Black Plastic "guard" on back of Marathon??

TnT's Mom · Feb 19, 2007

I am wondering if it is okay to remove this black piece of plastic....it is on the back of the seat kind of over where the straps go and when you tighten the straps the metal piece that the straps are hooked to has to slide along the seat back but behind this plastic piece ( I know I am doing a horrible job describing this...sorry) I have been having some trouble with my son's Marathon getting the straps tight enough and I think the metal piece keeps getting hung up on this black plastic piece...I can see scrapes on it so I tried removing it today and with a little persistence was able too. After reinstalling the seat and trying my son out in it the straps seem to be tightening much better. Soooo...is it ok to keep this piece off?

Thanks for any help!

Victorious4 · Feb 19, 2007

If the carseat was made with it attached then leave it. At the very least read the manual to see if it is detachable and/or call Customer Service....

How is the harness difficult to adjust? You've tried the tug-tug-tug ratchet motion? Is it FF or RF?

TnT's Mom · Feb 19, 2007

He is forward facing...he weighs 35 pounds. The straps just don't seem to get tight enough when I pull the strap...I have to tug and release the latch and tug again and they still are not tight enough. I have found that pulling the strap up at an angle rather then straight towards the front seat helps but still they don't seem snug enough. I had thought I read here once that this piece of plastic could come off but maybe I am mistaken??? I guess I will call Britax in the morning. (The piece basically clips /snaps into the back of the seat in 4 places, it is rectangular maybe 6"x4" and the straps go down behind it.)

Victorious4 · Feb 19, 2007

I would not remove it without the OK from Britax.... Are the straps loose on the collar bone or only at the tummy? Britax's straps are often sort of loose at the tummy but tight at the collar bone & that's fine (perhaps why they HUGS are required FF? Anyone else know?)

TnT's Mom · Feb 19, 2007

I wondered about that...they are definitely looser at the tummy but still seem like they should be snugger in the chest to collarbone area if that makes sense. I feel like I can slide my hand right behind them. We just don't seem to have this much difficulty with our Boulevard.

wondering1 · Feb 19, 2007

Have you cleaned it lately per the instructions in the manual?

chloespurple · Feb 19, 2007

Hey TnT's Mom,
I have been having the same problem with my BV. I can not get it tight enough. I am able to tighten it some now, which is an improvement, but it just isn't good enough. Before we would have to take our daughter in and out of the seat to tighten, until we got it right.
I posted about it last week http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=11634.
I called Britax and the rep I talked to told me to remove the belt guard (that it would not impact the integrity of the seat), but I could not get it off. And the more I thought about it, I would want a second opinion from a different rep. (the woman I talked to was not the most helpful, I have not called back b/c the wait time to talk to anyone is ridiculous).
Let me know what you find out.
Good Luck

Michelle

Dillipop · Feb 19, 2007

I am pretty sure that I've read on here that the black piece can be removed. It is just there to make a sleeve for the harness to move through without hitting the seat. Call Britax to make sure, though.

The easiest way to tighten the marathon, IMO, is to push/pull the adjuster strap towards the floor. Nice and tight every time for us. Pulling out or up just doesn't do it for me.

mommy2jana · Feb 20, 2007

I don't think the belt guard is going to affect the performance of the seat. I'd still call Britax, though, just to make sure. I forgot why I took mine off when I first got my MA, but I couldn't get it to go back on. I think its there mainly so that you can install with the seat belt without the seatbelt getting tangled with the harness or having the seat belt go between the harness and the seat.

joolsplus3 · Feb 20, 2007

TnT's Mom said:
I am wondering if it is okay to remove this black piece of plastic....it is on the back of the seat kind of over where the straps go and when you tighten the straps the metal piece that the straps are hooked to has to slide along the seat back but behind this plastic piece ( I know I am doing a horrible job describing this...sorry) I have been having some trouble with my son's Marathon getting the straps tight enough and I think the metal piece keeps getting hung up on this black plastic piece...I can see scrapes on it so I tried removing it today and with a little persistence was able too. After reinstalling the seat and trying my son out in it the straps seem to be tightening much better. Soooo...is it ok to keep this piece off?

Thanks for any help!

Yes, you can take it off. If you install the seat with a seatbelt, be sure it doesn't snag or tangle in the harness, though (buckle and tighten the harness before installation so it's out of your way, or you'll end up with an even worse tightening issue!)

Black Plastic "guard" on back of Marathon??

TnT's Mom

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Victorious4

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TnT's Mom

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Victorious4

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TnT's Mom

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wondering1

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