Did anyone ever talk to Britax

cowgirlsmommy

New member
Concerning why the recline block on the Frontier has to be in front for the harnessed mode and back for booster mode? Or maybe did Britax mention it could be changed? My daughter is harnessed but she liked it a little more when it wasn't reclined.
 
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safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I did. When the recline block is in harness mode it forms a shell around the adjuster strap where it goes under the seat. With the block in booster mode, the adjuster strap is pinned against the vehicle seat and won't adjust.

I am able to put my Frontier more upright with the recline block by moving the bottom of the seat toward the seat bight (where the seat cushion meets the seat back) and putting my weight in front of the buckle as I tighten the seatbelt .
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I guess that's their story, and their sticking to it... but it sure adjusted fine when I accidentally installed it wrong (for 4 months :eek:) in my Escape. Really flat bench seat though, might have helped things out a bit?

I'd follow Kimberly's upright install tips, rather than do it knowingly wrong, next time I have to put it in :thumbsup:
 

Pixels

New member
OK, let me preface this by saying that I have not owned, played with, seen IRL, studied on the web, or read the manual for the Frontier. So I could be totally off-the-wall with this.

The Frontier allows for 20% to hang off the front edge of the vehicle seat, right? And the recline block is completely in that front 20%? So there are some install situations where the recline block doesn't do diddly to recline the seat, nor to keep the vehicle seat from compressing the harness.

Also, why would it be required to be not reclined in booster mode? European boosters have the seat of the boosters slightly reclined, because it helps with submarining, belt positioning, and abdominal forces.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I think they want that extra recline for SIP. Companies aren't saying it, but the Recaro convertibles, the Britax convertibles, and the TF - all of which advertise SIP, install with a natural recline. I suspect that there is benefit to the recline from a crash test perspective in side impacts, I'm just not sure what...

I know in the store display the harness was very very hard to adjust if the block was in booster mode, so that could very well be part of it, but they put that recline block on there for a reason in the first place. I suspect it's similar to the recline bar on the regent and them making it mandatory on new seats - something about a slightly increased recline improves the seats performance, but I have no clue how or in what way - or by how much... Just too coincidental that 3 main brands with SIP have purposefully designed the seat with natural incline when used ff'ing.
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
The first few times I installed it, it was pretty reclined.

Then I spent time focused on getting it more upright, and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The block, sort of forces a recline much like the boot on the Radian, but you can put it on the seat, get the belt threaded and buckled or LATCH hooked up, then push BACK with your knees, and then DOWN, it will install upright.
 

solmama

Active member
Wouldn't the recline be more likely to keep the body mass and head within the seat and wings? Especially for side impact?
 

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