# Using body weight to get a tight install...



## AfricanQueen99 (Jun 7, 2008)

What's the appropriate amount of weight to push the carseat down so the seatbelt/LATCH system is tight?

I ask because I use one hand to push and tighten with the other - and get tight installs. I watched my mother use her entire weight (like, put her knee in the seat, use every pound of her frame, entire weight) and I freaked that it was too much. I don't know, I guess I thought that would stress the plastic or something.

Thoughts? Am I overthinking this?


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

In most cases, you shouldn't have to use your whole body to get the carseat tight. It's as much about angles and patience as it is brute force.


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

I always put my knee in the seat. Be curious to see what experts say.


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## Juvysen (Apr 25, 2007)

I use my knee with much of my body weight behind it.


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## hjdmom24 (Mar 1, 2008)

I went to our county's car seat inspection place on Monday and she showed me to install it by putting my knee in and using my weight. Now if I could just figure out how to get the darn thing unlatched


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

In my tech class we were taught to just use one hand to push down and tighten. IME, a lot of the time that is enough. I still like to use SOME body weight though but I try not to overdo it. I hear of people climbing and and "bouncing" the seat down and I just cringe. I did one check where I couldn't get a scenera to tighten even with some of my body weight. The other tech who is TINY, climbed in there, shoved all her weight against the back of the seat (rf'ing install and she moved the front seat forward to get in there) and finally got it tight. NOW I realize sceneras and LATCH aren't a good combo.









I have more of a problem tightening with LATCH. When I use a seat belt, usually one hand is enough.


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## darkearth (Apr 13, 2006)

I use my knee too.


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

I have tried without my knee but I can't get it tight enough then.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

I use my knee/weight as thats how I was taught/shown by the health dept...


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## Friday13th (Jun 13, 2006)

I use my knee but I'm pretty tiny (5 feet even) and I find it easier just to get into the seat and pull. I don't do any bouncing around though.


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## Dabble (Jun 14, 2007)

The seats themselves are made to take a significant amount of stress, but the EPS foam in many seats is quite fragile, so you need to take care as to where you place weight.

I, too, am quite small, and while I always try the simplest installation method, starting with just hand pressure, moving onto the knee, and climbing right on in when all else fails. That always amuses the parents at events!


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## Yooper (Jun 6, 2003)

We do have to crawl into our Radian to get a good install in one of our cars. Otherwise it simply will not be tight enough. Even using our body weight is it a very long a tedious process. In the other car, it is not necessary. No bouncing though.


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## mommy2two babes (Feb 7, 2007)

I use my knee but I only weigh about 100 lbs not pregnant.
If I was to use my hand I would barely push the seat down.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

I know that all the manuals that I have specifically say to use your knee.

Our tech class instructors encouraged us to use a hand, because it shows the parents that it's not THAT difficult to get a good, solid, install - in MOST cases.

Some, you just need more force.


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## AfricanQueen99 (Jun 7, 2008)

Ok, so it's not a huge deal that my mother was on the seat. Does it matter, at all, that we're talking about a 200 pound woman literally having two knees and all her weight on it?

FWIW, the install is going into an older Jeep without LATCH and that horrible, horrible, *horrible* back seat that fully folds into the floor. I swear to god, I hate her car!


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AfricanQueen99* 
Ok, so it's not a huge deal that my mother was on the seat. Does it matter, at all, that we're talking about a 200 pound woman literally having two knees and all her weight on it?

FWIW, the install is going into an older Jeep without LATCH and that horrible, horrible, *horrible* back seat that fully folds into the floor. I swear to god, I hate her car!


Nope, it doesn't matter.

I'm also a 200-lb woman, and there have been a few seats where I've needed my FULL weight to get installed.


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## Youngfrankenstein (Jun 3, 2009)

I though you were supposed to use your knee and weight...that's how I've always done it. Now that I'm thinking, though, those were with seatbelts. I have much less experience with LATCH seats. I just did it that way with them too. I never tried any other way.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

The old tech curriculum use to teach to use the knee, that's how I was taught. But in the new curriculum (about 2 years old now) they changed it to teach to use one hand. I've heard instructors say that they don't want to see knees in seats. You don't need a "rock solid" install to be safe, less than one inch side to side is the goal. In most instances, that can be achieved with one hand of pressure. I teach parents to use one hand, or the amount of pressure required to get it tight. I explain that for some people, depending on upper body strength, the style of car seat, the vehicle, etc. you might need to use more pressure than your hand can easily provide. In that case, it's OK to use your knee. That said, I would not want to see parents really reefing on seats, I do think that the plastic could be damaged from really pounding on seats.


