My extra buckle

Lenae

Active member
Okay, so I have an extra buckle in the Jeep. It's not recessed in the seat like the other three buckles, it's on a longer twistable stalk. We've started booster training Colton for a variety of reasons, and did not make the decision lightly, so please no flak. It's not full time, only short trips in our small town for now. ANYWAY, to the point. Can I use this extra buckle for his seatbelt because it has the longer stalk and I think it would be easier for him to learn to buckle if he could reach it better. I don't think it is technically designated for the seatbelt, but it doesn't seem technically designated to any of the belts, and they all click into it securely. Thoughts?

Oh, and just for fun, the first time Colton fell asleep in a booster. He did really well. He didn't get to sleeping really deeply though because he was only in the car for about 15 minutes. Oh, and you can see how far down the buckle is in the picture, he can't reach it and I have to buckle (and unbuckle) it for him.
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'd be far more concerned with the fact that you have an extra buckle. Before I used it I'd take it to a mechanic who could tell you what it's for and if it's safe. I wouldn't just randomly trust it first.

Wendy
 

Lenae

Active member
Here are the pictures of the extra buckle. It is attatched on the passenger side where the lap only belt is attatched on the drivers side. It is an identical buckle to the other three. I just assumed if it was there it had been put there legitimately. I guess I'll be making a call to the Jeep dealer two towns over.

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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
That is one of the most confusing things I've seen in a backseat in a long time. And wow did I have a doozy of a backseat last week. Yours still takes the cake.

Wendy
 

hrice

New member
I'd be far more concerned with the fact that you have an extra buckle. Before I used it I'd take it to a mechanic who could tell you what it's for and if it's safe. I wouldn't just randomly trust it first.

Wendy

My thoughts exactly. I wonder if it is aftermarket and how it is secured?

eta: I missed your pic update. Wow, that is weird!
 

Lenae

Active member
My thoughts exactly. I wonder if it is aftermarket and how it is secured?

eta: I missed your pic update. Wow, that is weird!

I suppose it could be aftermarket, but if it is, it's the best dang aftermarket job I've ever seen. It is secured exactly the same way the lap only belt is. In the same spot, sewn the same way onto the metal piece. The Jeep is in town right now with DH at work, but I'll take a picture later tonight of the drivers side where the lap only belt is connected so you can see. They are identical.
 

kater-tot82

New member
That is very weird!! It *looks* legitimate but why would it be there?

We had the same difficulty buckling boosters in our Jeep for the same reason...the seatbelts are so far down and back. That's one of the reasons my DD1 started riding in a backless there, because the literider was easier to buckle.
 

Lenae

Active member
That is very weird!! It *looks* legitimate but why would it be there?

We had the same difficulty buckling boosters in our Jeep for the same reason...the seatbelts are so far down and back. That's one of the reasons my DD1 started riding in a backless there, because the literider was easier to buckle.

Yeah, we're finding the buckles not great for boosters, but *perfect* for Chy's RXT. The RXT install in the Jeep is as easy as the MA with LATCH (which the Jeep doesn't have, lol).
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
well, dh's cobalt has buckles that end up about that short to a booster (simply because of the design of the seat in relation to the length of the stalks... they start out looking long, but as they are buckety seats, well, they aren't for boosters)

as he gets older, and masters buckling his seatbelt without actually gripping the buckle in a separate hand (aka, buckling like we grownups do), it will get easier. In the meantime, yeah, you probably have to buckle him.

As for the mystery buckle... if it's SUPPOSED to be there and wasn't somehow purchased and added by some outside source (aka, not the manufacturer), then that would definitely solve your current issue.
 

PunkyMonkey

New member
For some reason that looks familiar to me... as in someone in my family had an older jeep that had that same situation (there have been A LOT of jeeps in my family). Maybe its there for a reason... not that I'm any help to you but you just gave me deja vu!
 

CrunchyMaineMama

Senior Community Member
I have nothing helpful to add, but I am really curious about the mystery buckle so I wanted to post so I'll remember to check back! :D
 

katymyers

Active member
That's crazy.... I would maybe take it to a dealership and have them look at it. I can't even begin to think of a reason for that buckle to be there.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I have nothing helpful to add, but I am really curious about the mystery buckle so I wanted to post so I'll remember to check back! :D

If you go to "thread tools" at the top of the navigation bar to the thread you can subscribe to the thread without having to post. Or unsubscribe if you no longer want to receive replies.

Wendy
 

kathysr98

Active member
What year & model is your Jeep?

Having a center seatbelt is weird to me in a Jeep, but I've only been around Wranglers. Also, I wonder if someone took the backseat out & mixed the parts up with another Jeep. Of course, that would assume someone with extra Jeep parts around & it being used when you got it.
 

thepote

New member
I found some discussion of it, but no clear answer other than a random reference for a four point harness option where you could cross the two shoulder belts over:

>> The only reservation I have to the single cross shoulder belt is that when there is some side component in a crash the upper body can move laterally away from the belt loosing much of the support from the forward movement of the body(since my TriPacer seats have no side wings to keep me centered in the seats). A double cross shoulder belt system with inertia reels is a simple improvement but it adds an extra buckle on the opposite side of the lap. The five point, or four point without the crotch belt, all operates from one center buckle allowing faster escape when necessary.<<

And this where people ponder it:
http://www.nagca.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31854

Sorry I'm on my phone so the formatting might be off.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Good detective work! At least that establishes that is indeed original to the vehicle (which seemed highly likely, but it is good to have corroborating evidence!)
 

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