Can you install additional tethers?

[Kabes]

This question came up in another post and I want to clarify before we purchase another vehicle.

If a vehicle comes with factor installed TAs can you pay to have more installed?
Or have the already put in the maximum number allowed in the vehicle?

[BookMama]

Generally, if a vehicle already has tether anchors installed, you cannot get additional tether anchors installed. I think there are a few exceptions, though I can't think of them off the top of my head.

If you have specific vehicles in mind, post back with the model and model year, and I'm sure someone can tell you for sure. :)

[Kabes]

04 Ford Freestar?

02 Chrysler Town and Country?

Thank you!

[TerisBoys]

If you go back a year on the Chrysler - 2001 Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country's has LATCH available in all 5 rear positions. Center rear could borrow the outboard LATCH bars, and each postion has it's own tether anchor.

[Kabes]

That's good news for me. The Freestar was for Arly (the question came up in her thread); I hope she gets good news too!

[TerisBoys]

Arly could look into the EZ-On higher weight anchors. I know Strollerfreak has had them installed.

[arly1983]

Ok, this is alot harder than I thought it would be:

Called Ez On Pro: She could not understand why I wanted to mount a tether anchor in a car with 3 factory tether anchors. Finally, I invented a hypothetical 4th child. Told me to call Ford and to take it to a mechanic to make sure it was drilled right and we didn't hit anything important.

Called Ford: No structurely sound place to install custom tether anchors in cargo area behind third row. (Also could not understand why I would want one more tether anchor)

Called Ez On Pro back: We can not recommend you go against manufacturer's recommendations.

LOL, now what?

I am thinking it wil just be easier to put one FFing child in the 3rd row at all times.

[Kabes]

Well, shoot! I was hoping you could get it done and get more flexibility for yourself. Why is it so hard to imagine that someone would need to install 4 seats? (coming from the one who has 5).

[arly1983]

Well, shoot! I was hoping you could get it done and get more flexibility for yourself. Why is it so hard to imagine that someone would need to install 4 seats? (coming from the one who has 5).

I know, the lady at EzOnPro was worse than the guy at Ford. SHe just could NOT get it and kept going on and on about how to find the anchors I already had.

Its amazing that now that I have kids, so much more thought goes into my car shopping. I wish I would have thought about it when we bought this van. At the time, we were done having children and 3 anchors is more than enought for two. :whistle:

[Kat_Momof3]

the way I've understood it is that, unless you are in Canada (still not sure how those vehicles that sell up there are so magically different that they can do it safely and we down here in the USA can't, but there you are), all vehicles require a total of 2 sets of latch and 3 top tethers (including the 2 that usually go with the latch anchors).

so sure, there could be more because there are seats... but not all manufacturers put them on, for different reasons.

Now, in my 05 Caravan, I could guess really quick why I've only got one anchor in my third row... the stupid STUPID plastic part of my back bench for "hanging" (they don't hang, they sit on the floor of the van, you can loop the handles on the hooks, but they aren't lifted off the floor by any means) grocery bags along with the handles for taking the third bench out or just moving it around (to the 2nd row) mean that it would have to be closer to their heads than in a sedan!

Now, I'm sure you can all guess MY remedy... go back in time and get rid of useless plastic that doesn't do ANYTHING except collect dust in the microscopic (can't get fingers between there) places between the hooks and my vehicle seat and install the anchors above where the handles are.

Doesn't really take too much thinking to come up with it, does it?

OR... install the other two in the FLOOR!!

But, alas... can't do that, because the access to my spare tire is there.

Which is why I would love to know what makes them able to add other tether anchors in CANADA (besides the law requiring the anchors in everything but front seat only trucks, convertibles, and two-seaters.

ugh.... just infuriates me.

Okay, it more than infuriated me when I had two REGENTS and a Marathon and it would have been so much easier to put two Regents in the back and the marathon in the front.

Or to have another top tether (JUST ONE) for when the MA eventually went ff and I put it next to the Regent so that I could have the two kids that wanted to sit together do so and still buckle both of them (and let Jeffrey have his third row spot he wanted)

Can you tell I'm still bitter and holding a grudge??