I need LATCH tips

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
I have determined that I SUCK at LATCH installs...namely lower anchors. I get awesome seat belt installs in most spots but cannot seem to get an even remotely acceptable LATCH install. Any tips? What am I doing wrong?
 
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EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
Most LATCH straps are tilt lock, so you need to pull pretty parallel on the tail end to get it to tighten, and sometimes that can be at an odd angle, it can take a little practice getting used to that.

Otherwise... practice a lot? Talk to a CPST-I and see if they'll spend some time with you trying some of their teaching seats, or just go to BRU and try a whole bunch of seats in your car?
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
sometimes it depends on the angle that you're pulling the tail of the LATCH strap. You want to pull so that it's parallel to the strap going through the seat. Sometimes you have to thread it back into the belt path and pull from inside (or the other side) to get the right leverage.

eta: Emma's a minute faster than I am. :)
 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
Most LATCH straps are tilt lock, so you need to pull pretty parallel on the tail end to get it to tighten, and sometimes that can be at an odd angle, it can take a little practice getting used to that.

Otherwise... practice a lot? Talk to a CPST-I and see if they'll spend some time with you trying some of their teaching seats, or just go to BRU and try a whole bunch of seats in your car?

The angle might be it then. :) Thanks. (And, sadly, I AM a CPST. I had a woman from SafeKids that was auditing the class help me (NOT DO IT--just HELPED) with my LATCH install. The Frontier had me in tears. lol It was hot (90ish degrees by 9am), I was sick, tired, and terrified that LATCH was going to cause me to fail despite doing great with everything else.
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
CPST_Augie said:
The angle might be it then. :) Thanks. (And, sadly, I AM a CPST. I had a woman from SafeKids that was auditing the class help me (NOT DO IT--just HELPED) with my LATCH install. The Frontier had me in tears. lol It was hot (90ish degrees by 9am), I was sick, tired, and terrified that LATCH was going to cause me to fail despite doing great with everything else.

The frontier is one you have to thread back through. Britax even put out an installation tip sheet saying as much. Thread the tails into the beltpath, reach through the front of the cover, and tighten. Otherwise, the shell is in the way.

my phone thinks it's smarter than I am.
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
The angle might be it then. :) Thanks. (And, sadly, I AM a CPST. I had a woman from SafeKids that was auditing the class help me (NOT DO IT--just HELPED) with my LATCH install. The Frontier had me in tears. lol It was hot (90ish degrees by 9am), I was sick, tired, and terrified that LATCH was going to cause me to fail despite doing great with everything else.

It takes a lot of practice! Stalk your friends' seats and ask if you can practice with theirs, or hit up BRU (when it's not 98378 degrees out!) so you can practice without the pressure and get the hang of it on your own instead of trying to figure it out with a parent looking over your shoulder, that's so stressful!
 

creideamh

Well-known member
The angle is why I hate LATCH installs so much. Of course, it's GREAT to have that option (in cars like our rental car ATM in FL, where the CCO with the seatbelt moved ALL over the place), but I always try using the seatbelt first now.
 

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Another vote for watching the angle you're adjusting from. A lot of seats have a slit in the cover (for FF installs) or a gap in the plastic shell (for RF installs) that you can thread the tail through and pull through there.

The 3-in-1s, I think the complete air, and I think the My Ride all have that hole in the shell to pull through. This works well if you're standing in the car with your butt facing the front of the car and your hips wedged against the top. I'm sure there are other seats with that same set up but that's what comes to mind. At clinics I always have parents go 'Oh, so THAT'S what I was doing wrong! when I show them this. My radian I have to feed back through the belt path for a RF install.

The radian and the frontier both have slits in the fabric you can feed the tail through for FF - if you're kneeling on the seat you would feed it up towards yourself and pull up towards the centre of your body.

Hope that helps - and definitely practice!
 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician
Thanks everyone! :) DH is going to go out with me when it cools at some point and help too. (He does my niece's seat.)
 

Kayleen

New member
I thread back along the belt path and pull from the opposite side if pulling from the same side doesn't work. I was amazed and thrilled when I bought the FR85 and it had the slot in the cover to bring the belt into the middle of the seat to have a great pulling angle. Love it. Rock solid install in just minutes. kneeling in the seat is a must as well.
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
I pull the cover back and out of the way and thread the tail back through the belt path, then pull back along the belt. For me it helps if I'm on the opposite side of the seat as the tail...so I'm pulling towards me, not away.

Never any shame in asking for more help/clarification when you need it.

Susan
 

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