Question Frontier 85 install help

mommabritt

New member
The manual says its incompatible with forward of the bight belts. Is this as black and white as they say or is it possible with some sweat and blood?

Questioning it in the third row bench of an 06 Suburban. Only the center seat has a top tether point so that is where it would have to go. Lap belt only in that position. Unless it was able to tether to the cargo anchor behind one of the outboard seats, then I'd prefer it there.

Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!
 
ADS

aeormsby

New member
The manual says its incompatible with forward of the bight belts. Is this as black and white as they say or is it possible with some sweat and blood?

Questioning it in the third row bench of an 06 Suburban. Only the center seat has a top tether point so that is where it would have to go. Lap belt only in that position. Unless it was able to tether to the cargo anchor behind one of the outboard seats, then I'd prefer it there.

Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!

You need to tether to an approved tether, not to a cargo anchor. So if you want it tethered it sounds like you have a lap belt only? As long as you can get a tight installation (and with a lap only belt it needs to be the short belt path, not long belt path) the forward of the bight seatbelt is fine. I've installed seats in some vehicles with forward seatbelts (my sister's Izuzu) with no problems. If you can't get it tight enough with the short belt path, then a tight install outboard with the lap/shoulder & no tether is better.
 

Baylor

New member
aeormsby said:
You need to tether to an approved tether, not to a cargo anchor. So if you want it tethered it sounds like you have a lap belt only? As long as you can get a tight installation (and with a lap only belt it needs to be the short belt path, not long belt path) the forward of the bight seatbelt is fine. I've installed seats in some vehicles with forward seatbelts (my sister's Izuzu) with no problems. If you can't get it tight enough with the short belt path, then a tight install outboard with the lap/shoulder & no tether is better.

I have a cargo anchor in the back of dhs car that I was told was approved for tether. It may depend on car.
Do you have the manual?

auto correct hates me
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
Do you know if your Suburban is the regular or extended model? There appear to be some differences in terms of what is allowed.

The LATCH manual and vehicle manual both suggest that some models may allow one of the outboard positions to connect to that center tether anchor as long as no other restraint is also attached to it.

Comparing the two manuals has unfortunately gotten me more confusion than clarity, but if I know which version of vehicle you have, I can at least give you what I'm looking at so we can sort it out.
 

mommabritt

New member
aeormsby said:
You need to tether to an approved tether, not to a cargo anchor. So if you want it tethered it sounds like you have a lap belt only? As long as you can get a tight installation (and with a lap only belt it needs to be the short belt path, not long belt path) the forward of the bight seatbelt is fine. I've installed seats in some vehicles with forward seatbelts (my sister's Izuzu) with no problems. If you can't get it tight enough with the short belt path, then a tight install outboard with the lap/shoulder & no tether is better.
I was under the impression that when ff a top tether is strongly recommended? I'd prefer it jn the outboard seat since my oldest has to sit in the other outboard seat and he'd be squished with the frontier in the center.
Baylor said:
I have a cargo anchor in the back of dhs car that I was told was approved for tether. It may depend on car.
Do you have the manual?

auto correct hates me
I don't have the vehicle manual. I would wonder why it couldn't be used as a tether anchor though since its bolted down and directly behind the seat position.
chimpmandee said:
Do you know if your Suburban is the regular or extended model? There appear to be some differences in terms of what is allowed.

The LATCH manual and vehicle manual both suggest that some models may allow one of the outboard positions to connect to that center tether anchor as long as no other restraint is also attached to it.

Comparing the two manuals has unfortunately gotten me more confusion than clarity, but if I know which version of vehicle you have, I can at least give you what I'm looking at so we can sort it out.
I do not know which model it is. I don't think Id want to tether an outboard seat I the center there anchor. Wouldn't it pull the restraint toward the center after a while?

Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!
 

Baylor

New member
My FR85 is installed in my middle bench and the buckle is forward of the bight. It fits and installs awesome. in the manual they have a picture and my buckle is not that far forward.
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
Here is a link to your vehicle's owner's manual: http://www.extendedgmwarranty.com/owners-manual/chevrolet/2006-Chevrolet-Suburban.pdf

Page 1-52 is where they start talking about child restraints, through page 1-71. It covers the tether anchor positions in the third row, and designates the difference between the regular model and extended model. In order to find the correct information, you are going to need to know which version you have, because they are different. I can't make heads or tails of the explanation they give.

For Regular models, do not secure a child restraint in
the right front passenger’s position or the third row
driver’s side seating position
if a national or local law
requires that the top tether be attached, or if the
instructions that come with the child restraint say that
the top tether must be attached. There is no place
to attach the top tether in this position.

