Can a latch strap be "borrowed" for non-latch seat?

thepote

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #1

Hi all,
First, you guys rock. Thank you for all your efforts here. While I don't expect that everyone who checks in here will become cps fanatics like I have become, the info here will help move the conventional wisdom more toward safety consciousness. The active members here and those (like me) that lurk around learning all we can are on the front lines of that movement and can be proud of these efforts. Way to contibute to society :thumbsup:

My question is -- can a latch strap be 'borrowed' from another seat to use on a seat that did not come latch-equipped. I have a CarGo harness booster as a spare seat. It came with a top tether but not latch. Can I borrow the latch strap from, say, a Scenera, so I can install it easier in our cars?

Thanks so much!

Amy
mom to three boys
DS1: 10 yrs, 69#, Parkway booster
DS2: 3 yrs, 31#, RF in Marathon
DS3: 11 months, 18#, RF in Marathon

1

 

Ali

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #2

I am not a tech, but my understanding is that you can NOT use anything that does not come with the seat.

 

R

rlsadc

Senior Community Member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #3

There are some seats tht can be retrofitted with LATCH. I am not sure if this is one of them, but I am sure a tech can help you with that.

BTW what is the DOM for this seat?

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #4

Graco sells some LATCH retrofit kits. But your seat is very old if it doesn't have LATCH, to the point of worry of expiration. When was it made? Not when did you buy it, but when was it made? There should be a sticker on it. If it's before April 2001 the seat needs to be destroyed ASAP. And there's a good chance of that since I think all 2002 seats had LATCH.

Wendy

 

Starlight

Senior Community Member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #5

To my understanding, no.

And I second what Wendy said about expiration.

 

thepote

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #6

Not sure of the DOM (DH's car isn't here to look at it) but I know from the stamp on the bottom it expires at the end of this year (Dec 2007). Waiting for the new Recaro this summer, then moving the MA to DH's car and tossing the CarGo. We're doing the plane / rental car thing in a couple weeks so I'm thinking the CarGo will travel well (much lighter than the MA and we're lugging two seats).

Thanks

 

Starlight

Senior Community Member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #7

In that case, while I certainly wouldn't borrow one (they're bolted on, in any case) you could call Graco and see if they have retrofit kits. They'll want your model number and all that jazz, so you should wait until your dh gets home w/ the seat.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #8

Not all LATCH straps are bolted on, I worked with a few in my tech class that slid freely, you could pull them right out of the belt path.

But no, don't borrow a strap from another seat. CAll Graco and order one.

 

supercrunch

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #9

When I worked at Babies R Us back in 2001-2002, we sold evenflo and graco latch belts seperately, with the intention that they be used with car seats by that same manufacturer that were manufactured before latch belts were included.

We have an evenflo vanguard and an evenflo chase...and I am sure we have mixed up the latch belts a time or two when they have been removed because they are identical. However, I wouldn't use a latch strap from a different manufacturer. I second the idea to call Graco and order one. They originally sold seperately for around $25, so they should be in the same price range.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Apr 27, 2007

• #10

scatterbunny said:

Not all LATCH straps are bolted on, I worked with a few in my tech class that slid freely, you could pull them right out of the belt path.

But no, don't borrow a strap from another seat. CAll Graco and order one.

Click to expand...

There's a rule that LATCH straps can only be removed using a tool...which means someone had already ripped those straps off at your class

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #11

Or could they have been retrofit LATCH straps? Do those still bolt on?

 

supercrunch

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #12

The latch straps on most of the car seats I've had (Evenflo and Graco) are simply threaded through the back belt path. They were not retrofitted, they were purchased that way in 2001-2003.

 

Qarin

New member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #13

Just a side note, but LATCH was not required until the second half of 2002 (actually, the last third)- I have two 2002 Roundabouts without LATCH (uh. Actually, I guess now I just have one- I destroyed the other last month when I realized that much ofthe EPS foam around the head area was broken and some missing).

 

Starlight

Senior Community Member

• Apr 27, 2007

• #14

I think it was Sept 2002 that they came mandatory.

 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Apr 27, 2007

• #15

starlight said:

I think it was Sept 2002 that they came mandatory.

Click to expand...

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: That is correct.