Car Seat in the Gladiator - Tips and Tricks

[SightsOfIron]

Hey all, just like the title says, i'd love to see your installs of car seats and any tips/tricks you have. My first child is due pretty soon here so I wanted to see what others have done.

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[SnazzGlad]

A rear facing will fit but it’s tight. I couldn’t have the passenger seat all the way back. Congratulations!

 

[SightsOfIron]

Cheers and thank you! We got the main seat installed in my wife's sedan by the local FD and they were saying the best spot is in the middle. However, with my lift and tires that might not be practical.

 

[nas4a]

I just took my last car seat out now that my youngest is OK in a booster. Cause for celebration.

Rear-facing and carriers are a different ball-game, but once you graduate to forward-facing, I really like the Diono Radian seats - they're by far the narrowest I've found, which in some cases allows you to sit people beside the kids. I had one rear-facing for a bit and didn't love it for that, but once you turn them around, it's the best IMO.

This goes for any / car seats - Make sure you have them in TIGHT. They will loosen over time. I had ours checked by someone at the hospital who showed me some tips for tightening them. The vast majority of people have at least some deficiency in how they install them - not tight enough, wrong method of attachment, improperly adjusted, etc.

 

[SightsOfIron]

I just took my last car seat out now that my youngest is OK in a booster. Cause for celebration.

Rear-facing and carriers are a different ball-game, but once you graduate to forward-facing, I really like the Diono Radian seats - they're by far the narrowest I've found, which in some cases allows you to sit people beside the kids. I had one rear-facing for a bit and didn't love it for that, but once you turn them around, it's the best IMO.

This goes for any / car seats - Make sure you have them in TIGHT. They will loosen over time. I had ours checked by someone at the hospital who showed me some tips for tightening them. The vast majority of people have at least some deficiency in how they install them - not tight enough, wrong method of attachment, improperly adjusted, etc.

100%. Thats why i had the FD here show me and they probably showed the same tips for tightening too.

 

[sl65racer]

I’m sure I’m doing it wrong but my 2yo grandson loves sitting in the middle seat facing forward on the trail. He laughs over every major bump.

 

[mx5red]

Good advice so far. Obviously you’re a ways off from boosters, so focus on infant seats which usually have a base. I met a couple who used a car seat/folding stroller thing but that seemed like a compromise of both car seats and strollers. I liked moving the infant seat from car base to a frame stroller, it was quick and easy and lightweight, took less time than getting my older kids in/out of their boosters!

We didn’t have a problem fitting the chicco keyfit infant seat into the base, which stays attached in the back seat, though we were ~5’9” so seats not all the way back. YMMV. Middle is technically safest (furthest from side impact).. previous grand Cherokee was low enough we did middle, which was convenient for reaching back for pacifiers, etc btw. JLUR is high enough we did passenger rear.
You have a long ways until boosters, but keep in mind Seatbelt extenders. My kids couldn’t buckle themselves and I had to fight the boosters out of the way of the buckles… I had to climb into my truck like an orangutan to do it until I got those extenders! Best $20 I ever spent!

 

[Great Offender]

Since mine are 20+ years past car seats I can't speak to location but I can recommend Graco as a brand. My wife was in an accident which caused her Grand Cherokee to flip 4x and break her neck while my 2yr old son was in the back seat. Not a scratch! Graco will forever have my gratitude!

 

[amoyer_01]

I will take a picture for you later today. My two are in boosters now (3 & 5) but will have a 3rd tomorrow. I like the Diono Radian but if you need to access behind your seats or remove them good luck the button to release the strap when forward facing is a PITA. I removed and kept them in my wife's GC. There just isn't an angle to get to the button with such little space once it is tight. I had a Nuna Rava in for my 2nd till about a month ago behind the passenger seat. Will have a Nuna Pipa behind the passenger seat soon. Currently have a Mifold Hifold for him now and a Diono Solana for my oldest son. Nuna carseats are by far the easiest to install for the Pipa; its latch it into the 2 spots at the back of the seat and then it has a leg come down with a level bubble. The base stays in place and the carrier comes out with the lift of a latch.

 

[SightsOfIron]

thank you everyone! Love all this info! Keep it coming!

 

[CyberHero]

At the hospital for scheduled C section for wife tomorrow lol this is our second so now my backseat is totally taken it is my Jeep but wife travels for work so I need them in mine too. We use Doona it has a base bc it duplicates as a stroller so u just fold up legs and set it in. Wife did a ton of research. It also takes up a ton of room and we can’t slide our seats back but luckily I’m 5’6. The ability to go from stroller to in base is unheard of convienant. Congrats and good luck! Make sure they know it’s a Jeep not a truck as I had to correct my child for months and she finally caved lol

 

[Rushdude]

I'm a former child seat technician. Center rear is safest due to chance of a crash causing intrusion into passenger compartment. If you have a lifted jeep, the center seat may be difficult to get an infant into. So you may have to use the position behind the passenger seat. I'm sure the FD stated that we usually recommend installing on the passenger side because it is curbside and you don't have your body sticking out into traffic while trying to get your child secured.
The most important thing is to check the manual and see what the manufacturer recommends. Some vehicles don't allow for a rear facing seat in the center position, just because of the space needed. Also, NEVER install a center child seat using the outboard position latches. UNLESS, the owners manual says that you may specifically do that. Some allow it but most do not.

 

[SightsOfIron]

At the hospital for scheduled C section for wife tomorrow lol this is our second so now my backseat is totally taken it is my Jeep but wife travels for work so I need them in mine too. We use Doona it has a base bc it duplicates as a stroller so u just fold up legs and set it in. Wife did a ton of research. It also takes up a ton of room and we can’t slide our seats back but luckily I’m 5’6. The ability to go from stroller to in base is unheard of convienant. Congrats and good luck! Make sure they know it’s a Jeep not a truck as I had to correct my child for months and she finally caved lol

haha cheers and congratulations yourself! We have a Doona too and thinking about getting a second base too for the ease of swapping and going

I'm a former child seat technician. Center rear is safest due to chance of a crash causing intrusion into passenger compartment. If you have a lifted jeep, the center seat may be difficult to get an infant into. So you may have to use the position behind the passenger seat. I'm sure the FD stated that we usually recommend installing on the passenger side because it is curbside and you don't have your body sticking out into traffic while trying to get your child secured.
The most important thing is to check the manual and see what the manufacturer recommends. Some vehicles don't allow for a rear facing seat in the center position, just because of the space needed. Also, NEVER install a center child seat using the outboard position latches. UNLESS, the owners manual says that you may specifically do that. Some allow it but most do not.

Yeah, the tech at the FD station went over what the manual states and the center is the safest. Good call on the passenger side, didn't think about standing on the curb vs the street when loading and unloading, makes perfect sense though!

 

[WoolyKris]

Got rear facing Chicco 3in1 on the passenger side for the infant, older one graduated to a booster he sits behind me. Agree with center position, but it is a pain to move in and out, did that when I had extended cab Silverado.

 

[Minty JL]

I waited to get our JLUR and JTM until we were passed the car seat phase of life.

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