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Help! JT car seat solutions needed- save me from trading!

aj8544

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We welcomed our 3rd child this past July, now a family of 5 with a 7 year old, almost 5 year old and a newborn. My issue is with car seat fitment, specifically buckling the seat belt with our 7 year old’s belt positioning booster. I’ve already done some research and bought multiple different seats. My current set up that has barely been working is:
- Graco snugride infant base and carrier in the middle seat (base anchored with middle seat belt).

- Diono Radian 3 RXT harnessed booster front facing (4 year old’s spot) at the drivers side. Anchored with seat belt.

-Peg perego viaggio flex 120 belt positioning high back booster at the passenger side for the 7 year old.

This is the slimmest combination I have found, and it barely works. The issue is buckling the seat belt for the 7 year old down between her booster and the infant carrier. I can barely get my hand in, sometimes it take 5 minutes of contortion to get it buckled. My 7 year old can get it maybe 10% of the time.

Here is the issue: the baby is growing fast and will likely be out of the infant carrier within the next 6-8 months. At that point I will need a rear facing convertible in the mix. I had thought (hoped) that a diono radian would do the trick. Well- I tried it in hopes it would actually be easier than the carrier. It’s not, in fact it is impossible to buckle the 7 year olds seat belt next to the diono.

So I’m at a crossroads- are there any other possible seat combinations that may work? Does anyone have experience with this age combo in a JT or Wrangler? Or is it just time to bite the bullet and go back to a full size truck? My wife already traded her Wrangler for an Expedition for this reason, I hate to lose our other Jeep but we both need to carry the kids on a daily basis…
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mrworldwide79

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Do you both need the ability to have the kids in your cars? I ask because my wife and I realized we didn’t- they were always going in one car anyway. So we have a kids car (suburban) and now will have a non-kids car when our JT comes in. May be a solution if you can’t find the right seat combination.
 
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aj8544

aj8544

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Do you both need the ability to have the kids in your cars? I ask because my wife and I realized we didn’t- they were always going in one car anyway. So we have a kids car (suburban) and now will have a non-kids car when our JT comes in. May be a solution if you can’t find the right seat combination.
Yes, unfortunately we are both pharmacists which means crazy variable schedules (my work week might look like 1-9 monday, 8-4 tuesday, 10-6 wednesday, 1-9 thursday 8-4 friday…. with no consistency or routine plus weekends- just a jumbled mess basically) Most days one of us takes the kids to school and the other picks up. My wife works an hour from where I do and the baby’s daycare is in-between so carpooling is out as well. Fortunate to have good paying jobs but not easy coordinating with kids!
 

Minty JL

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This is where adulting comes into play, safety of the little ones trump's the wants.....been there done that.

Sounds like y'all need to sell and get a Tahoe or something of that sorts.

We didn't get our JLUR until after both kids didn't need anything more then a booster seat. We traded our paid off LTZ on the JL.

Now they're older, I'm selling my Tahoe to get a Rubicon JT. Priorities are a bish, but if you want or have more kids......that trumps all. Maybe it's time to get snipped.....LOL
 
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aj8544

aj8544

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This is where adulting comes into play, safety of the little ones trump's the wants.....been there done that.

Sounds like y'all need to sell and get a Tahoe or something of that sorts.

We didn't get our JLUR until after both kids didn't need anything more then a booster seat. We traded our paid off LTZ on the JL.

Now they're older, I'm selling my Tahoe to get a Rubicon JT. Priorities are a bish, but if you want or have more kids......that trumps all. Maybe it's time to get snipped.....
We already sold my wife’s JL for an expedition. I need a truck…When i bought the JT we didnt plan on a 3rd, but 6 months later we decided we were getting old and it was now or never to try for a boy. Thank god it was a boy, and yes snipping is now on the table haha!
 

Jefe1018

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We already sold my wife’s JL for an expedition. I need a truck…When i bought the JT we didnt plan on a 3rd, but 6 months later we decided we were getting old and it was now or never to try for a boy. Thank god it was a boy, and yes snipping is now on the table haha!
Ram Rebel? That should get you good. We have one kid planned and I’m not sure the JT will be big enough for that plus two smaller dogs.
 
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aj8544

aj8544

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It seems like your big issue is stuffing your hand, in that case seat belt extender permanently in the latch side and then plug in to that?
Yea that seems like the easiest solution. So far I havent been able to find any extenders that are recommended for car seat use and all the car seat manuals state they are a no-go. Not sure why other than the obvious liability- maybe not realizing they came loose etc… Hard to believe that the auto mfgs havent offered a solution for buckling boosters- some are a pain in the ass even with nothing next to them. Oddly the same car seat experts that say never to use a seat belt extender because it could be loose and not know it tell you to teach your kid to crawl into the seat leaving the belt buckled… Hoping to find a better more narrow seat option that I havent come across yet.
 
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aj8544

aj8544

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Ram Rebel? That should get you good. We have one kid planned and I’m not sure the JT will be big enough for that plus two smaller dogs.
Rebel is on the reluctant short list (right behind powerwagon). Really hoping to keep the JT though by finding a seat solution.
 

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Rebel is on the reluctant short list (right behind powerwagon). Really hoping to keep the JT though by finding a seat solution.
I feel you, there. It’s on my short list as even with the ridiculous used car market, I could get into one that is a ‘20 or ‘21 for less than what I’m paying for my less optioned JT.
 

sass JT

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I had a different situation… I had a built up JkU, sold it for a Ram 1500 because I needed a truck for work (hated it) trade that in for the gladiator and now built up.
That said I had my sister come out and bring my niece and nephew… I don’t think you can fit three sir… bad enough for two.

good luck with your search
 

Gren71

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I think any parent who owns a jt has the same problem to face friend.

its not what you want to hear but im with a couple others on here in that its time to throw in the towel and trade while values are on your side. Theres some gray deals out there on rams / fords at the moment.

it certainly wont be a jeep. But your kids will fit and you won’t have to worry about driving a combo sardine can / clown car
 

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Go wiht full size Ram or other and revisit the JT when they are older and don't need the space. Heck I just had one kid and she, gear and dog took up the enormous space of my Ram. Actually drove a plush Toyota Sienna Minivan for number or years. Might not be the thing to hear but I tell you that thing rode fantastic and had space for days. As my daughter got older moved into the Ram.
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