tether issue in 2005 F-150

[jleecole]

I am trying to tether a BLVD in the outboard position of my husbands F-150, and I can't get the tether tight. I currently have the tether going through the fabric loop behind the outboard seat, then across to the center fabric loop, but it seems that the buckle that allows the tether to tighten is just in the way of hitting the first fabric loop, which is making it very difficult (if not impossible) to tighten the tether all the way. I have tried to get the buckle through the first fabric loop, but a) I can't get my hand back there, and b) of course the buckle won't fit all the way through the loop. HELP! Can I go under the headrest instead of around to possibly pick up more length? Is that what I am supposed to do anyways? thanks - Janice

[Defrost]

This thread might help:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=55311

I've had a Marathon in my parents' F150 (and I think it's an 05, even) and didn't have too much trouble with the tether once I figured it out.

I'm pretty sure I routed both sides of the V-tether through the headrest, but I can't say for sure if that's according to the manual - have you checked the vehicle manual yet?

[jleecole]

The manual doesn't show anything about what to do with the headrest...but it also shows to connect the tether hook to the fabric loop. As I was looking through the post you referred me to, I was wondering if I had done it wrong, because it looks like a lot of other trucks have metal hooks to connect to at the center position.

I will have to look at it again when my husband gets home from work.

[Defrost]

No, you're doing it right by hooking it to the adjacent loop - we started that post for that very reason! All the trucks seem to have a different way of doing it.

On the second page of the file you posted, it does mention the headrest. It says to always use the loop to route the tether because the headrest posts will make it seem tight, but not hold up in a crash. I think the same thing applies to the V-tether; if you're wrapping it around the headrest posts, it will also make it seem tight, but the posts will break in a crash.