Help with RF tether point for Marathon

[diaperjoys]

I'd like to tether our rear facing Marathon. But I can't find a tether point. There is very little info in the car seat manual. The vehicle is a 1999 Suburban. The seat is driver's side outboard in the second row.

I've looked under the driver's seat, but, instead of legs, it is anchored to two long solid strips of metal that lay along the floor. So I guess that is out.

The only other possibility I see is the seat the child seat is sitting on. I could get a D ring on on the seat leg that is situated closest to the door. I don't know if that would be too much of an angle or not. But that is the only thing I can find that is even a possibility. The seat is a bench, and the other leg for the seat is on the far side of the central seating position; way too far, I think.

If it is okay to use the leg under the child seat by the door, how tight would I pull the strap? When I researched earlier, for our previous vehicle, I was under the impression that this strap was supposed to be loose, but on this forum it sounds like the tether strap is getting solidly tightened.

Any suggestions?

[CRS]

No, you're not allowed to do that, you have to tether towards the front of the vehicle - do you have a picture?

[diaperjoys]

Here's a few pictures. The first shows the MA in it's rf position. The other's show the underside of the driver's seat directly in front of the baby seat.

Someone said something about taking out one of the bolts that holds the seat in, and replacing it with a bolt/anchor combo (get it from Britax??). Not sure how to do that. I just get put on hold forever when I try to phone Britax, so any leads are welcomed!

Here's the pics:

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/diaperjoys/MArfing.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/diaperjoys/underside1.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/diaperjoys/underside4.jpg

[Melizerd]

Is there a bar that goes between the two legs? That "might" be acceptable. Hopefully a tech will chime in on that one.

[southpawboston]

Someone said something about taking out one of the bolts that holds the seat in, and replacing it with a bolt/anchor combo (get it from Britax??). Not sure how to do that.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o88/diaperjoys/underside4.jpg

that's exactly what i want to do with my mazda. just order a top tether anchor and bolt it right to one of the rear bolts securing the vehicle seat to the floor. i wouldn't even replace the bolt, since it is already a high-strength bolt designed to secure the driver's seat to a reinforced section of the floor. i would just bolt the anchor to it so that there is a "hook" to RF tether to.

i left your last pic in the quote above so you can see an example of the bolt i'm talking about. normally, modifying the car like this would be unacceptable for a primary attachment point like a LATCH anchor or top tether since there are standards that regulate how they are to be used, but since RF tethering is a completely unregulated practice (just find any part of the seat that you "think" is secure, regardless of whether it actually is), i feel this is perfectly safe and acceptable-- especially since RF tethering does not involve a lot of force and is not a primary restraining practice.

[diaperjoys]

Is there a bar that goes between the two legs? That "might" be acceptable. Hopefully a tech will chime in on that one.


I went and checked...no bar. Grrrr....

[Melizerd]

:( If you move the seat up slightly does that create a point on the track? In my car I can't move the seat all the way back or I can't tether.

[SarahP]

I was on the phone Wed with my Regent and two Marathons in my van and asked the rep many questions - among them if she knew of any place I could tether my RF daughter - She said if I did not see anything I could do the Australian Tether (over baby's head and to the bottom back of the seat she is sitting in) though it might make it cumbersometo get the 2year old in and out of the seat. I said "I thought that wasn't allowed anymore" and she assured me that that would be ok. You might want to give them a call about your situation.

[seatchecker]

I have sometimes had success with squeezing the metal ring end under the piece that is bolted down (the dark bolt visible toward the center of your picture) - like under the metal and on top of the carpet. Then I can loop it around and attach the tether itself. A lot of it has to do with how "squishy" the carpet is.

[snowbird25ca]

Where is the seatbelt stalk? Could you tether it there?

that's exactly what i want to do with my mazda. just order a top tether anchor and bolt it right to one of the rear bolts securing the vehicle seat to the floor. i wouldn't even replace the bolt, since it is already a high-strength bolt designed to secure the driver's seat to a reinforced section of the floor. i would just bolt the anchor to it so that there is a "hook" to RF tether to.

i left your last pic in the quote above so you can see an example of the bolt i'm talking about. normally, modifying the car like this would be unacceptable for a primary attachment point like a LATCH anchor or top tether since there are standards that regulate how they are to be used, but since RF tethering is a completely unregulated practice (just find any part of the seat that you "think" is secure, regardless of whether it actually is), i feel this is perfectly safe and acceptable-- especially since RF tethering does not involve a lot of force and is not a primary restraining practice.

Could doing this affect how strongly the seat is attached to the vehicle floor though? The bolt wouldn't go back in as deeply with an extra piece of metal, right? And wouldn't the bolt be tightened to a certain factory specification?

[Melanie]

I'm probably going to get yelled at for this...so please please make sure a tech has responded that it's ok before you do it.

My parents had the same vehicle that I teathered a roundabout in, so it should work the same.

In your bottom picture...see that metal bar? It goes in between the large metal parts that are bolted to the floor. That's what I teathered to. The bar is towards the front of the seat. I put the D-ring on from the front of the front seat and fed the seat teather under the seat, attached it to the D-ring, then tightened. There are a bunch of wires under there, so make sure you don't pinch or get tangled in them.