Successful Britax Frontier Installation with lap-shoulder belt

jplain

New member
I managed to get a good install in my 2005 Honda CR-V. I had no problem with the seat belt stalks or the fact that the belt emerges slightly forward of the seat bight. Edited to add: I installed it in the passenger-side outboard position. I haven't tried the center yet.

Since the recline block has to be in the forward position when used with the harness, the belt path is not flush against my car's seat back. This makes the fact that the seat belt emerges in front of the seat bight a non-issue (in this vehicle). The top of the stalk does enter the belt path a bit, but that doesn't prevent it from being tightened.

*However*, it did require the trick of reclining the car's seat back, tightening the lap-shoulder belt as much as possible, and then returning the seat back to a full upright position. Without reclining the car's seat back first, I could not get it tight enough.

If pushed, the seat can slide at most 1/4" from side to side. So it is not rock-solid like my RA and MA/DC/BV installations, but it is more than acceptable. Edited to add again: I tried it in my husband's Honda Prelude (no go), but after reinstalling in my car it doesn't budge when I push/pull on it. Yay!

:) Carolyn
 
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Lys

Senior Community Member
Do you have any pics?
I'd like to see if your seat belts are that different than the ones in my Pilot.
 

mamabear

New member
Well that's great.:p
More not being able to make up my mind now.
We have 2006 CRV and I had almost written off the Frontier by telling myself it won't install well and you had to go and tell me it will;)

I almost have myself jones-ing for the new Nautilus in Reese (now that I know I can LATCH it in booster mode). For the price I could get 2, and DD's would match!!!

AHHH what to do????????
 

jplain

New member
Do you have any pics?
I'd like to see if your seat belts are that different than the ones in my Pilot.
Sure, I'll take pictures today. But I suppose this means I'll have to vacuum my car. There are way too many crumbs to immortalize in a photo. ;)

In the meantime, here's a stock photo: 2005 Honda CR-V rear seats. The seat belts themselves appear to be the same type, but the positioning in the CR-V is different and the seat angle appears to be different too. Your pictures look very much like the problem I was having in DH's Honda Prelude.
 

jplain

New member
Actually, I'm pretty sure they're the same, but that picture shows them peeking out of the little cut-outs in the seat. They tuck down for storage. But if you're using them, you pull them out, and they look just like the Pilot's. However, the webbing looks to be a little shorter. While the stalk will lay flat on the seat, there isn't webbing lying on the seat also.
 

mom23boys

New member
From the looks of the pics in the 3 way comparison thread the pilots seat belt stalks look differnt! The 2006 pilot and the 2005 MDX had the exact same stalks. Maybe I am just seeing it wrong or something!

BTW, I spoke with Britax again this morning after not hearing back from them all day yesterday and they said the same thing as yesterday. they will call me before the end of today! After waiting all day yesterday and not hearing back from them, I will not be holding my breath!!!
 

jwren

New member
those sort of look like my belt stalks, well mine are a little more recessed in the seat, but they are pretty stationary with just a little movement..is that how yours are? My BF will be here thursday so I will post when it's installed in my 2006 navigator..
 

jplain

New member
Okay, some pictures. Let me know if there's anything else that would be helpful!

Keep in mind that I only got an acceptable installation after reclining the rear seat, tightening the lap-shoulder belt, and then further tightening the lap-shoulder belt by returning the rear seat to the upright position. I would not have been able to get an acceptable installation if I hadn't been able to temporarily recline the rear seat.

