Britax Regent

[Unregistered]

I have a 1998 Jeep Cherokee which only has an anchor in the middle. Since we have 2 car seats, one of them being the Regent, I am wondering if it is OK to extend the tether around the spare tire and then into the MIDDLE anchor, from the side. My other seat is the Boulevard, and my younger child is still rear-facing and thus can be anchored around the base of the passenger front seat with the hardware that came with the convertible seat.
It's just that with the Regent we cannot have anyone in the middle!

[SusanMae]

What you are describing does not sound safe.

According to the LATCH manual, the 98 Jeep Cherokee does not have a factory installed tether anchor.

If one has been added---it's in the ceiling.

Can you take a pic and post it for us? You'll need to register to reply.

Susan

[azgirl71]

I think what you are seeing may be a cargo hook. You cannot use that to tether to. The PP is correct in what she said about location.

[Elissa]

Finally, I am able to post! :D (sorry, it might be a little long...the result of my pent-up silence!:p) I should have explained my situation better...our 1998 Jeep Cherokee Sport indeed did NOT originally have a child anchor installed, but after some research I found out that it was possible for Jeep to order and have it installed--however, only in one spot, the middle behind the seat. (On either other sides there are 2 cargo hooks) So we ordered the part thru a J Dealer and they installed it.
My 5 year old daughter (+-44 lbs and 44 '') is presently in a Boulevard, and unusual as it is, we have put HER in the middle because this is now the only possibility to anchor her seat.
My 14 month old son (+-27 lbs) is rearfacing in the Boulevard and is anchored down around the base of the front passenger seat as Britax recommended with their added hardware.
So I think we are presently in good shape.
My question was, if I want to move my daughter to the Regent (she will soon reach the 49" cut-off for Boulevard, unfortunately long before the 65 lb cut-off, isn't that always the case!) she would then HAVE to go on one side as well, as that seat would never fit in the middle. Then, we have no available anchor anymore. That is why my husband thought of extending the anchor around the spare wheel and into the child seat anchor that we now have in the middle.
Anyway, I am not convinced about this either, and additionally I have been reading on some forums here about how Regent failed a few NHTSA tests...perhaps returning it and eventually purchasing the Radian or other one would be better?
Hope I am not sounding too complicated.
Also, how does one anchor a car seat that goes until 80 lbs anyway, when most car manuals have an anchor limit of 40-48 lbs? (NOT talking about LATCH, just the factory installed rear anchors) I've read that it is still safer to anchor a child over the car's limit because in the event of a crash, the sequence of the crash itself would be such that it would still protect better than not anchoring at all. Anyone have some more info or knowledge on this?
All of this is SO overwhelming!!!

[Jeanum]

These Safe Ride News articles explain the recommendation to use the top tether anchor for a higher weight harnessed carseat for kids over 40 lbs. http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_P49.htm and
http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_P8.htm

This next part might be a bit of good news for you, I think. :) The LATCH manual shows the outboard seating positions in the '98 Jeep Cherokee can be retrofitted with top tether anchors. :thumbsup: The part number is 05003422AB and the tether points for those outboard anchors are in the Jeep's ceiling. I'm not sure what the dealership did to install a top tether anchor for the center in your Jeep, but it doesn't seem to match the info. in the LATCH manual at all, which states there is no anchor retrofit for the center. If you happen to have a '98 Grand Cherokee model, then that is retrofittable in the center only per the LATCH manual, so maybe that's what the dealership did? :confused:

I'm going to link you to the Jeep section's .pdf file from the LATCH manual so you'll have it for reference if you do indeed have a Cherokee and not a Grand Cherokee and want to go back to the dealership for outboard tether anchors: http://www.saferidenews.com/LATCH_manaul_updates/JEEP_EAGLE_6_07_web.pdf

(The Jeep section is online because some part numbers and the retrofit service bulletin number changed after the first batch of 2007 LATCH manual editions were printed).

[Elissa]

Thank you for the info, I will read about the tethering weight limits.

Sorry, it IS a Grand Cherokee...:o I think the link that you sent me is what I had found also, and that said the middle anchor was the only possible one. So, does it sound right now that we know what car it is? I hope they installed it right, I imagine they must have! :eek:
So, I guess no ceiling anchors after all? (how would those really work, anyway??)

Any suggestions or discouragements on the Regent? Buy a new car?? (LOL) Actually a new car with the LATCH system won't really help my problem for my older child anyway, as we won't be able to use the LATCH anyway for her. I will read the link you sent me on that...
I am just determined to keep her harnassed until maximum age, as my husband jokes at me, until she goes to college!:p

[skaterbabscpst]

FYI, the LATCH manual is actually incorrect about the location of the anchors, as I discovered when I had the anchor installed in my '96 Cherokee. The factory-approved anchor is actually in the rear of the cargo area. The dealer will remove the cargo anchor nearest the tailgate and replace it with the tether anchor assembly.

