I see there is a lot of seat frustration tonight :giggle2:
Well here is mine.
I turned my almost 2 yo son back around (rear facing) about 2 weeks ago..i was concerned about how to make sure the seat stayed tight so that when he pushed on the seat back that the seat wouldn't loosen.
Well it was a ligitimate concern, cause it has. He likes riding backwards and I like him that way to, but I don't think my seats are made for it and I know my belts aren't.
I have a 2000 conversion van with the captains which is what he is in. The seatbelts have no auto lock feature once they are strapped in...ya know with some belts once they are out and you stop pulling on it, it locks and won't loosen anymore..mine don't do that. OH my seat is a Britax marathon...the latches that hold the seatbelt rear facing WILL NOT lock due to the position of the belt and honestly the thickness of two pieces of the seatbelt together is too thick for those suckers to stay clamped closed. I don't have the ..what do you call those things...you can just latch...OH yeah..the latch system because the van is a 2000.
I dont' know what to do. I have no problem with my other LO seat I think becasue she is #1 not as heavy and #2 doesn't push on the seat back to rock the seat.
What would you do? Turn him front facing so the seat can stay latched in tight or ..give me some ideas ladies..I will try anything to keep him the way he is.
LilyGrace
03-31-2008, 10:20 PM
Have you checked out the other belts to see if they lock? From what I understand, all seatbelts from 1997 forward are supposed to be able to lock for car seat installation (the ratcheting lock). If it's not doing that, I'd have the belts looked at.
If they say they're fine, I'd find a tech to install the seat.
nannersmama
03-31-2008, 10:25 PM
Have you checked out the other belts to see if they lock? From what I understand, all seatbelts from 1997 forward are supposed to be able to lock for car seat installation (the ratcheting lock). If it's not doing that, I'd have the belts looked at.
If they say they're fine, I'd find a tech to install the seat.
Yup they are all this way. I think it had something to do with the conversion package.
Hmmm I will see if I can find a tech in our area, cause I know I can install it better then the cops in this area :giggle:
True Blue
04-01-2008, 07:24 AM
I would also consider calling Britax...your seatbelt locks on the Marathon should lock properly! They might replace the carseat for you, depending on how old it is.
It's definitely not 1997 for locking seatbelts, I have a 1998 Cherokee and the seatbelts don't lock unless you hit the brakes. It's a PITA installing anything but Britax!
pixilated
04-01-2008, 07:40 AM
No, it is 1996 that seatbelts were required to either lock at the latchplate, or lock at the retractor. Chrysler however made some "lightweight locking" latchplates, and those don't tend to hold well, and you either need to use a regular locking clip, or the built-in ones on the seats that have them.
As for the OP, are you using the correct lock-off? Check the manual for the seat again to make sure.
To find a tech..www.safekids.org or www.seatcheck.org
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 07:53 AM
I would also consider calling Britax...your seatbelt locks on the Marathon should lock properly! They might replace the carseat for you, depending on how old it is.
It's definitely not 1997 for locking seatbelts, I have a 1998 Cherokee and the seatbelts don't lock unless you hit the brakes. It's a PITA installing anything but Britax!
They do work properly, but if the seatbelt placement into those suckers isn't just perfect they don't stay clipped shut. I have found the same to be true with my Decathalon.
No, it is 1996 that seatbelts were required to either lock at the latchplate, or lock at the retractor. Chrysler however made some "lightweight locking" latchplates, and those don't tend to hold well, and you either need to use a regular locking clip, or the built-in ones on the seats that have them.
As for the OP, are you using the correct lock-off? Check the manual for the seat again to make sure.
To find a tech..www.safekids.org or www.seatcheck.org
Yes I am using the correct lock off for rear facing kiddos. And boy if it was '96 that the seatbelts were required for lock off, I wonder why conversion vans were made an exception.
Thanks ladies
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 07:58 AM
Nearest Safe kids to us..2 hours away. And the other look up doesn't work.
Guess the next time I am at the closest location I will have them look at my car seat and see what they think. May be that the Britax is not the smartest car seat for our van.
Shaunam
04-01-2008, 08:30 AM
I'd try a locking clip. Until you get your hands on one, turn him back ff'ing and use the lock-offs. You can sometimes find locking clips in the baby sections of some stores, but I've never had any luck. What I've done in the past, when I'm desperate, is I've gone to a store who doesn't sell their floor model car seats and taken the locking clip off the back of one of those. :blush:
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 08:56 AM
I'd try a locking clip. Until you get your hands on one, turn him back ff'ing and use the lock-offs. You can sometimes find locking clips in the baby sections of some stores, but I've never had any luck. What I've done in the past, when I'm desperate, is I've gone to a store who doesn't sell their floor model car seats and taken the locking clip off the back of one of those. :blush:
Thanks I will do that.
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 09:12 AM
No, it is 1996 that seatbelts were required to either lock at the latchplate, or lock at the retractor. Chrysler however made some "lightweight locking" latchplates, and those don't tend to hold well, and you either need to use a regular locking clip, or the built-in ones on the seats that have them.
