wwyd? 29.76lbs 11.5mth old RF or FF?

How would you install the CDN MA? Please read question in post.

  • RF -tethered

    Votes: 48 90.6%
  • FF -not tethered

    Votes: 2 3.8%
  • other -please explain

    Votes: 3 5.7%

  • Total voters
    53

Jewels

Senior Community Member
Okay, I am installing my spare CDN MA that has a rf limit of 30lbs for a friend of ours who's grandson is coming out from Taiwan. He is 13.5kg (29.76lbs) and 80cm (31.5") and won't be 1 until the end of the month. I have had these measurements for the last week or two and he won't be here until next week. The main vehicle the seat will go in is a '97 silverado which I don't think has a top tether (mandetory in Canada but since it isn't the childs main vehicle there is an exemption to that law :thumbsdown:)

So how would you install the seat FF or RF? Why?
 
ADS

MomToEliEm

Moderator
I have a question. When looking at the weight limit on seats, can a child only use the seat rearfacing that is less then 30.0 pounds or less then 30.9 pounds?

I know with my old roundabout, it had rearfacing limits of 5-30 pounds. Could I take that to mean that I could have a 30.9 pound child rearfacing in that seat since it didn't specify a decimal precision on the weight and stop using it once my child reached 31 pounds?
 

Mattkarn

Member
Im not a tech but I take it to mean nothing over the weight limit, so 30.0 is ok but not 30.1. I would only use it on a child weighing less than 30.0 pounds.
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
We have been told that the US and CDN MA's are the same shell but they have different weight limits, so do I go against what the manufacturer says and keep him rf at likely over 30lbs or do I turn ff?

I have a question. When looking at the weight limit on seats, can a child only use the seat rearfacing that is less then 30.0 pounds or less then 30.9 pounds?
30.9lbs is more then 30lbs so if the rf weight limit is 5-30lbs then it is 30lbs not 30.9 or 31lbs.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
I was under the impression that the 30 lb RF weight limit in Canada is political, not a result of testing. I would keep him rearfacing.
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
I was under the impression that the 30 lb RF weight limit in Canada is political, not a result of testing. I would keep him rearfacing.

But, that is still going against what the manufacturer says so do I encourage that to the parents/grandparents? Or do I tell them to follow the instructions on the carseat?
 

ThreeBeans

New member
But, that is still going against what the manufacturer says so do I encourage that to the parents/grandparents? Or do I tell them to follow the instructions on the carseat?

I would do the 'this is the official stance' and 'this is what we know about the seat and the safety of rearfacing over forward facing' and let the parent make the tough choice.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Oh boy Jewels, that's a tough one. My official comfort level with using a rf'ing seat to the US weight limit ends at 1yr old. The only time I would discuss parental choice in regards to the US rf'ing weight limit would be with a young child who had reached the weight. 11.5mos is young when it comes to the view of how long we like to keep kids rf'ing when possible, but it's also not 6 mos or 9mos. OTOH, if the vehicle has no top tether, that's more of a concern with a younger ff'ing child.

I would have him weighed when he arrives and make sure that his weight is correct. Also find out for sure if the silverado has a tether anchor. GM will install for free, so if it doesn't have one yet, is it an option for them to get one installed before their grandson arrives?

The 30lb limit may have been political at one time, but it isn't any longer and manufacturers still haven't raised the weight limits. It's possible there is some other factor in the equation that we don't know about...

I have a few scenarios in my head, but basically what it boils down to, is if his weight is slightly under 30lbs, I'd put him rf'ing for the short amount of time he'll be here. If he's 30lbs or over but under 33lbs, I would ff him providing that g-parents have a tether anchor in their vehicle. In the absence of a tether anchor, I would be more comfortable using the seat up to the US rf'ing weight limit of 33lbs than I would be with him riding ff'ing in an untethered seat.

*I'm not sure what the manual for your MA says - the new ones say recommended to rf up to 1yr and 20lbs, but the only requirement to ff is 20lbs. Dorel warnings put it more clearly - children between 5 and 30lbs and less than 1yr old must ride rf'ing. So from a proper use standpoint, if he actually weighs 30lbs but is under 1yr old, the proper use would be ff'ing.

So anyways, that's my suggestion. Have g-parents get a TA installed if possible - or if they have a 3rd row then you could just use a seatbelt for a temporary tether anchor... then have their grandson weighed when he arrives and then install the seat rf'ing or ff'ing depending on his weight. I'd only cross into the gray zone if the grandparents are unable to get a tether anchor installed.
 

