RF tethering in 05 Odyssey

[lizajane30]

We just bought a new-to-us 05 Ody and discovered that the previous owners had installed D-rings under the driver and front passenger seat. They look like possibly the seats were taken out to install them; they come from underneath the inboard rails where the seats are attached. In order to figure out exactly what the tether points are, we'd probably have to remove the plastic covering (cosmetic) and I'm worried we'll break it--this looks like a pretty professional job.

My question is, can we assume that these are safe/acceptable tethering points? I would think that the only thing under there to tether to is the seat rail, bolted to the frame. We've had DS' BLVD tethered to the tray table, but this would be a nicer angle and seems more secure, plus when we have #2 they can both be tethered (assuming DS is still RF at that point).

Has anyone heard of or seen this done in an Ody?

Thanks,
Linda

[lizajane30]

Hmmm, no replies...

I took a closer look and the D-rings don't move when you move the seats forward or backward, so it looks like these are good tether points??

[hipmaman]

Hard to say since I can't imagine with descriptions :( but in any case, they would be rf tether points only. Can you take pictures?

[lovinwaves]

Can you please take pictures of the setup?

Also, this may help you :)

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=9902&highlight=odyssey+tethering

[lizajane30]

Sorry this has been over a month since I posted this, but I thought people might be interested to see what we have in our van, and I finally got the photos onto the computer. I hope they will make it more clear what I was asking about. Here they are:

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e271/eedabuggy/IMG_5404.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e271/eedabuggy/IMG_5405.jpg

As you can see, they're coming from directly under the front seat rail--they are on both the driver's and passenger's sides, but I only took photos of the driver's side.

[bubbaray]

Wow, never seen that before. I have an '05 Ody and have no idea how they would install the D rings there. Maybe a dealer did it for them?

[Defrost]

It looks like they removed the vehicle seat. I wouldn't trust it - it's not installed correctly and we have no way of knowing if the D-ring will work like that. What you're supposed to do is wrap the strap around something and then slide the D-ring through the loop, and it's pretty clear that whatever they did, it's just the loop slipped over something, probably the bolt that holds the vehicle seat down. Does that make sense? I'm just not sure that it would be as secure with it just being the loop, instead of the whole wrap. You could always try emailing those pics to Britax.

Looks pretty, though, which is what I would assume they were going for. :D

[mommyto2angelgirls]

it is possible to get that piece off but it is a chanllange. you can loop it under there but you can't be sure they did. perhaps go to your nearest hinda dealer and ask them to help you. i'm surprised a dealership sold it with those on there. i wouldn't trust someone elses d-ring. its like trusting a stranger to install your childs seat.

[lovinwaves]

If you are brave enough to pop off the plastic piece (it is one large piece that goes from leg to leg. I would pull all the mats out before attempting this.), I would be interested to see how it is attached.

[MandiRN]

I have an 04 Pilot and I was able to pop of the plastic covering without too much trouble. It does take a tug to get it started but the plastic is durable and has held up fine to the half dozen or so times I've done it. With the driver side seat, I started outboard, got my fingers behind it and pulled toward the back of the car. HTH ~M
ETA: Here is a link http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/ajturcotte/P2153231.jpg to my passenger seat with part of the plastic covering pulled off. It tolerated me pulling out that side very well and it's still doing it's job today.

[lovinwaves]

If you are worried about cosmetics, I would probably see how much that plastic piece actually costs before I tried to take it off...just sayin'... :whistle: LOL.

[mommyto2angelgirls]

mandiRN your photo helps some but her is coming out of the bottom i don't think they wrapped it in the same place. it looks like they might have gone below the bolt holding the seat adjuster track. do you remember if there is anything down there it could be on. i can't remember in mine and i just don't want to try that plastic again.

[lovinwaves]

mandiRN your photo helps some but her is coming out of the bottom i don't think they wrapped it in the same place. it looks like they might have gone below the bolt holding the seat adjuster track. do you remember if there is anything down there it could be on. i can't remember in mine and i just don't want to try that plastic again.

I believe Mandi was just helping her in regards to removing the plastic piece. The photo was showing part of the plastic off. Judging by her photos the plastic piece on the Pilot is very similar to the Odyssey.

Here is what the Odyssey looks like with the plastic piece partiallly removed.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o55/sweetpeas0206/Image009.jpg

[mommyto2angelgirls]

i figured she was just tryong to help i was just wondering if she remembered what else was there so we can help the op determine if this is a safe place to rf tether or not. it looks as though it could be around the metal bracket below the bolt then come out the bottom of the cover.....
lovin waves is yours on the main bar that goes under the seat across the middle??

[Defrost]

If you look at the OP's pictures, you can see the sewed portion of the loop just as it comes out from under the plastic piece. That D-ring is most likely not "wrapped" around anything - they just somehow stuck something through the loop. I am not sure it would be as strong that way.

[lizajane30]

If you look at the OP's pictures, you can see the sewed portion of the loop just as it comes out from under the plastic piece. That D-ring is most likely not "wrapped" around anything - they just somehow stuck something through the loop. I am not sure it would be as strong that way.

Actually that isn't the sewn portion of the loop--you can't see that part. It's just that the webbing is folded over on itself as it comes out from under the plastic (which sort of leads me to think that maybe the d-ring is looped after all; as the webbing comes through the loop it folds over. Makes sense?). And while I understand the question of whether it would be as strong if not looped the way it's usually done, my thinking is that either way you are depending on that sewn loop to hold when force is applied, right?

[mommyto2angelgirls]

ok so i went outside and looked into it. i figured it out i think and did it with mine. and of course here are the photos. its a great tether spot i think.
there is a cutout in the metal bolted to the floor. i put the tether through annd looped it. then pulled it out the bottom and put the plastic back on.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj300/fedorichfamily/P8230342.jpg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj300/fedorichfamily/P8230344.jpg

[Defrost]

Actually that isn't the sewn portion of the loop--you can't see that part. It's just that the webbing is folded over on itself as it comes out from under the plastic (which sort of leads me to think that maybe the d-ring is looped after all; as the webbing comes through the loop it folds over. Makes sense?).

*squints at pictures again*

AH, yes, now I see - I was totally "seeing" it wrong the first time. :o