A question for any cpsts...

[mama2004]

Ok, so there's been a bit of difficulty as far as my ex being able to properly install a Nautilus in his (2006 regular cab) truck.  I've already posted about that.  He found a car seat check to attend and got help there with a seatbelt install.  Apparently, the tech who was helping him advised him to install with the seatbelt while the vehicle seat is as far back as it goes, and then move the vehicle seat forward "two clicks."  

I'm confused by that advice, since I thought it was especially important when installing in a front seat to have the vehicle seat as far back as possible.  Does anyone have any ideas about this?  Is there information you can share about why that is/isn't ok?  It's confusing to me.

[Maedze]

Any chance we're talking about the seat*back* here, not the vehicle seat track? 

[mama2004]

The entire seat is how my ex understood it.  I checked his install today before deciding which vehicle I would use, and noticed that the passenger seat with the Nauti looked too far forward, so I checked and slid the seat farther back, which wrecked the seat belt install, of course.  I told ex that I had moved the seat back and so the install as it was wouldn't work, and he said the tech told him to do it that way--to move the entire vehicle seat forward two clicks.  Is it possible they meant the just the seat back?  I'm under the impression that x had some fairly hands on instruction at the seat check..

[Maedze]

Originally Posted by annalivia 

The entire seat is how my ex understood it.  I checked his install today before deciding which vehicle I would use, and noticed that the passenger seat with the Nauti looked too far forward, so I checked and slid the seat farther back, which wrecked the seat belt install, of course.  I told ex that I had moved the seat back and so the install as it was wouldn't work, and he said the tech told him to do it that way--to move the entire vehicle seat forward two clicks.  Is it possible they meant the just the seat back?  I'm under the impression that x had some fairly hands on instruction at the seat check..

If I had to guess, the technician was correcting a forward-of-the-bight incompatibility.   In this case, it's better to have the seat slid forward with a correct install.  

[mama2004]

Can you tell me what that might look like?  It sounds like a situation where the seat simply won't fit against the bight (by a fairly obvious margin?), and that doesn't seem to be the case as far as I can tell; the Nauti seems to fit pretty well against the vehicle seat.  I haven't done much fiddling with it, and haven't played with the recline on the vehicle seat, and I thought the Nauti has an adjustable recline, too?  So I don't know if there might be any issues with how it fits the vehicle seat, but from all appearances, it's a decent fit.

Ex had the seat installed once with latch and that actually seemed pretty solid.  I'm planning to take a cpst training at some point this year, too, so maybe I'll be able to help others before too long.

[mama2004]

Maedze, thank you so much for your time and input, I really appreciate your help with this and other questions I have posted.

So, I was reading the forward of the bight thing as an incompatibility in seat structure, but it looks like it might have more to do with the seat belt position in the vehicle.  Since it's a truck, the seat belt originates on the side wall of the truck, anchored at the top and bottom on the side.  I'm not sure why the techs didn't install with latch or whether or not they tried latch at all.  I wish I had been there.  As an aside, are there any guidelines as to whether the rear tether anchor can go over the headrest, or between the metal posts and under the headrest/over the seat back?

I might see both what I can try with latch and whether or not there is another clinic any time soon that I can be present for.

[chickabiddy]

What is the child's weight, and what is the vehicle make and model?  Perhaps he was close to the LATCH weight limits?

The vehicle owner's manual should explain how to route the top tether.

I agree that "two clicks forward" with a solid installation is safer than all the way back with a loose installation.  The reason for pushing the seat back is to distance the child from the airbag.  A loose installation will not accomplish that even if the seat starts out pushed all the way back.

[Maedze]

Exactly, that's what 'forward of the bight' means in this particular instance.  The seatbelt is coming too far forward of the bight to get a correct install.  If the seatbelt position is fixed, moving the seat forward on its track corrects this issue fairly easily.
 

Originally Posted by annalivia 

Maedze, thank you so much for your time and input, I really appreciate your help with this and other questions I have posted.

So, I was reading the forward of the bight thing as an incompatibility in seat structure, but it looks like it might have more to do with the seat belt position in the vehicle.  Since it's a truck, the seat belt originates on the side wall of the truck, anchored at the top and bottom on the side.  I'm not sure why the techs didn't install with latch or whether or not they tried latch at all.  I wish I had been there.  As an aside, are there any guidelines as to whether the rear tether anchor can go over the headrest, or between the metal posts and under the headrest/over the seat back?

I might see both what I can try with latch and whether or not there is another clinic any time soon that I can be present for.

[alegna]

Also, the reason for installing all the way back in a front seat is to avoid the airbag.  Since it's a regular cab truck (no back seat) is it possible that it has an airbag switch where it can be turned off?

[mama2004]

Chickabiddy, ds is nearly 5, he weighs about 40#.  The truck is a 2006 Mazda regular cab (not sure of the model specifically).  The airbag is turned off.  I'll see if I can get a look at the vehicle manual to double check the rear tether position wrt the headrest.  So, with a seatbelt install, having the vehicle seat moved forward a bit is generally regarded as a better option for a tight install if need be?  I thought there was an issue not just with the airbag, but also with ensuring as much room as possible from the dashboard, generally.

Thank you all! 

[chickabiddy]

Having a tight install AND the seat moved all the way back is ideal.  If we have to choose between a tight install and two clicks forward OR loose install and all the way back, because sometimes we can't achieve ideal, we would choose tight install.

A 2006 Mazda B-series should have LATCH in the passenger seat, so yes, that is an option up to 48#.

[mama2004]

Yes, I can definitely see how there could be a balance between tight/safe install and vehicle seat positioning.  Since latch is an option for a bit longer, I think I'm going to focus on working that out for the time being (my intention all along, though it has yet to work out), although I'd really like to see if I can figure out the seatbelt issue without having to move the seat forward.  Is that something that a locking clip might help to address?  (Probably not, or maybe the tech would have suggested that first, instead of moving the seat forward?...)

I'm also going to see if ex, the Nauti, the truck and I can all make it to a clinic together so we can figure this out with some irl help.

I'm so grateful for all the help and feedback, thank you!

[chickabiddy]

No, a locking clip won't fix it if the issue is forward-of-the-bight belt stalks.  If you can install with LATCH, that would be the best option.

[mama2004]

Thanks.  I'll work on latch, then and see if I can figure out what can be done about the seatbelt issue, since that will probably come up in about 6# or so...

ETA, does anyone have any suggestions for other options we might consider, short of a new vehicle?  I haven't really looked at belt positioning boosters at this point as ds is still too little, I think.

Edited by mama2004 - 2/3/12 at 1:22pm