For Extended models, do not secure a child restraint in
the right front passenger’s position or the third row
outboard seating positions
if a national or local
law requires that the top tether be attached, or if the
instructions that come with the child restraint say that the
top tether must be attached. There is no place to
attach the top tether in this position.

To me it sounds like they are saying for the regular models, don't install a restraint in the front passenger seat or in the third row bench behind the driver because you can't tether in those positions.

And for the extended model, don't install in the front passenger seat or either of the outboard positions of the third row because you can't tether there.

Is that what everyone else is seeing?
 

mommabritt

New member
chimpmandee said:
Here is a link to your vehicle's owner's manual: http://www.extendedgmwarranty.com/owners-manual/chevrolet/2006-Chevrolet-Suburban.pdf

Page 1-52 is where they start talking about child restraints, through page 1-71. It covers the tether anchor positions in the third row, and designates the difference between the regular model and extended model. In order to find the correct information, you are going to need to know which version you have, because they are different. I can't make heads or tails of the explanation they give.

To me it sounds like they are saying for the regular models, don't install a restraint in the front passenger seat or in the third row bench behind the driver because you can't tether in those positions.

And for the extended model, don't install in the front passenger seat or either of the outboard positions of the third row because you can't tether there.

Is that what everyone else is seeing?

Wow, I hope not because that would mean I can't use those positions for forward facing carseats. That's kinda absurd IMO.

I read that as... IF the restraint REQUIRES the use of a top tether when installed, those positions are not allowed. But that sounds that it defaults to the seat. I know it's suggested to use a top tether and I always prefer to but if it's not required by the carseat then it seems to me that both models allow it.

Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!
 

Brianna

New member
Your Frontier 85 requires use of the top tether in harness mode between 65 and 85 pounds.
I would recommend tethering at all weights if possible. Are you trying to put more than one child in the back row? If you are- what's your set up? Ages and weights of children, seats available? Maybe somebody could come up with a different seating arrangement that might work better.
 

mommabritt

New member
Does this mean anything? Without the manual it doesn't to me but I don't know if maybe this is the tether anchor point for the third row passenger outboard seat?

Right above 2 is the anchor for the center seat. Then the little loop coming from under the seat has a 3 on it.
Note: it is not directly below the headrest where a tether would normally be. It is off centered.
da4b4f09.jpg


Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!
 
Last edited:

mommabritt

New member
Brianna said:
Your Frontier 85 requires use of the top tether in harness mode between 65 and 85 pounds.
I would recommend tethering at all weights if possible. Are you trying to put more than one child in the back row? If you are- what's your set up? Ages and weights of children, seats available? Maybe somebody could come up with a different seating arrangement that might work better.

Thank you. Maybe that will help. I do prefer to use a top tether if available. But that weight requirement is good news for me since it's likely none of my children will be harnessed during that weight period. Our harness goals are to age 6, then we evaluate the child's readiness. The child in question is my ds2 who is 44 pounds at almost 7 and is 44" tall. E is on the spectrum and is VERY impulsive. I don't like him in a booster. I don't want a rf seat in the third row. Ds1 doesn't 5step (lap belt sits too high still) in my car yet in any of the seats. Ds3 is not ready for a booster nor are we okay with it before 6.

Ds1 is 9.5 and 74 pounds, rides in a turbo nbb in the third row passenger seat.
Ds2 is almost 7 and 44 pounds, currently in a Monterey in the third row driver seat.
Ds3 is 4.5 and 34 pounds, in the Fr85 or a ff XTSL in the second row passenger seat.
Dd is 11.5 months and 20 pounds, in a RA55 or XTSL, both rf second row behind the driver.

Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!
 

NBTech

CPS Technician
I recently had trouble with a FR85 seat belt install in a Lincoln Nav...LATCH was a great install but kids were nearing weight limit. SB buckle was WAY forward of the bite and rigid. Pulling at all caused the SB to bunch up and wouldn't hold anyway. The fit was better in the 3rd row with SB but could only tether in middle and we were dealing with twins. Not the best combo of vehicle and seat.
 

mommabritt

New member
Hmm, do we have the same style third row?

I'll have to see how far fotb the buckles are. They aren't rigid so that's on my side. We don't have latch in the back so it's a seatbelt install fulltime. I may give it a shot since it goes back into the captains seat do easily. Now if I could figure out the top tether thing.

Brittney, mom to four.... 9, 6, 4, and 11 months!
 

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