Need help...carseat for center console?

[steved]

We got a carseat.



Installed on the center console, I have a problem with shifter interfering.



Anyone have a suggestion for a smaller/smallish carseat that can fit the center console and not interfere? Short that, the wife will need to straddle the shifter or I will need to slide the center console rearward...

 

[lmills]

TTT, good luck with finding something Steve. We ran into this all the time with our 3 kids whenever we had extra people riding with us. Having a standard cab like yours is only going to add to the frustration.

 

[steved]

I have one other option I'm exploring...

 

[SuperSteeler]

I ran into this same problem and never did come up with a solution. While the seat was in there I only had access to the top half of the shift pattern.

 

[lmills]

I have one other option I'm exploring...

A seat in the back like a subaru brat??

 

[moonranch]

Steve,
I have two car seats, I will check fit this evening. Also, a "short shift kit" might buy you some clearance. Or putting a bend in the shift lever. There is some talk on this sight about bending the shift lever or adapting to the SRT-10 lever(Geno's used to sell the SRT-10 kit).

 

[steved]

A seat in the back like a subaru brat??

Strapping the wife to the roof...



Nah, I can move the center console back several inches easy enough...

 

[steved]

Steve,

I have two car seats, I will check fit this evening. Also, a "short shift kit" might buy you some clearance. Or putting a bend in the shift lever. There is some talk on this sight about bending the shift lever or adapting to the SRT-10 lever(Geno's used to sell the SRT-10 kit).

Shift lever is already bent... ask Lloyd :-laf



However, its bent over and back, and should be over and forward. I have also considered chopping it off slightly...



I think I can obtain around 6 inches by moving the console rearward...

 

[moonranch]

Steve,
Here are pictures of our older Graco "Snug Fit" seat installed in the truck. The pictures are with the lever in 6th and I have the BD "short shift" kit with the stock lever. I had to mount the seat a little to the left side of the truck, but there is still plenty of room for the passenger.

 

[Scooby]

Steve,

I work in the child seat industry - so I can help.

How old is your child? (and what is his/her weight?)

 

[steved]

We're expecting mid-July. So newborn, and then up.

 

[Scooby]

OK. First of all, Congratulations!



Naturally you'll want to ensure that your passenger side airbag is disabled.

With an infant, you have a few choices: you can start with an infant carrier (similar to what is shown above) - or you can start them rear facing in a convertible car seat (providing a proper fit can be acheived - which will depend on the the Brand of seat and the physical characteristics of your newborn. )



A standard cab with a stick certainly poses a challenge! Heck - that's why I got a megacab!



I am a certified child passenger safety technician - which means that I volunteer at those safety check points. With no offense to Moonranch - I would not let the installation shown above pass my inspection station. The child restraint needs to be centered in the chosen seating location.

Your options would be to either select a smaller convertible seat (provided your child is not of low birth weight),such as a Britax Roundabout to place rear-facing, in the center or outboard position. This type of seat in the center position- may lend itself to allow an unimpeded shifting pattern - although you'll need a flexible wrist!

Another option is a traditional infant carrier placed in the outboard passenger seat - and wife sits in the center position (which isn't ideal due to lack of head support for her).



Many good juvenile product retailers will let you test fit seats in your vehicle prior to purchase. You may want to take an afternoon and try some out. I can PM you with some suggested brands of each.

 

[steved]

If you don't mind, suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[moonranch]

Scooby,
I appreciate your comments, I did not know it was wrong to offset the child seat. Just so you know, my truck is QuadCab, and I normally have the seat in the back. Just trying to help someone out.

 

[Scooby]

Moonranch,

Thanks for not taking offense - your posting to help out Steve was clearly done to help - and, although sometimes we don't realize it, your posting (and our subsequent dialog about seat installations) may help another reader of this thread to properly install their seat just before heading out on a road trip where they are involved in a crash!



For everyone's information statistically over 90% of car seats have at least 1 type of misuse identified when they are checked! The most common misuse is not having the harness webbing be tight enough when the child is in the seat.



As a side note you wouldn't believe some of the stuff that I see at check stations... . I've seen someone drill through their leather seating on a BMW and install 2x4s and literally screw their child seat down - thinking they could get a better installation than the seat manufacturer's engineers came up with!



I'd be happy to answer anyone's questions on Child Seat Safety!

 

[HOBrian]

Congrats Steve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Oo.



Why not put the baby seat on the pass. seat and let the wifey sit in the middle! She can do all the shifting for you!

 

[steved]

We already looked at that option... she didn't like sitting that close to me for any length of time...

 

[JBonpua]

I thought you can not put small children in the front seat due to airbag deployment. My two year old is straped on his Britax car seat in the center of the back seat in between my other two other childred in the rear of my Mega Cab, wifey on the front passenger taking up all the real estate ( she claims she need all the room when she sleeps on long trips).

 

[steved]

I thought you can not put small children in the front seat due to airbag deployment. My two year old is straped on his Britax car seat in the center of the back seat in between my other two other childred in the rear of my Mega Cab, wifey on the front passenger taking up all the real estate ( she claims she need all the room when she sleeps on long trips).

For those of you not experienced with a standard cab... they have a switch to turn the passenger airbag off...