Who should get the 1 top tether spot?

knkdt

Member
Ella, 29 months, is very close to the rf height limit on her new generation Britax seats. I thought she was getting close, but I realized tonight she is nearly even with the shell :(. She needs to turn ff, and I am trying to decide who should get the one usable top tether anchor. We have a 2006 chevy trailblazer and 3 kids. Kaylynn and Deacon ride in the third row, Deacon is in a fr85 installed lbp and Kaylynn in an amp. Ella rides in the 60 side of the 2nd row, where LATCH is available, in an advocate. Deacon is 5yrs and 40lbs (he is not quite ready for a booster), Ella is 2.5 and 29lbs. Who would receive the most benefit from the top tether? I know ideally they would both get to use one, but I have to have the 40 side (the only other LATCH position) open for access to the third row. I have also thought about getting a new seat to rf her longer, but money is super tight right now (but it will be an option is a couple months).
 
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bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
ok, i got off my lazy butt and looked it up in my LATCH manual.
You have a top tether in all 3 center seating positions. (full latch in the outboard seats) So i would put the 2 Ffing kids next to each other on the 60 portion if at all possible, BOTH top tethered. Booster kid in back?

In a vehicle with 5 possible seating positions, 3 of which have a top tether, and only 3 children, only 2 of whom need a top tether, I'd move heaven and earth to be sure the kids who needed it got the top tethers. What about a 3 across in the center row, so you don't need the 40 side down? What about putting the oldest kid in the 3rd row in her booster, with the others in the center row without the seat folded down, and having K climb in through the back, or just hop over the center seat?
I really don't see any need to make either child go without given that you have 3 available, and 2 kids who need them.
You have some very expensive seats also, so I would also consider selling one of them to fund a seat that would RF the 2 yo longer. Truefits are $105 on woot today, CA's run $150 for base models, surely you could get that(and more) out of your advocate.
 

momtoo3

Well-known member
The family I watch has 4 boys and a Trailblazer. They have 3 boys in the 2nd row and leave half of the 3rd row down and the one that rides in the 3rd row climbs in through the back. Is that an option for your family?
 

knkdt

Member
I guess I never thought to sell a seat :eek:, I will list the ma on craiglsist tonight and see what happens. Thanks ladies :D. I have only gotten a three across to work in the middle with 2 radians, but I gave those to a friend who needed them more than I. Plus the big kids have to exit the passenger side door for the school drop-off/pick-up, so loading through the back just wouldn't work for us.
eta: I am pretty sure I am measuring right. I will try to find a pic, not sure I have a recent one (and she just finished a huge growth spurt).
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
If for whatever reason you can't work it out, I would vote a LBP Frontier untethered -- since LBP will reduce head excursion. But, as the others have said, I would do everything I could to keep all kids tethered, and/or the baby RF!
 

knkdt

Member
This last growth spurt was huge, she went from a 18-24 month in shirts to a 4t in 2 months! She has always had super long legs, and is now evening out. We got their seats checked for fun about a month ago, and it was the techs that suggested the seat was close to outgrown. I will get a pic tomorrow, I don't have a recent one.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
If you have to leave one ff seat untethered, the new Britax convertibles do fantastically without a tether. I saw crash test footage marked with lines for the limits and the head excursion without a tether was behind the limit for a tethered seat! That safe cell technology is impressive. Of course they do even better tethered, but, very well even untethered. :)
 

knkdt

Member
I reinstalled her seat more upright this morning, and found she gained some time. I had it closer to 45 degrees because it seemed to give her more leg room. I took these pictures when we got home from dropping the kiddos off at school, so she is "settled" into the seat. Am I wrong thinking that this seat is very close to being outgrown? It is just impossible to tell with the headwings.
DSCN2122.jpg
 

Ladyl

New member
Can you move the headrest down and put her in it without buckling her?

From this picture it looks already out grown, but it is hard to tell fro the angle and with the head wings.

ETA: I agree with selling a seat to fund another one.
 

knkdt

Member
I had such a hard time getting a picture that showed the shell and her head because she kept peeking around the wings to see me :rolleyes:. I have a seat listed on craigslist, so when that sells I will get her a new one. Funny how when I truly need a seat there isn't money for one.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
I had such a hard time getting a picture that showed the shell and her head because she kept peeking around the wings to see me :rolleyes:. I have a seat listed on craigslist, so when that sells I will get her a new one. Funny how when I truly need a seat there isn't money for one.

That ALWAYS happens ;)
 

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