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## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

I use my knee and body weight... it's really the only way I can get a tight install because our vehicle seats are kind of fluffy, and I seem to need both hands to get the damned LATCH things hooked, and before that, I needed both hands to affix the locking clips.


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## Twinklefae (Dec 13, 2006)

I use whatever I have to, and sometimes that includes both knees. (And I'm 180lbs). I asked about doing it when I took my tech course, and was told that if a car seat couldn't take my weight, what good would it do in a crash?


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## Murph12334 (Nov 12, 2003)

i use my knee like the manual stated


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

I sit in the seats, and sometimes have to brace myself against the roof, and pull with both hands! Im only like 95lbs though and not very strong. I get seats in rock solid!

The stress in a crash is WAY WAY more than the strength of an adult, this was asked in our tech class, and its toally safe to sit in them if thats what it takes to get it in right, you arent going to break it. Do be careful of the foam though, and dont sit on the seatbelt/LATCH strap while you are trying to pull on it.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The only seat I ever put my weight into is my Regent.


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mommy2two babes* 
I use my knee but I only weigh about 100 lbs not pregnant. If I was to use my hand I would barely push the seat down.

This is me too. I would need to use my body weight on my knee to push as hard as DH can push with his hand.


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## SubliminalDarkness (Sep 9, 2009)

I have my 7 year old stand(squat, really) in the seat while I tighten. Works well!


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## medicmama (May 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hjdmom24* 
I went to our county's car seat inspection place on Monday and she showed me to install it by putting my knee in and using my weight. Now if I could just figure out how to get the darn thing unlatched









Kneel in the seat (takes the preasure off the seat belt/latch) then release belt or push latch clip away from latch strap. When undoing latch clip, squeeze clip and turn sideways and pull out.


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## LittleBlessings (May 26, 2008)

i also use my knee


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## medaroge (Dec 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Juvysen* 
I use my knee with much of my body weight behind it.

Yup, this is what I and my sil do!


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

There's no way I could just push with an arm, but I have wimpy arms. I usually put my whole weight in the seat, but I also have tricky seat belts. I would love to kick the man who invented lightweight locking latch plates.


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## urchin_grey (Sep 26, 2006)

We were taught in my class to use one hand only, but I'm not a firefight or a police officer like 99% of my class either.







So yeah, you will often see my using a knee or a hip to get a seat a bit tighter because one hand just doesn't work for me.


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hjdmom24* 
I went to our county's car seat inspection place on Monday and she showed me to install it by putting my knee in and using my weight. Now if I could just figure out how to get the darn thing unlatched









BOTH knees







: when I go to take my LATCH installs out, I put in BOTH knees and then gently lean toward the direction that the LATCH adjuster thing is on, while holding onto whichever part of it makes it loosen (the grey tab, whatever it's called), and it loosens as I lean.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *indie* 
There's no way I could just push with an arm, but I have wimpy arms. I usually put my whole weight in the seat, but I also have tricky seat belts. I would love to kick the man who invented lightweight locking latch plates.

Really? I LOVED the Lightweight locking latch plates in my Durango! Made even super cheap seats a TOTAL BREEZE!


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Oh, and my weight...

If it's a, uh, nicer seat (TF, Radian, Britax, etc) I can do one hand, or at most one knee.
If it's a Dorel or lower-end Evenflo seat, then I stand BEHIND the seat (RFing) and push forward (toward the back of the car) w/ my body weight while tightening.


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnymw* 
Really? I LOVED the Lightweight locking latch plates in my Durango! Made even super cheap seats a TOTAL BREEZE!









I thought they looked cheap when we bought the car (used) and my suspicions were confirmed when one of them broke. We had three car seats across so I had to use a locking clip and it made my life hell. Even the one that isn't broken is a pain. You have to have it at a certain angle to tighten and when you're installing three car seats you barely have room for your hands as it is.

The ratcheting seat belts are so much easier. If its not tight enough I can just tighten some more. With the lightweight locking latch plates I have to undo the buckle, re-tighten and re-buckle.

I'll never buy a car with lightweight locking latch plates again.


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