snowbird25ca
Moderator - CPST Instructor
This is a spin-off of the other thread because I realized if I replied I was going to largely hi-jack the thread. 
So I'm starting a new thread including the quotes I was initially responding to. Clicking on the little arrow next to flipper's or jools' name will take you to that thread. :thumbsup:
****Disclaimer - ALWAYS follow the limits set by your vehicle manufacturer. This discussion is speculation and opinions. None of us will recommend that you exceed the limit the manufacturer has set, nor is this an area that should be considered a parental decision. If your child is over the weight limit your manufacturer has set for LATCH, then use the seatbelt. That point isn't up for debate. :thumbsup:
My unofficial opinion is that the lower anchor limits can already withstand the higher weights. We've had 47 & 48lb limit seats in Canada before the introduction of lower anchors, and I believe that was also before the CRST course was developed. And our curriculum does not specify maximum weight limits for use of lower anchors. If you asked almost any tech in Canada who isn't active online, they'd have never heard of the LATCH manual, and may or may not be aware of lower anchor weight limits except in vehicles whose owner manual specifies it.
When you factor that in to the fact that most manufacturers fail to put any info regarding lower anchor weight limits into their vehicle owner's manual, it's reason for pause...
Now obviously Canada's experience with kids in seats beyond 48lbs is limited due to how new the higher weight limit is, but there certainly hasn't been a rash of kids injured in vehicles with 40lb lower anchor weight limits because their kids were 47lbs and their seats were installed with lower anchors.
I'm certainly not by any means saying to disregard what a vehicle manufacturer tells a parent, but I am saying that the average parent who is harnessing longer is most likely already using the anchors past the weight limit and we're not seeing seat failure as a result. Which leads me to believe it's just a matter of time until we see some changes in recommendations from vehicle manufacturers.
In the meantime we have to follow manufacturer limits... but I do think that more thought needs to be put into exactly how much weight the anchors can handle. Part of the problem right now is that the lower anchor standard test is a pull test measured in Newtons (I believe, someone correct me if I've got the wrong term,) and it's difficult to convert it precisely to lbs.
I'm curious what would happen if they crash tested vehicles using the radian and the higher weight dummy - heavy carseat, the dummy they use is over 80lbs, so there'd be a combined weight of at least 100lbs... and see if we actually started to see failure.
Final statement for the record - follow the limits your vehicle manufacturer has set. I'm just thinking out loud and interested in the discussion. :thumbsup:
So I'm starting a new thread including the quotes I was initially responding to. Clicking on the little arrow next to flipper's or jools' name will take you to that thread. :thumbsup:****Disclaimer - ALWAYS follow the limits set by your vehicle manufacturer. This discussion is speculation and opinions. None of us will recommend that you exceed the limit the manufacturer has set, nor is this an area that should be considered a parental decision. If your child is over the weight limit your manufacturer has set for LATCH, then use the seatbelt. That point isn't up for debate. :thumbsup:
My unofficial opinion is that the lower anchor limits can already withstand the higher weights. We've had 47 & 48lb limit seats in Canada before the introduction of lower anchors, and I believe that was also before the CRST course was developed. And our curriculum does not specify maximum weight limits for use of lower anchors. If you asked almost any tech in Canada who isn't active online, they'd have never heard of the LATCH manual, and may or may not be aware of lower anchor weight limits except in vehicles whose owner manual specifies it.
When you factor that in to the fact that most manufacturers fail to put any info regarding lower anchor weight limits into their vehicle owner's manual, it's reason for pause...
Now obviously Canada's experience with kids in seats beyond 48lbs is limited due to how new the higher weight limit is, but there certainly hasn't been a rash of kids injured in vehicles with 40lb lower anchor weight limits because their kids were 47lbs and their seats were installed with lower anchors.
I'm certainly not by any means saying to disregard what a vehicle manufacturer tells a parent, but I am saying that the average parent who is harnessing longer is most likely already using the anchors past the weight limit and we're not seeing seat failure as a result. Which leads me to believe it's just a matter of time until we see some changes in recommendations from vehicle manufacturers.
In the meantime we have to follow manufacturer limits... but I do think that more thought needs to be put into exactly how much weight the anchors can handle. Part of the problem right now is that the lower anchor standard test is a pull test measured in Newtons (I believe, someone correct me if I've got the wrong term,) and it's difficult to convert it precisely to lbs.
I'm curious what would happen if they crash tested vehicles using the radian and the higher weight dummy - heavy carseat, the dummy they use is over 80lbs, so there'd be a combined weight of at least 100lbs... and see if we actually started to see failure.
Final statement for the record - follow the limits your vehicle manufacturer has set. I'm just thinking out loud and interested in the discussion. :thumbsup:
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