According to the LATCH manual the TA should be in the ceiling, but the manufacturer-supplied instructions say to put it in the floor of the cargo area. You can have two installed, on in each outboard position.

Edit: if it's a Grand Cherokee, disregard what I said. lol The Grand Cherokee and the Cherokee bear no resemblance to each other past the name. lol

[azgirl71]

FYI, the LATCH manual is actually incorrect about the location of the anchors, as I discovered when I had the anchor installed in my '96 Cherokee. The factory-approved anchor is actually in the rear of the cargo area. The dealer will remove the cargo anchor nearest the tailgate and replace it with the tether anchor assembly.

According to the LATCH manual the TA should be in the ceiling, but the manufacturer-supplied instructions say to put it in the floor of the cargo area. You can have two installed, on in each outboard position.

Edit: if it's a Grand Cherokee, disregard what I said. lol The Grand Cherokee and the Cherokee bear no resemblance to each other past the name. lol


YOu should tell SRN that there is a mistake. ;)

[skaterbabscpst]

I've already talked via email with Doborah about it, I think I may shoot her another since I'm sure they're getting ready to start on the '09 manual.

[azgirl71]

I've already talked via email with Doborah about it, I think I may shoot her another since I'm sure they're getting ready to start on the '09 manual.

Ok figured I would check ;)

[Elissa]

...got booted offline while writing, :( sorry, don't know if my last entry posted or not. Anyway I was just thanking Jeanum for the articles on heigher weight tethering-they were most informative and useful!! (and comforting!:thumbsup:) I am still wondering if it is better to (eventually) install heavy duty anchors such as those used for special-need children (even though we are not in that category), or to just "trust" that our anchors will still do well for us at 60-70 lbs...There is something out there called EZ-Tether, does anyone know how these work and if they are a good option?

[skaterbabscpst]

the EZ-on tether anchor assembly is certainly an option. Your dealer will not install it for you, but EZOn is pretty good about helping you from what I've heard.

[Defrost]

I am still wondering if it is better to (eventually) install heavy duty anchors such as those used for special-need children (even though we are not in that category), or to just "trust" that our anchors will still do well for us at 60-70 lbs...There is something out there called EZ-Tether, does anyone know how these work and if they are a good option?

Do you mean EZ-On (http://www.ezonpro.com/index.shtml)'s heavy-duty tether anchors, or the special-needs carseat the Roosevelt (http://eztether.com/), which looks very similar to a Regent but doesn't require an installed tether anchor (it uses the shoulder belt instead)? They have similar names but are very different products. :)

I would be comfortable using the factory-installed tether anchors for a child over the weight limits. The risk of failure is hypothetical at this point, and the tether is a supplemental restraint for the carseat - it's not the only thing holding the carseat in place. As stated in the article, even if the TA were to fail, it would likely do so after it had performed as required.

With a harness (like the ones sold by EZ-On which require the heavy-duty TA), I would not use the factory-installed tether anchors over the weight limit because it the harness is not supplemental - it is a primary source of restraint.

However, if you're going to be stuck installing your own TAs, you might as well get the heavy-duty ones.

[Elissa]

I did mean EZ heavy duty tether anchor. :) But for now I think I will just stick with anchoring my child's seat to the factory installed anchor---sounds like it will do just fine for us for awhile. (Incidentally, would you still feel comfortable tethering your child if he/she was in the upper weight limits of the car seats, say, 65-80 lbs?) My daughter is still 44lbs so we have a long way to go, just wondering if for our next car we should even consider the heavy duty, or just stick to the factory installed...:confused:

[lilmama2dsndd]

I did mean EZ heavy duty tether anchor. :) But for now I think I will just stick with anchoring my child's seat to the factory installed anchor---sounds like it will do just fine for us for awhile. (Incidentally, would you still feel comfortable tethering your child if he/she was in the upper weight limits of the car seats, say, 65-80 lbs?) My daughter is still 44lbs so we have a long way to go, just wondering if for our next car we should even consider the heavy duty, or just stick to the factory installed...:confused:

If you are using the Regent and your DD is over 40 lbs then it needs to be installed using a short route belt path and requires the use of the top tether.

[Defrost]

(Incidentally, would you still feel comfortable tethering your child if he/she was in the upper weight limits of the car seats, say, 65-80 lbs?)

Absolutely! :thumbsup:

[skaterbabscpst]

Ditto. :)