RF vs FF weight limits?

J

jsta1005

New member
How come seats that are RF have a lighter weight limit than when FF? In my mind it doesn't make sense. Shouldn't they have the same weight limit?
 
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T

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
I think you're asking why some seats rf to 35#, but ff to 40#. Seats have to pass different testing depending on whether they are rfing or ffing. Until recently seats didn't have a higher rfing limit b/c they didn't know rfing was better and it wasn't demanded. They are now retesting seats (like the new Evenflo Triumph and Titan) at higher limits and if they pass, they make it to the shelves. At this point we don't know if anyone has tested a seat to 40# and it failed or if they haven't tried it yet. In Sweden, it's not unusual to have a seat rf to 55# but only ff to 40#.
 
joolsplus3

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
It's not really about the harness straps ripping out of the shell that's the problem (that's what I'm imagining you're thinking? Yes, the shell and harness are definitley strong enough for either direction), it's about heavy dummies making the seat tip back too far when it's rearfacing.
This is what the rearfacing test looks like http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#angleRF the 3 yo dummy is about 37 inches tall and 34 pounds (some have a weighted vest so some seats go to 35 pounds RF), and that's about the biggest thing they can cram into a US sized RF seat and have it perform well enough with only a lapbelt (Swedish seats are huge, have extra legroom, and extra support legs and tethers to keep them from rotating backwards, ours don't). The next size up dummy is the six yo one, about 52 pounds, and it would really dump a regular RF seat back too far, the further back it dumps, the more risk of injury from the child striking the car interior or ramping out of the seat.

Does that help?
 
J

jsta1005

New member
Yes! Thanks for those answers. I guess I had just never thought about it before. I couldn't think of any reasons why so now I have some ideas!
 
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