As for the OP, are you using the correct lock-off? Check the manual for the seat again to make sure.
To find a tech..www.safekids.org or www.seatcheck.org
Quick question...to lock when the breaks are applied or during general usage? If during general usage then I would like to go back to the manufacturers of my van and find out why they installed incorrect seatbelts. Do you have a copy of the laws that this was required for general usage and not just when the breaks are applied?
pixilated
04-01-2008, 09:17 AM
No, I don't have a copy of that regulation, Shauna, would you know where to find it?
Can you take a picture of your seatbelt? At least the latchplate? And taking a picture of the seat currently installed would help too.
adahsmom
04-01-2008, 09:26 AM
I know exactly what you are talking about with the Britax RFing lockoffs. We are on our third set right now. Britax will send you new ones when they break.
Hopefully a tech here can look at pictures of your seatbelt and figure something out. Otherwise a metal locking clip is probably the best answer.
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 09:27 AM
I cant' get to the latch plates..they are inside the walls of the van or so I think. I will look and see if I can get pics. The seat I am installing is the marathon..ya know I never had a problem when he was little..ya know getting it installed tight, but now that his long ole legs are stronger than snot, he is wiggling it loose.
pixilated
04-01-2008, 09:30 AM
No, that's not a latchplate, that's the retractor. A latchplate is the male end of the buckle.
As for the built in's on the Britax, which side are you trying to use?
adahsmom
04-01-2008, 09:31 AM
The latch plate is the place where the belt is attached to the buckle. Let me find a picture.
adahsmom
04-01-2008, 09:33 AM
The bit on the left:
http://www.safetyforum.com/seatbelts/image8.gif
AlisonR80
04-01-2008, 09:43 AM
the seatbelts on my 2001 chrysler town and country sound similar to yours, they do not lock when you pull them all the way out... they are supposed to have a locking latchplate, but i was never able to figure it out. Luckily mine has LATCH and that's all i've ever used up to this point. But we'll be putting my older DS back into a 5 pt harness soon and we'll have to use the seatbelt soon since he's 44 lbs. we'll have it installed by a technician...i'd really try to find one in your area. AAA has car seat checks frequently, that's another place to consider.
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 10:00 AM
No, that's not a latchplate, that's the retractor. A latchplate is the male end of the buckle.
As for the built in's on the Britax, which side are you trying to use?
Either would work for me. The one closest to the latchplate is the one on the left side of the seat as you are looking at the child in the face.
The bit on the left:
http://www.safetyforum.com/seatbelts/image8.gif
Yup mine looks just like that one except beige
pixilated
04-01-2008, 10:15 AM
Then that seatbelt DOES lock, if it doesn't stay tight(sometimes locking latchplates don't if they are at a certain angle) then flip the latchplate upside down, and then buckle it.
And are you trying to put both parts of the seatbelt into the lock off? You're only supposed to put one.
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 10:24 AM
I will have to get a picture of my latchplate because it doesn't lock. I thought the locking part of the seatbelt was at the retractor not at the latchplate end, but I am positive that mine don't lock. I will get a pic this afternoon. When I try and install the seat AGAIN.
I have tried to use either. the position of my seatbelts through those rear facing lock offs won't allow them to close. I mean personally I think it was a bad design and there should have been a better way of having those lock off close shut instead of snapping shut with a tiny bit of a lip to catch on..this seat is an 06 model..maybe they have upgraded since then I dunno.
I sure do appreciate all of you ladies help!!
adahsmom
04-01-2008, 10:34 AM
And are you trying to put both parts of the seatbelt into the lock off? You're only supposed to put one.
I'm fairly certain that both parts are supposed to go through.
I love the idea of the britax lockoffs, but they are flimsy and poorly positioned. I've installed mine is a ton of different cars, and most of the time the angle of the belt makes it hard to use the built in lockoffs.
pixilated
04-01-2008, 10:58 AM
You were right adahsmom, I was thinking of forward facing use. Here's a link to the online Britax Marathon manual. It is in PDF format.
http://www.britaxusa.com/support/documents/Marathon_P275900_R01.pdf
adahsmom
04-01-2008, 11:06 AM
You are right about the forward facing ones. They only have the shoulder part of the belt. IMO the Britax FF lock offs are great. The RFing ones are a PITA.
nannersmama
04-01-2008, 03:17 PM
Yes the RF lockoffs, I may get one locked but that is until he gets in the seat and then it pops open..I get it closed again with him in it and the min he moves it pops once again. The position of my belts is just not working for the RF lockoffs with him in it. I have those squishy captains chairs and i think that is causing me a ton of grief.
Oh and my latchplates are only slip throughs. I was thinking of my old Explorer that had the ones that locked (like the pic you showed).
I think his seat also came with the stabilizing bar...not sure if it was his or hers or the other his. Which car seat came with the removeable stabilizing bar..the marathon, the decathalon, or the regent??? IF it was his marathon that may keep him from rocking it back and forth which is what is causing the seatbelt to loosen.
