Need some input, please!

tech_raechel

Senior Community Member
I think my two older boys are ready for seat belts (actually switched the oldest a week ago in our main car). But, I'd like some more eyes to take a look and make sure the seat belt is fitting them okay.

Please ignore the twist in the seat belt - the buckle had turned, but is fixed now. The 8yr old will remain in a booster in the Avalon.

Thank you!

P1090199.jpg

8yr old in Subaru

P1090201.jpg

8yr old in Subaru

P1090202.jpg

10yr old in Avalon

P1090204.jpg

10yr old in Subaru

P1090207.jpg

10yr old in Subaru
 
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ADS

Maedze

New member
Honestly, I'm not thrilled with the lapbelt fit on either of the boys in the Subie. ETA: The shoulder belt isn't great either.

The lap belt appears to be too high. Over or maybe just *barely* at the hips, so if they lean or slouch the teeniest bit it's too high.

And they definitely need some height and bulk in the chest area before the shoulder belt fit improves.

Since you don't have head rests, I'd look at tall adjusting HBB for both boys.
 

tech_raechel

Senior Community Member
Thanks for the input.

The shoulder belt design just sucks. It's mounted forward of the seat back and low. Does it look like a poor fit from the front or just from the side view? I have yet to find a booster that would work for it - when I've tried them the seat belt actually doubles back on itself before going through the shoulder belt guide. Boosters don't have enough bulk at the guide area. I would like to find a booster that would work.

The lap belt - if I feel through the seat belt, I can feel their hip bones. How else does one determine how it should fit? Honestly - I only work with families with car seats, so I'm at a loss.
 

Maedze

New member
If you feel the tops of their hip bones under the seatbelt, it's definitely too high and they need a booster. The tops of the hip bones should be above, preferably well above the top of the lap belt. The belt itself should rest no higher than the pubic symphisis in the middle of the lap. Otherwise that webbing will end up crushing their organs in an impact.

Could you post a picture of the seatbelt with them in a high back booster? I understand what you're saying about the shoulder belt, but I have a feeling have the belt correctly positioned will outweigh a slight re-routing.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The 8 year old also can't bend his legs on the seat, so he'll end up slouching and pushing the lap belt that is just barely maybe acceptable up too high. I'd definitely leave him in a booster another couple of years. The 10 year old's fit didn't look great either.

Wendy
 

tech_raechel

Senior Community Member
Thanks!

I had a chance to re-check them last night. I can feel the top of their hip bones above the seat belt - what I was feeling before was just the front of the bones.

Checked their knees/feet and that looks fine, too. Even the 8yr old is able to bend his knees at the edge of the seat and touch the floor flat-footed, while sitting back in the seat.

Here are some booster pictures, though.

P1090217.jpg


P1090218.jpg


P1090219.jpg


P1090220.jpg


P1090221.jpg


P1090222.jpg


P1090223.jpg

the base doesn't sit quite flush to the seat on this side, due to the contoured plastic on the side of the vehicle seat
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Do you have (or would you be willing to get) a HBB with a thicker back? I think that would solve a lot of your problems.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I do not like the fit without boosters. I think perhaps you need bigger boosters (or backlesses if there is head support).
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I think the fit with the high back using the belt guide is great. As long as the belt flows it looks to me like your best option without buying something else.

Wendy
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I think the fit with the high back using the belt guide is great. As long as the belt flows it looks to me like your best option without buying something else.

Wendy

It's okay even pulling the belt out of position (back wards before going through the belt guide) like that?

There's no head support, at least in the Subaru, chickabuddy.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Yeah, I didn't see any, but the headrests in many Subies are removable -- I thought maybe she had them and could put them back.
 

tech_raechel

Senior Community Member
Thanks for all the input on this!
I don't have any other hbb, but I'd be willing to get a thicker booster. I have gone through pics of a bunch and they all look pretty much the same at the belt guide. I sort of tried a nautilus last summer (although at that point was looking more at the harnessed aspect), and that might work, but $140 each, for 2 boosters, is a bit much. Any other ideas?

I'm not comfortable with the routing of the shoulder belt in these boosters. It adds quite a bit of extra webbing to the mix by how it goes back to the booster before going forward through the guide (pic #6). In a crash that guide will snap and allow all that extra webbing loose. Seems like it was catching and not allowing the belt to smoothly retract, but I'd have to double check again.

Yep - this Subie is too old to have headrests, which is turning out to be more of a pain than I'd thought.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
The belt guide might snap (more likely, it will deform, not break) and release the slack, but there will be a time delay as his torso moves forward before the guide breaks, so the slack will be introduced fairly late in the crash sequence. The belt will retract and take up some of the slack anyway, so it won't be as bad as you are thinking. It would be BEST to get a booster that works better with the belt geometry in your car, but in the meantime, the benefits of having the belt better positioning outweigh the possibility of the guide breaking and introducing slack late in the crash.
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
The Recaro Vivo might work - the placement of the belt guide is more forward/to the side of the seat.

012.jpg

- seat on the left.


Babycatalog has them for $89 right now.


For comparison - my oldest in both the Vivo and Big Kid.

Vivo005.jpg

bk2.jpg
 
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Dillipop

Well-known member
I second the vivo. I have the problem that the belts in my buick come out at the seat and I find the belt slipping out the back of the guide, since the guide is so far forward.

Or the Monterey. They belt guide on that is awesome. Forward a bit as well, but it keep the belt nicely in the guide in all the cars I've tried it it. Plus it goes really high and it should give you a bunch of time before needing to worry about the lack of headrest in your car.
 

tech_raechel

Senior Community Member
Excellent - exactly what I needed! I hadn't even thought about looking for guides positioned more to the side.

Does anyone know the exterior measurements of the Vivo? I think I only have 15" to work with at the seat; not sure about the torso. The boosters would both be outboard with a Radian80 between them.
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
Narrower than the Big Kid - if you look at both pictures, you can see where they hit the vehicle seat. Both were centered on the seat.


My tape measure ran away or I'd get measurements for you.
 

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