Cars with locking latchplates AND switchable retractors

[An Aurora]

Has anyone come across a car with both? My 2001 Venture has both locking latchplates (not lightweight) and switchable retractors in the third row. I haven't installed a car seat back there yet, but I'm moving my DD to the third row in her RF Radian. I don't want 3 RF seats in my middle row, and the Radian does not install FF in the center seat of the middle row. So, I'm moving DD1 to the third row, and taking out one of the middle row buckets.

Now, my manual does not say anything about the belts in the third row. Since the belts have both, would you lock the retractors in addition to the locking latchplate?

[azgirl71]

I have never seen them with both. I would just lock the retractor if you have both.

[An Aurora]

Ok. We didn't go over cars with both in my class, and I had never heard of it until I got this van.

[CDNTech]

Are you sure it's not a lightweight? I'm having a hard time picturing a locking latchplate on a lap/shoulder belt? :confused:

Any chance we can see a picture?

ETA: I have a lightweight locking latchplate in the 3rd row middle position of my '08 Grand Caravan. It is also a switchable retractor. If I get a decent install with the lightweight, then I leave it. If it is slipping, then I engage the locking retractor.

[An Aurora]

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh53/carseatphotos/seatbelt.jpg

[azgirl71]

I will say that is a light weight latch plate. Usually heavy duty are on a lap only belt :twocents:

I guess it could be a HD latchplate. I have never seen anything like that before either :confused:.

[CDNTech]

Thanks! How weird... I've never seen that before. What does the vehicle manual say about installing seats in that position?

It's actually pretty easy to distinguish between lightweight and heavy duty. A lightweight will slide up/down the belt freely and only holds it's position when buckled. Can you slide yours freely up/down the seatbelt?

[An Aurora]

Thanks! How weird... I've never seen that before. What does the vehicle manual say about installing seats in that position?

It doesn't say anything at all, which is why I asked on here ;)

[An Aurora]

I will say that is a light weight latch plate. Usually heavy duty are on a lap only belt :twocents:

I guess it could be a HD latchplate. I have never seen anything like that before either :confused:.

This is from CPSafety (http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/lockincss.aspx):

Locking: A latch plate that holds the lap belt snug after it has been adjusted; contains a metal bar on the underside of the hardware that “locks” the belt in position. Found on lap and lap/shoulder belts.

I thought it must be a lightweight locking latchplate, but it looks competely different from the LLL's in my Jeep. It looks just like the locking latchplate on DH's lap-only belt in his Jeep. The center seat in my middle row in my van has an ALR lapbelt. So in one car I have 4 different kinds of latchplates/retractors!

[azgirl71]

You could ask Jen_nah she is a CPSI. I am thinking it is a HD latchplate now. Just never have seen it like that.

[An Aurora]

You could ask Jen_nah she is a CPSI. I am thinking it is a HD latchplate now. Just never have seen it like that.

I know! It's really bizarre. I just don't know why they would put a locking latchplate (lightweight or otherwise) on it at all, especially since the 2nd row l/s belts have free sliding latchplates and a switchable retractor :confused:

[An Aurora]

It's actually pretty easy to distinguish between lightweight and heavy duty. A lightweight will slide up/down the belt freely and only holds it's position when buckled. Can you slide yours freely up/down the seatbelt?

It slides just like the locking latchplate on the lap-only belt in DH's Jeep. That is, you have to tip it to loosen. Definitely not free sliding until the belts are parallel, like the lighweight locking latchplates on the l/s belts in my Jeep.

ETA: gosh sorry for the multiple posts. I should have edited and used the multi quote function :o

[CDNTech]

:D No problem... I just figured out how to multi-quote from Patriot... only took me a year to finally learn. :D

Yep, sounds like a hd locking latchplate... my guess is that they were getting rid of spare parts for the vehicle. ;)

[azgirl71]

Very strange.

[crunchierthanthou]

I think the new curriculum just calls them all locking latchplates, with no differentiation for lightweight.

I'd probably lock the shoulder belt, unless it causes it to tip. It's kind of cool that you can choose between the two installation methods. :)

[An Aurora]

Ok, I think I will just lock the retractor too. Thanks everyone!

[azgirl71]

I think the new curriculum just calls them all locking latchplates, with no differentiation for lightweight.

I'd probably lock the shoulder belt, unless it causes it to tip. It's kind of cool that you can choose between the two installation methods. :)

YEs the new cirriculum only refers to them as latchplates.

[snowbird25ca]

My dad's 2008 GMC 1 ton pick-up truck has a locking latch plate switchable retractor seatbelt in the center of the back seat as well. I was somewhat surprised to see a locking latchplate, so I had to see if it also locked at the retractor. ;)

I haven't read his manual, so I'm not sure what it says about installation in that position. If the manual doesn't say differently and the latch plate was holding without any difficulty, then I wouldn't switch it. My hypothesis is they put the switchable on there because so many parents don't know about locking latch plates and they don't want a locking clip being used. Or maybe they just use the same retractor mechanism for all the passenger seats? :shrug-shoulders:

[An Aurora]

Maybe Trudy, although I wish they would pic one latchplate/retractor combo and stick with it!

Thanks for the input :)