Child Seat in forward facing config top tether installation

[hevakmai]

I'm really curious to see how folks have installed car seats that have the top tether on the Model X seats given there's no hole in the headrest to snake it through. We have a couple of Diono's and are wondering how people have made this work.

 

[BeardedBro]

Hi, you might want to check this thread out

Convertible Car Seats and the X

 

[outie]

The instruction manual shows you how to do it. The hook is on the bottom of the seat on the back side. See attached.

 

[krazineurons]

I see two anchor like points on the side of 3rd row near the window, what is that for?

 

[Screwbal]

Ignore what the manual says. Maybe it shows that because of some legal need but over the top doesn't work. Any movement the straps will wiggle off the top of the seat and then fall off the edge of the seat and it's unsafe.

If you have the straps go around the side of the seat down to the hook you can get great tension and because the lower rear hook is behind the top of the car seat it holds the top securely and it will not allow the top of the car seat to move.

 

[BeardedBro]

Ignore what the manual says. Maybe it shows that because of some legal need but over the top doesn't work. Any movement the straps will wiggle off the top of the seat and then fall off the edge of the seat and it's unsafe.

If you have the straps go around the side of the seat down to the hook you can get great tension and because the lower rear hook is behind the top of the car seat it holds the top securely and it will not allow the top of the car seat to move.

Totally agree with this – what I hate though is that in my experience, the forward facing car seat isn't exactly centered on the seat, as it's pulled toward the outer edge, the same side the tether is slinger over.

 

[Screwbal]

Totally agree with this – what I hate though is that in my experience, the forward facing car seat isn't exactly centered on the seat, as it's pulled toward the outer edge, the same side the tether is slinger over.

Not sure in that case then. Ours for the top strap is basically a loop which goes on both sides so the tension is evenly distributed on the sides (I should have mentioned that) so maybe it doesn't work for all situations.

 

[BeardedBro]

Not sure in that case then. Ours for the top strap is basically a loop which goes on both sides so the tension is evenly distributed on the sides (I should have mentioned that) so maybe it doesn't work for all situations.

Yep, this is the only configuration in which it works perfectly – unfortunately, as much as I like our Diono, it doesn't have a dual wraparound tether.

 

[LovelyCarrot]

Ignore what the manual says. Maybe it shows that because of some legal need but over the top doesn't work. Any movement the straps will wiggle off the top of the seat and then fall off the edge of the seat and it's unsafe.

If you have the straps go around the side of the seat down to the hook you can get great tension and because the lower rear hook is behind the top of the car seat it holds the top securely and it will not allow the top of the car seat to move.

That's not our experience, putting the top strap up and over next to the headrest, as indicated in the manual, works great for ours (Orbit). Tension it down and it stays put quite nicely.

 

[Terthen]

Ignore what the manual says. Maybe it shows that because of some legal need but over the top doesn't work. Any movement the straps will wiggle off the top of the seat and then fall off the edge of the seat and it's unsafe.

If you have the straps go around the side of the seat down to the hook you can get great tension and because the lower rear hook is behind the top of the car seat it holds the top securely and it will not allow the top of the car seat to move.

I have a Britax Marathon and have the same problem, it wiggles off the top. Question about having it go on the sides though, doesn't that stop side seat-located airbag from deploying?

Unfortunately I don't have a better solution at the moment... I'm thinking of sewing up a little loop that can hang from the seat and loop the seat belt straps in it to keep it in the middle. But then I'd have to hope whatever loop I made was strong enough to keep the straps there in the event of an accident... I'm kind of planning to look for other seats that might have just one strap that I can go around the side towards the middle of the car, that way I wouldn't obstruct any airbags?

 

[Screwbal]

I have a Britax Marathon and have the same problem, it wiggles off the top. Question about having it go on the sides though, doesn't that stop side seat-located airbag from deploying?

Thats news to me that I was unaware of that there are airbags inside of the seat.

 

[Pandamoanium]

Use those muscles and pretighten the strap. Then slide it up while pressing down the cushion part of the seat top. It'll stay, it's never moved for me at all since I did it this way.