JessicaS

New member
That's a huge honkin kid! I'd put him RFing. Then weigh him constantly. He's at that age where his weight gain is going to dramatically slow down, if it hasn't already. Like a PP said, a 6 or 9 month-old would be a different story entirely. But he may just stay that same weight for 6 months, so it's worth a shot, if they can keep an eye on his weight so he doesn't go over.

Anna was the same weight from 11 months to 17 months!
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
I was under the impression that the 30 lb RF weight limit in Canada is political, not a result of testing. I would keep him rearfacing.

That's exactly it. The RF limit in Canada was lowered to (quote) "even the playing field" so Graco & Evenflo wouldn't have to raise their RF weight limits to compete with the other companies. I would not hestitate to use it rear facing to the US limits, espcially since a RF seat "fails" by over rotating towards the floor. A braced and tethered seat won't do that anyway.
 

andbabiesmake4

New member
This is the same situation we had with DS2.. he was 30lbs by a year and we had to put him FF because we actually got a ticket for having him rearfacing.. they wanted us to go in to the cop shop and prove that he was under 30lbs if I wanted to keep him RF.
I don't know what I'd do ... I'm not a tech so I'll stay out of it.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
See, see the political thing is posted frequently and I'd really like to know where it's originating from... The thing is, that there is NO wording in our legislation limiting the max rf'ing weight limit to be 30lbs. I've been in contact with Transport Canada specifically about this issue, and was told that there is no limit, provided seats pass CMVSS standards, manufacturers can rate them to whatever weight they want. Transport Canada's response was basically to talk to the manufacturers and tell them that we wanted seats with higher rf'ing weight limits...

So anyways, I'm curious to know where the whole political thing comes from. It's stated so frequently as fact. I don't know about in the past, I only know that at present there is nothing preventing manufacturers from giving higher rf'ing weight limits and it was back in May when I emailed them.

So I just have to wonder if there's something else at work here.

At any rate, I stand by my dissenting opinion that provided they can get a TA installed, if he weighs 30lbs or more the seat should be installed ff'ing. If they can't get a TA installed and he is under 33lbs, I would be more inclined to install the seat rf'ing - but only after an in depth discussion with the grandparents. And of course if he's under 30lbs isntall the seat rf'ing, but that goes without saying. ;)

Babiesmakes4 - That's the same policy they have if they ticket a kid who should be in a 5pt restraint - if parent says they're 40lbs but they definitely look under it, the police officer has the choice to issue the ticket and then the parent would have to submit proof of weight in order to get the ticket dropped. I am surprised to hear they figured he was over 30lbs though because from the last discussion I had with CH coordinator it's fairly rare for them to ticket based on weight... since it's health nurses who are certified and work with the police at roadside checks they're better able to predict how much a child weighs, but I still got the sense from the conversation that tickets based on "probable weight" meaning the seat was being misused were rarely given out.
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
At any rate, I stand by my dissenting opinion that provided they can get a TA installed, if he weighs 30lbs or more the seat should be installed ff'ing. If they can't get a TA installed and he is under 33lbs, I would be more inclined to install the seat rf'ing - but only after an in depth discussion with the grandparents. And of course if he's under 30lbs isntall the seat rf'ing, but that goes without saying. ;)
You mean the MA, right ;):confused:
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
You mean the MA, right ;):confused:

:whistle: And this, is why SPB said that the triumph advance should not be started to be referred to as TA since we already use TA for tether anchor. :p

Yes, I was referring to the Marathon & used TA for tether anchor.:thumbsup:
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
:whistle: And this, is why SPB said that the triumph advance should not be started to be referred to as TA since we already use TA for tether anchor. :p

Yes, I was referring to the Marathon & used TA for tether anchor.:thumbsup:

I vote EFTA for EvenFlo Triumph Advance.

Oh, wait, wrong poll... :love:
 

andbabiesmake4

New member
Babiesmakes4 - That's the same policy they have if they ticket a kid who should be in a 5pt restraint - if parent says they're 40lbs but they definitely look under it, the police officer has the choice to issue the ticket and then the parent would have to submit proof of weight in order to get the ticket dropped. I am surprised to hear they figured he was over 30lbs though because from the last discussion I had with CH coordinator it's fairly rare for them to ticket based on weight... since it's health nurses who are certified and work with the police at roadside checks they're better able to predict how much a child weighs, but I still got the sense from the conversation that tickets based on "probable weight" meaning the seat was being misused were rarely given out.

Yeah it was last spring on my way from St. Albert back into the city.. I was quite distressed about the whole ordeal.
 

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