Remove harness covers at 40 lbs???

Mom2FiveGirls

Active member
(On the MyRide). Why is that?!? I've never seen any car seat say that before. Does the nautilus (I didn't see it in the manual, but maybe I missed it)? I just can't see why in the world the harness covers suddenly become a problem at 40 lbs? Its DD#5's primary seat and she is only 28 lbs and DD#4 occasionally rides in it (if DD#5 isn't with me, DD#4 always jumps at the chance to ride in DD#5's seat RFing...they are on the same slot, so I let her) and she's 35 pounds, so its really not an issue yet, but I'm just curious. The manual also says they need to be turned FFing when their knees stay bent and I know that's not the case...
 
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KirasMommy

Senior Community Member
I asked a friend of mine who works for Graco and she said the head support and harness covers negatively affect head excursions for the higher weight crash test dummies. She didn't go into any more detail than that.

The Nautilus does not have a weight restriction for the harness covers.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I asked a friend of mine who works for Graco and she said the head support and harness covers negatively affect head excursions for the higher weight crash test dummies. She didn't go into any more detail than that.

The Nautilus does not have a weight restriction for the harness covers.

Wow. I never would have though of harness covers being linked to head excursion. But I guess it's because of the compression (they are kinda thick IMO).
 

Mommy2Marcus

New member
I asked a friend of mine who works for Graco and she said the head support and harness covers negatively affect head excursions for the higher weight crash test dummies. She didn't go into any more detail than that.

The Nautilus does not have a weight restriction for the harness covers.

WOW! I never would have thought that. However I have taken mine off anyhow b/c they seem to get in the way of the harness getting tight enough. They in general just bug me....So they're in my console.
 

Maedze

New member
I asked a friend of mine who works for Graco and she said the head support and harness covers negatively affect head excursions for the higher weight crash test dummies. She didn't go into any more detail than that.

The Nautilus does not have a weight restriction for the harness covers.

I would love to see the crash data. It seems so very unlikely. *scratches head puzzledly*
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
I asked a friend of mine who works for Graco and she said the head support and harness covers negatively affect head excursions for the higher weight crash test dummies. She didn't go into any more detail than that.
This coincides with the warning label on the harness covers and the warning in the manual on the Canadian seats. The seat is at my parents so I can't recall the exact wording on the harness cover label, but I have the manual here and it says:
To prevent serious head injury in a sudden stop or crash:
Then lists a few things which include removing the harness covers and head support over 40#.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Just like the Sit N Stroll, except in their recall the harness covers had to be removed for all FF kids, it increased head excursion so much....
 

joyride

Member
I would love to see the crash data. It seems so very unlikely. *scratches head puzzledly*
Why? That the Britax Hugs decrease Head Excursion is undisputed.
It seems very obvious to me that a slippery, squashy thing at the harness could increase Head Excursion.

Joy
 

Pixels

New member
It doesn't make intuitive sense to me, either. You are adding material between the child and the harness. No matter how much it compresses, it doesn't compress to zero, and so if anything it should help hold the child back. Unless it affected harness tightness? That would make sense, that the harness wasn't tightened quite as much with the harness pads, leaving more room for head excursion.

I thought the HUGS were to spread forces out over the chest and reduce chest deflection. I've heard head excursion, too, so I guess I don't know.
 

Maedze

New member
Since I can tighten the harness to the exact same tightness with or without the shoulder pads, the whole 'prevents proper tightening' doesn't fly.

I'm seriously wondering if it's another nod to the fact that most people are incapable of following a manual, and that NO ONE tightens the harness properly, and due to the mass of the child it becomes more problematic after 40 pounds.

I really, really, really wish child restraint manufacturers were required to back up their directions with crash test results, particularly when they appear to fly in the face of common sense.
 

Mommy2Marcus

New member
It doesn't make intuitive sense to me, either. You are adding material between the child and the harness. No matter how much it compresses, it doesn't compress to zero, and so if anything it should help hold the child back. Unless it affected harness tightness? That would make sense, that the harness wasn't tightened quite as much with the harness pads, leaving more room for head excursion.

I have found that it is harder for me to tighten the harness RF properly when the strap covers are on the seat. They got tighter when I removed the them. This is also coming from a parent who is VERY concious of the safety of tightening the straps properly. I also think mine might be from the angle I have to tighen it though as I only have a 2 door. Anyhow, they made me start to feel uncomfortable, so I jut removed them.
 

Pixels

New member
Yes, you CAN tighten the harness to the same tightness. When they do the standardized testing, the way they judge harness tightness is tension. If the harness covers are stiff, and try to stay straight over the shoulders instead of curving nicely around, that could cause more tension on the webbing while still leaving slack in the harness once they curve around the shoulder in a crash. Alternatively, if the covers are very thick, that will increase the tension on the webbing while leaving slack in the harness once they compress in a crash.

I haven't really paid attention to the harness pads on the MR, so I'm not 100% sure if either of those scenarios applies, but it's a thought.
 

Maedze

New member
The covers are not particularly thick, no more so than the Britax/Sunshine Kids/True Fit covers anyway.
 

joyride

Member
Just look at the crash test videos.
The shoulders of the child do not stay at the same position, they move forward along the harness path. The more you retard the movement, the less the upper body and so the head moves forward. A slippery harness cover enhances the movement.

Many EU seats have sturdy harness covers more like the hugs, to reduce Head Excursion.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
The MR harness covers are not thick, I'd say less thick than the TF but I'm at work so can't confirm. They are slippery though; they are squishy and not stiff at all so they slide all over the place compared to the TF. I actually thought they were quite lame compared to the TF and MA.
 

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