2005 Honda CR-V rear seat lap-shoulder belt, passenger-side outboard
Stalk does lie flat on bench, and belt emerges forward of the seat bight.
Pardon the lint. It was much worse before I vacuumed. :p
IMG_5230_1_1_1.jpg


Side view of installed Frontier
IMG_5232_2_1_1.jpg


Closer view
Note that because recline block is forward and this car's rear seat is quite upright, the base is not flush against the seat back.
In spite of this, the installation is very solid.
IMG_5233_3_1_1.jpg


Other side
Note that the top corner of seat buckle stalk is entering seat belt path.
IMG_5235_4_1_1.jpg
 

Lys

Senior Community Member
Ok! <deep breath>
I decided to go back out to the cars and try installs one more time.
I got an acceptable install with lap/shoulder belt in the CENTER of DH's Tundra. Only problem with that is no one can fit on either side of the seat and because the seat back is flush with the cab of the truck, I can not attach the tether. I have the same issue with our Regent.
I also got an acceptable install in the driver outboard position by keeping the headrest on, reclining then uprighting the seat and leaving the buckle stalk straight with no twists.
In each of these positions, the buckle stalk in relation to the seat is narrower than on the passenger side.
Like jplain said above, the Frontier is going to sit farther away from the vehicle seat back than you would expect. Very similiar to the way the Regent fits when using the recline bar.
Last, I did get to try it out in a 2005 Jeep Liberty ( Rachel's friend's car) passenger outboard. It was the same as the Pilot, I tihnk because this is the 40 part of the 60/40 split seat.
hth
I'm still deciding if we are going to keep ours. I need to use it in a particular seating position to access the 3rd row. <just thinking out loud>
 

mom23boys

New member
Ok! <deep breath>
I decided to go back out to the cars and try installs one more time.
I got an acceptable install with lap/shoulder belt in the CENTER of DH's Tundra. Only problem with that is no one can fit on either side of the seat and because the seat back is flush with the cab of the truck, I can not attach the tether. I have the same issue with our Regent.
I also got an acceptable install in the driver outboard position by keeping the headrest on, reclining then uprighting the seat and leaving the buckle stalk straight with no twists.
In each of these positions, the buckle stalk in relation to the seat is narrower than on the passenger side.
Like jplain said above, the Frontier is going to sit farther away from the vehicle seat back than you would expect. Very similiar to the way the Regent fits when using the recline bar.
Last, I did get to try it out in a 2005 Jeep Liberty ( Rachel's friend's car) passenger outboard. It was the same as the Pilot, I tihnk because this is the 40 part of the 60/40 split seat.
hth
I'm still deciding if we are going to keep ours. I need to use it in a particular seating position to access the 3rd row. <just thinking out loud>

GREAT!!!!! I know you liked the seat! I sent ours back today via UPS! I never got a good install via lap/shoulder but even if I were finally able to get you to help me out, it wouldn't have solved his complaining about the backs of his legs! I am so happy you got a tight fit!!!!:D
 

jwren

New member
Well I just got mine, (BF Redrock) took it out of the box, and it seems solid. I like it just hope we can get a solid install, when dh comes home if he's up to it I will have him try it, then I will post the outcome...now if I could just figure out how to raise the harness. lol.. I guess I have to read the manual..:whistle:;)
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
so its ok if part of the seat belt stalk goes inside the belt path?
I can't find any evidence in the manual that it's not ok (which is good, Britax has been so annoying with that rule before, it's kind of nonsensical they had it except that if you have a locking latchplate that 'tips' into the belt path the seat will loosen almost immediately...seems like they just defer to the vehicle manual now about belt locking mechanisms instead).

:)
 

aisraeltax

New member
I can't find any evidence in the manual that it's not ok (which is good, Britax has been so annoying with that rule before, it's kind of nonsensical they had it except that if you have a locking latchplate that 'tips' into the belt path the seat will loosen almost immediately...seems like they just defer to the vehicle manual now about belt locking mechanisms instead).

:)

awesome! thanks! i was sure i heard of that rule before....

i am beginnign to see why you have so many reps! :)
 

zactayaus

Well-known member
I got a successful rock solid shake the car SBP install outboard passanger side 2nd row of my 2000 chevy suburban.:thumbsup: No go on the SBP in dh's 2006 chevy silverado crew cab.:thumbsdown: I was able to do LBP in the silverado in the outboard positions not center. Latch works great in the center though and his truck has a 48lb latch limit. Since ds is 5yo and only weighs 36lbs we can probably use latch until he outgrows the harness.:)
 

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