Britax rf'ing lock-offs

snowbird25ca · May 26, 2008

I know that Britax allows the use of either one or both when installing the seat rf'ing, I'm just curious if anyone knows the reasoning behind that.

We had a tech update last week, and my MA and Radian were borrowed to provide more info on those seats. One of the things brought up was trouble closing lock-offs and I shared what Britax's position is on the rf'ing lock-offs. The question that was posed to me was why the built in lock-offs would be any different than a locking clip and wouldn't it be best to only use the one closest to the buckle.

All I could say is that Britax has ok'ed either one or both, but it did make me wonder a tiny bit.

Thoughts?

An Aurora · May 26, 2008

Well, the danger of using a LC on the wrong side of the CR is the fact that it might pop off and become a projectile. I would think that a Britax lockoff could do the same thing, since they are definitely break-able. Maybe their thought is that using the far lockoff would solve the problem of a lockoff that won't close near to the buckle, since they disallow the LC.

BW1426 · May 26, 2008

This is a little OT, but a few different built in lock-offs that I use make me nervous about damaging the webbing. Has anyone else had these concerns?

An Aurora · May 26, 2008

BW1426 said:
This is a little OT, but a few different built in lock-offs that I use make me nervous about damaging the webbing. Has anyone else had these concerns?

Luckily my MA and RA have the old-style lockoffs, because yes with the new style I would worry about belt damage.

snowbird25ca · May 26, 2008

BW1426 said:
This is a little OT, but a few different built in lock-offs that I use make me nervous about damaging the webbing. Has anyone else had these concerns?

I know there's a tech who posts here who has seen damaged belts as a result of the new ff'ing Britax lock-offs. The SS1 lock-off definitely left a line on my seatbelt from where it was pressed, but didn't damage the fibers of the belt at all.

joolsplus3 · May 27, 2008

The answer always lies in the technical encyclopedia... http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#Lock-off

(But they DID used to say clip the buckle side..until buckles were breaking lockoffs too often!)

The reason a locking clip goes next to the buckle is because it allows less slippage of the lapbelt...remember that's the only part you need to keep tight...the further you get from the buckle, the more space there is for loosening and stretching and ultimately the seat going out of position...I assume this isn't a problem with lockoffs on the opposite side of the buckle somehow?

(and a ps about the FF lockoff...if you do the installation right, it won't damage the seatbelt...and usually it just causes denting, if there have been actual 'runs' in the belt such that the belt had to be replaced, I've heard of zero or maybe one case of that so far...i could be making up that memory since you mentioned you read it! lol)

Britax rf'ing lock-offs

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