2.5 Years Old - RF or FF?

Blondie87

New member
I can look at it and try to see if I can take any plastic off. But Judi (on this board) came over and tried for like 2 hours to find a spot to tether it to and couldn't. So I'll see. I really like it for them to be tethered too... :confused:
 
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SPJ&E

New member
I know a lot still do RF tether that way, since Britax did allow it before. Judi knows what she's doing, so I'm betting if she didn't find another spot, there really isn't one.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Isn't Australian tethering allowed by Britax? That would make it really hard to get them in and out though in a 2-door, so I'd leave it untethered.

Personally, I'd put the two seats side by side, middle and passenger side. Then, I'd have the oldest one climb in first, climb over the middle seat and into his seat (or lift him through the passenger side in and have him start getting his straps on.) Have the little one go in front of me in the drivers side, climb in and buckle them. It would be a bit of work but I think it would make the driver's seat problem go away...:twocents:
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Isn't Australian tethering allowed by Britax?

Yes, the Australian method of RF top tethering directly over the top of the RF Britax convertible, over the vehicle seat (not underneath the vehicle seat, but over it) directly to the top tether anchor normally used for tethering a FF carseat is allowed. Awkward for getting the child in and out of the RF Britax convertible, but allowed. :)
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
I wouldn't worry about tethering if you can't do it. RF is so safe in itself, with or without tethering. At best, RF tethering is the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.
 

SPJ&E

New member
I wouldn't worry about tethering if you can't do it. RF is so safe in itself, with or without tethering. At best, RF tethering is the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

I agree. Once you get used to the feel of a RF tethered seat, it's hard to use anything else, so I know it's hard to not worry about it. Britax says no though and I personally wouldn't go against what they said (they are the ones testing their seats, afterall).
 

SPJ&E

New member
I knew you had a 2 door, but I didn't realize you were unable to find a place to tether RFing as well.

Oh no, I've got a few really good RF tether spots. Pacey's was tethered to an immobile bar underneath the front driver seat and Joshua's is tethered to the front passenger seatbelt stalk in my car. No RF tether spot problems here!

When I said it's hard to use anything else once you get used to a tethered RF seat, I was mainly referring to the Triumph and Scenera we previously had as spare seats. I hate using anything RF now, that isn't tethered, because I'm so used to no part of the seat moving.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Don't tether.

:yeahthat:

Unless you plan to tether Australian style.

Sarah Tilton made it very clear in the Britax chat that the tether point must be forward from where the carseat is. I would rather see it untethered than tethered under the seat.

I hate the Australian way to tether. It doesn't do anything if you ask me.

I love to have them tethered tho.. :(

Actually, Australian tethering does do something. And I sometimes wonder if it may have a bigger effect on reducing injury than Swedish style... Australian tethering significantly reduces & almost completely prevents downward rotation in a collision - which is usually the first movement. Downward rotation is also one of the biggest measurements that determines whether or not a carseat meets standards - if a seat rotates too far down, it fails.

A seat tethered Australian style is potentially going to rebound more, but the prevention of significant downward rotation eliminates the risks of the child's head impacting the shell during rotation, as well as them ramping too far up the shell and potentially impacting the vehicle interior (really something that would mainly be a risk with a child outgrowing a seat, in a small vehicle, and a seat that is quite reclined, a smaller child shouldn't ever be at risk of ramping too far up a seat unless the harness was too loose.) In many ways, it provides a closer coupling to the vehicle during the initial stage of the crash through the prevention and reduction of the rotation.

I don't have any data to say one way of tethering might be safer than another, but I do know that preventing or reducing downward rotation is a desirable thing. Swedish seats use a combination of swedish style tethering and a foot prop to both limit downward rotation and rebound. Swedish is more convenient, but perhaps in the absence of a food prop australian would have a greater impact in more crash scenarios? Who knows...

But at any rate, Australian tethering does add stability to the restraint and does do something in terms of crash performance. It is, however, a royal pain in the butt when it comes to getting kids in and out of the seat, and I think personally I'd just leave the seat untethered in your situation.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
I would rather not tether if you can't find an acceptable position.

rearfacing is still much safer than ff, so I'd leave him rf without tether before flipping him for a tether, just so you know.
 

anysia

New member
I drive an 7 passenger MDX. :)


i can't be 100% certain without having an mdx to check out, but i'd hazard a guess that the seat track is covered by a piece of plastic (we have an 06 acura tsx and an 08 acura rdx~both have a piece of plastic over the track for the seat we removed in order to rf tether). dh took it a step farther and removed the bolt and actually bolted the tether down between the seat track and floor (he works on audis and porsches for a living and has the proper tools and knowledge to do so, but i wouldn't recommend most removing bolts from seats...).

anywho, can you post a pic of what the underside of the front seat looks like? i'll be able to tell easily from that if the same piece is there and if the same tethering location would exist for you as what we use in both of our acuras (and we have also used in 3 accords~so it really seems to be the "norm" for honda/acura).
 

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