Question 40lb RF scenera

mamakc

Active member
I remember it was supposed to have a taller shell than the regular Scenera, but didn't at first. Has that happened yet?
 
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Mae

Well-known member
I... Didn't know that, nor did I know it was supposed to change.
AFAIK, there aren't going to be any changes. I'm pretty sure the 40 seats were just tested to a higher limit without any structural changes.
 

urchin_grey

New member
The top of the shell appears slightly different, but I don't think its any taller. I tried my nephew in one to see if it would work as a spare for him (he's 36lbs clothed) but his head is about an inch from the top on both our 2007 model and the 40RF.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Some people are seeing more height, some are not. It was the top SLOTS that were supposed to change according to Dorel's presentation at KIM-- but we didn't find that at least at first, but now some people are finding it does seem to fit their kids longer. So right now it's kinda a mystery...
 

HayleyCPST

New member
I have one sitting right in front of me.
Slot measurements are the exact same. Internal seating height=same.
Differences:
RF to 40lbs
RF height increased from 36" to 40"
Can RF until the child's head is even with the top of the shell. No 1" rule.
 

mamakc

Active member
Can RF until the child's head is even with the top of the shell. No 1" rule.


WHAT??!!! Why haven't I heard of this before? I got a 35lb RF Avenue for DS instead of the 40lb scenera because he only had 1.5 inches above his head in the Scenera. Thought he'd outgrow it too soon. But he's 32lbs and not even 2 yet.

How long do you think he will fit in the Scenera 40RF if he has 1.5 inches to grow instead of just a half inch?
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Even if the rules say you can use it till the head is even, I'm not sure I would do that for my own child....there's an unbelievable amount of dumping (down) and ramping (child sliding up in the seat) in a rearfacing frontal crash, and that head could go right over the top of the shell and easily strike something else in the vehicle, or just the neck going over the top of the seat and overextending backwards might be injurious.
 

andre149

New member
Even if the rules say you can use it till the head is even, I'm not sure I would do that for my own child....there's an unbelievable amount of dumping (down) and ramping (child sliding up in the seat) in a rearfacing frontal crash, and that head could go right over the top of the shell and easily strike something else in the vehicle, or just the neck going over the top of the seat and overextending backwards might be injurious.

I tend to have this same thought... it's just too risky for me. All other seats require an inch for a reason, and given that their seat is designed the same way it kind of concerns me that they're willing to say the child's head can be even with the edge of the shell...
 

MomToEliEm

Moderator
I have one sitting right in front of me.
Slot measurements are the exact same. Internal seating height=same.
Differences:
RF to 40lbs
RF height increased from 36" to 40"
Can RF until the child's head is even with the top of the shell. No 1" rule.

We are missing the Scenera 40R info in the measurement/data spreadsheets. Do you think you could submit your data for that seat? If so, here is the submission for you can use.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dGZNeVc3a3hEczN2cnBMVWlFYVptSUE6MQ
 

mamakc

Active member
Ah shoot I though maybe I was on to something there. Guess I'll have to save up for another CA or Triumph65 to replace the avenue when he outgrows it.

How close to the RF weight are you all comfortable getting, accounting for variables in winter clothing/boots and full sippy cups of water? DS is 31.5 to 32lbs naked. I know this could give us a month or it could give us a year. I'm a little nervous. lol
 

urchin_grey

New member
Hmm, this is the first I've heard of allowing the head to reach the top of the shell. I would have the same concerns though.

On the other hand though, when I put a RF seat in my 3rd row, the top of the shell is only an inch or two above the 2nd row bench so in a crash, it would hit the bench and not dip down very far. So... question (for anyone): Knowing that, would that change your mind for this particular situation?
 

urchin_grey

New member
Ah shoot I though maybe I was on to something there. Guess I'll have to save up for another CA or Triumph65 to replace the avenue when he outgrows it.

How close to the RF weight are you all comfortable getting, accounting for variables in winter clothing/boots and full sippy cups of water? DS is 31.5 to 32lbs naked. I know this could give us a month or it could give us a year. I'm a little nervous. lol

Well, you do need to weigh him fully clothed because anything attached to him counts. ;)

Personally, I started weighing my nephew before every trip when he hit 33lbs. :whistle: He has a My Ride in his mom's car, so she hasn't had to worry but he was riding in my True Fit in my van (his preference). So I weighed him before each trip, after he was dressed and had his shoes on. After the first time he weighed in at 35.2, I started putting him in our Radian instead, even though I noticed he weighed in at 34.x a couple times. Just wasn't worth the bother after that. So now I just plan on weighing him every now and then to make sure he doesn't suddenly hit 40lbs.

That's assuming you want to eek every single bit of time RF you can. Some people just go ahead and flip once they hit 32-34 so they're not weighing every trip. We have a scale though, so it wasn't any extra bother to me.
 

HayleyCPST

New member
We are missing the Scenera 40R info in the measurement/data spreadsheets. Do you think you could submit your data for that seat? If so, here is the submission for you can use.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dGZNeVc3a3hEczN2cnBMVWlFYVptSUE6MQ
Sure, I'll get around to it this weekend.

Even if the rules say you can use it till the head is even, I'm not sure I would do that for my own child....there's an unbelievable amount of dumping (down) and ramping (child sliding up in the seat) in a rearfacing frontal crash, and that head could go right over the top of the shell and easily strike something else in the vehicle, or just the neck going over the top of the seat and overextending backwards might be injurious.

It's probably the same reason why swedish seats can be used RF until the head exceeds the shell. For an older kid, you install it more upright (or hopefully you will). The more upright, the less ramping. If the kiddo is more upright, then the seat will not dump as much and the seat will just move horizontally (assuming it's at like 10 degrees). Even at 30 degrees the amount of ramping and dumping decreases.

I'd use it until the head is even with the shell because for an older kiddo, I would install it more upright and I know the physics behind things. BUT Dorel is very finicky about their level indicators. They want you to make sure to use it. So...going against manufactures and install it more upright...or...disregard science..?:rolleyes:
 

Genevieve

CPST Instructor
But don't the Swedish seats have a foot prop? I would have no issue using a seat with a prop up to their height limit since it would significantly reduce the downward rotation. I still want some space in any US seat I'm using, especially now that many seats have higher weight limits and therefore, theoretically creating more down rotation.
 

HayleyCPST

New member
The twe and the graco seats don't. The ones I know about are multi tech and the maxi cosi one.

I mean I guess comparing the scenera to swedish seats wasn't the best correlation, but I don't know of any other.

If I was in the situation of using the seat even with the shell or turning the kid FF, I'd probably keep the child RF but that's just me.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Hmm, this is the first I've heard of allowing the head to reach the top of the shell. I would have the same concerns though.

On the other hand though, when I put a RF seat in my 3rd row, the top of the shell is only an inch or two above the 2nd row bench so in a crash, it would hit the bench and not dip down very far. So... question (for anyone): Knowing that, would that change your mind for this particular situation?

Seats still move a fair bit in a crash, vehicle seats, I mean...these ones are a convertible and probably have rollbars and are more solid, but it's the easiest one to see how far the seat still moves in a crash... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPWg7VVaBCI&feature=channel"]YouTube - Crash Test: 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse[/ame]
 

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