Latch/Tether Retrofit questions!!

[ovlmommy]

Hi, I am curious if any of you may know if a latch/tether can be retrofitted into a '95 nissan altima?? I have a MA on the way right now and I will probably just install it in the middle with a lap only belt but I have read that it's safer to have them installed with the latch or tether FFing. It'd be nice to install RFing like that as well. I'm sure I'll have a much newer car once my daughter is FFing tho.I just hate the idea of installing with the lap only belt when many say its quite a bit safer with a latch/tether :( Any thoughts, opinions?? Thanks!

[Qarin]

You cannot retrofit lower LATCH anchors, but you should know that LATCH is not safer than a seatbelt install, assuming you can get a tight installation with the seatbelt. For your Marathon, you can install it with the lap belt and then tether is rear-facing (read your manual when it arrives, and if you have questions, come back here for help finding a good rear-facing tether point using the D-ring).

I found this for Nissan Altimas:


NTB01-052
1990-2000 ALL NISSAN MODELS; INSTALLATION OF ANCHOR BRACKET FOR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITH A TOP TETHER STRAP
Child restraint systems that use a top tether strap need to be secured to an anchor bracket.
• Nissan provides an anchor bracket assembly as a genuine Nissan accessory for all
1990-2000 models that do not have a factory installed top tether strap anchor bracket.
• Certain 2000 model year Nissan vehicles have a factory installed top tether strap
anchor bracket.
• All 2001 models incorporate a factory installed top tether strap anchor bracket.


So you should be able to get a top tether anchor for forward-facing from a Nissan dealer.

[rodentranger]

LATCH is not necessarily safer, but can possibly be easier. LATCH cannot be added aftermarket, though the top tether anchors can. My DH has a 1996 ALtima and the top tethers have been added. A tech with a LATCH manual can probably give you the info you need for when you contact your dealer.
As for installing in the center, if your 1995 has the same seat as our 1996, it's not going to happen. Sorry. The seat is too contoured, the belt pieces are too close together and the belt is a beast to tighten adequately. I tried like you wouldn't believe too. I couldn't get it tight enough for an acceptable installation. Neither could DH.
The Marathon installs fabulously outboard passenger side rear facing though! Rock solid even.


Oh I was too slow.

[Jeanum]

I was going to post but Quarin beat me to it with the FF tether anchor retrofit details and all. :) I'm just going to add that keeping your little one rear facing to the maximum rear facing capacity of the Marathon is the safest way for her to travel, and a proper seatbelt installation is just fine. :thumbsup: And the Nissan tether anchor part number for your Altima is 88894-89900 for retrofitting it down the road for top tethering a forward facing install when she has maxed out the Marathon rear facing.

[ovlmommy]

LATCH is not necessarily safer, but can possibly be easier. LATCH cannot be added aftermarket, though the top tether anchors can. My DH has a 1996 ALtima and the top tethers have been added. A tech with a LATCH manual can probably give you the info you need for when you contact your dealer.
As for installing in the center, if your 1995 has the same seat as our 1996, it's not going to happen. Sorry. The seat is too contoured, the belt pieces are too close together and the belt is a beast to tighten adequately. I tried like you wouldn't believe too. I couldn't get it tight enough for an acceptable installation. Neither could DH.
The Marathon installs fabulously outboard passenger side rear facing though! Rock solid even.


Oh I was too slow.

I bought a recaro como and had similar problems installing it center RFing..I couldn't get a tight install..I ended up returning it for other reasons tho. And my backseat has all forward of the bight belts...any tips in using these?? I hear some people saying you can twist the belt stalk up to 3x..what part is the belt stalk exactly?