Short answer: No.
Long answer: Nnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
:)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 04:57 pm (UTC)Short Answer: No
Long Answer: NooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW OW OW OW OW!
Or something similar.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 07:26 pm (UTC)I am assuming your car model is older than 2002? If so you probably don't have the latch system, but if it's 2002 or later, you have the latch system.
Call if you have any questions.
Drive by a local police department for an inspection of the installation if you have any doubts. Usually they are happy to do a safety check for you.