Installation Questions - Truefit Lockoff

[kattale]

Hi,
I received some awesome advice a few weeks ago, and currently have 2 rainchecks for purchasing the Truefit at Zellers. These will be to accomodate daycare kids during the week, *and* my own twin 6-year-olds during the evenings and weekends. (Thanks for the awesome suggestion, Cat!)

I was browsing the site here, and found a brilliantly awesome series of photographs detailing the installation of a Truefit. I'm thrilled! But also intimidated as all heck.

I received introductory technician training about a year and a half ago, and have done a half-dozen clinics - but I'm still a base beginner, I feel. I've only tackled a lock-off once or twice, and I think the tech I was partnered with did the actual physical installation. (I'm nervous paperwork girl...) So I have some questions, before I commit to buying the seats:

1. What does the lock-off actually do? For a seatbelt install, it would double as a locking clip, but only if you could get the double seatbelt into the mechanism - if, as the picture showed, you could only get one layer of webbing into it - what would the advantage be? Would you still need a locking clip? (I'll be likely sticking to ff installation for now, at least.)

2. I'm more likely to do a UAS installation (I HOPE!). Am I supposed to double the loose end back into the lock-off? If it won't take the double thickness of webbing, then again - what is the advantage to using it? Can you choose to not use it?

3. I'm used to reclining my seat back, leaving the UAS strap length unchanged, and popping my seats in and out a couple of times a week to replace them with boosters for my own kids. Hopefully the Truefit will stop me having to that, until my 6-year-olds outgrow the harness height (fingers crossed that will be later rather than sooner). But - is this locking clip thing going to slow down my installation time by a painful amount? (I'm envisioning unclipping the latch clips from the UAS anchors as usual, and not even touching where the strap goes through the lock-off - is this right?)

Thanks! I have more questions of another topic, I'll start another thread.

Kat in Ottawa

[hipmaman]

I was browsing the site here, and found a brilliantly awesome series of photographs detailing the installation of a Truefit. I'm thrilled! But also intimidated as all heck.

You might have found my pictures on Picasa. Don't sweat it so much because those pictures were the series when the TF first hit Canada (Mar 08) and there were still lots of questions and doubts.

But since then, there have been so many TF being used and nothing major in term of installation has been reported (none that we have heard to deter the use of the TF anyway).

1. What does the lock-off actually do? For a seatbelt install, it would double as a locking clip, but only if you could get the double seatbelt into the mechanism - if, as the picture showed, you could only get one layer of webbing into it - what would the advantage be? Would you still need a locking clip? (I'll be likely sticking to ff installation for now, at least.)

In the case of the TF, lock-offs are use for either seatbelt or UAS installation.

[QUOTE=kattale;799264]2. I'm more likely to do a UAS installation (I HOPE!). Am I supposed to double the loose end back into the lock-off? If it won't take the double thickness of webbing, then again - what is the advantage to using it? Can you choose to not use it?

You do need to use the lock-off. The webbing of the UAS is not as thick as my Odyssey seatbelt. Not an issue.

[QUOTE=kattale;799264]3. I'm used to reclining my seat back, leaving the UAS strap length unchanged, and popping my seats in and out a couple of times a week to replace them with boosters for my own kids. Hopefully the Truefit will stop me having to that, until my 6-year-olds outgrow the harness height (fingers crossed that will be later rather than sooner). But - is this locking clip thing going to slow down my installation time by a painful amount? (I'm envisioning unclipping the latch clips from the UAS anchors as usual, and not even touching where the strap goes through the lock-off - is this right?)

The lock-offs are just a turn and a lift-up to release. Do that 2 times for 2 lock-offs. With practice, it will be fast and easy. I personally don't touch my vehicle seats if I can help it (good compatible position, tether strap, no way of adjusting a sedan 2nd bench, bench shared with other carseats, etc.). I loosen the UAS strap when I need to release it and re-tighten when install - the same way I do the tether strap. It's my way of ensuring proper fit/installation everytime I have to re-install.

But do make sure you have it install correctly and tightly each time you need to re-install, kwim?

Gotta run for now.

[K's Mama]

We have no issue closing the lock-offs with the doubled webbing of the seat belt. The TF lock-offs work way better than those on our Marathon - which constantly pop open.

[mommycat]

I hope the seats do fit your needs well. I think you will do fine.

1. as far as I understand, you need to use the lockoffs with the TF. You are not allowed to use a locking clip or lock the shoulder belt. What we seem to have determined with more practice is that you don't need to tighten the seat belt to quite such a degree as most of us are used to, as the lockoffs will tighten the install a tad, and having the belts tight but not uber-tight allows them to fit better into the lockoffs. I put my TF into my truck RF about a week ago and now that I have more practice and perspective it took me about 5 minutes to install. And a FF install is EASY.

2. you are still supposed to use the lockoffs with the UAS. I personally think that it may add stability to the install by anchoring the seat to the straps as opposed to just sliding freely under them. So it may actually benefit performance in some way. Again, you should have even less of an issue closing the lockoffs since the belts are smaller and the top layer won't be under any tension or trying to run away.

3. I think you should be able to leave the lockoffs closed and clip/unclip the UAS as usual, but I don't think it will be a major hassle if you do need to redo it every time. And like you say, hopefully you won't have to!