01 jeep cherokee, RF RA broken lockoff. Help?

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Sep 12, 2009

• #1

2001 Jeep Cherokee. Rearfacing Roundabout. Lap/shoulder. Just tried reinstalling it today after having it in another vehicle for a while and I cannot get the lockoff closed on the belt buckle side. It just keeps popping open. I have no spare and I'm going nuts here. :cry

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Sep 12, 2009

• #2

You can use the other side. Or not use either since your seatbelt locks.

How old is the Roundabout? If it's got the old lockoffs you can call Britax on Monday and order new ones.

Wendy

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Sep 12, 2009

• #3

I'm pretty sure it's '06. I think it's the older kind.

I can't seem to get it tight without the lockoffs. It's still moving at least a few inches.

The hubby says it'll work better once he gets the tether hooked in, but that strikes me as wrong, to rely on the tether to assure belt path tightness.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Sep 13, 2009

• #4

If you pull out the seatbelt all the way, does it lock at the shoulder? Pull gently, as all belts lock in an emergency.

If not, then it locks at the buckle, and what you can do is get it nice and snug (pull the shoulder portion tight right next to the buckle so you know you're getting the slack out of the lap belt, since that's what does the holding), and keeping it snug unbuckle it, flip the buckle over 180 degrees, and buckle it back in. That should keep it tight.

And you're absolutely right. You shouldn't use the tether to make the seat tighter at the beltpath. The tether helps with anti-rebound. NOT with installation.

Wendy

 

o_mom

New member

• Sep 13, 2009

• #5

You most likely have what used to be called 'lightweight locking latchplates' in that vehicle. My neighbor had a similar vintage Grand Cherokee. My best guess, without seeing it, is that the angle the latchplate ends up at is letting the lap portion loosen. As Wendy said above, you can turn the latchplate to prevent it from slipping.

Check your vehicle manual to confirm that you have this kind of latchplate. If they are, you can try flipping the latchplate to keep it tight. This post has a link to a picture of a lightweight locking latchplate with the latchplate flipped.

HTH!

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Sep 13, 2009

• #6

No, that's not our latchplate. Apparently it's my weak wrists. :-/

We've got it so it's not wiggling at the belt path anymore, just bouncy front to back due to the seat.

Ugh, I hate this truck. I've wanted to upgrade the baby to the blvd and put the 4 yo in maybe a nautilus, but the blvd won't fit rf at all.

Thanks guys!

Jeni.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Sep 13, 2009

• #7

It's uncommon for a Boulevard to not fit where a Roundabout does. You don't need a 45 degree angle for a baby who has head control (and a baby big enough to fit in a Britax properly has head control, no doubt, as they have some high bottom slots). You can have it as upright as 30 degrees, and if you don't have advanced airbags, or if the Britax is behind the driver, you can brace it against the front seat.

It sounds like your installation is good now. Tight at the beltpath. It'll wiggle at the head and that's fine. *That* is ok to have taken away by the tether.

Wendy

 

yetanotherjen

CPST Instructor

• Sep 13, 2009

• #8

I have a 00 cherokee and we had the same issues with the lock off's on the boulevard, which does fit btw. Can you install in the middle? We had better luck with the lock off's working in the middle than with lap shoulder.

Also we now have an RA 50 RFing passenger side and a GN drivers side. I have installed the RA 50 RFing in the middle, the GN drivers side and a turbo booster passenger side.

*Edit

I know with our cherokee when we used the Blvd we had to twist the belt stock twice and then we were able to get the lock off
Good Luck!

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2009

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Sep 15, 2009

• #9

DH said that things get wobbly if he tries to put either one in the middle. I wasn't there when he tried that.

I have the passenger seat all the way forward and the RA is right up against it. I can't imagine trying to cram anything larger in there! Perhaps it will make a difference to not recline as much?

Baby is almost 1, about 18 lbs, dunno how long but still in the bottom slots. 4 yo is 39 3/4", 31 lbs. She's been FF since we got this Jeep last year; no one could drive with the seat all the way up. I miss my station wagon. I could have had them both rf forever in there.

Doesn't it compromise the integrity of the belt to twist it? DH says it looks like you would lose a lot of strength doing that.

Jeni.

 

ontariomama

New member

• Sep 15, 2009

• #10

I'm not a tech, and hopefully one will chime in soon, but yes you are allowed to do up to 3 whole twists of the belt stock and it not affect the integrity of the belt. IIRC it's even in some car's manuals.

HTH

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Sep 15, 2009

• #11

Each twist does reduce the strength of the belt. However, a belt is designed to hold the weight of an adult (weighing up to several hundred pounds.) A car seat even with an occupant weighing 80 lbs., if you have a car seat that goes that high, does not weigh as much with occupant AND seat as an adult passenger. IMMI, makers of many car seat parts and etc., did crash testing and determined that even with three full twists and soaked in apple juice (which also weakens the belt webbing), the twisted belt stalk still performed at several times the federal standard because of the lower weight of the car seat plus dummy vs. an adult human. So, it is perfectly within the safety margin even with 3 full twists, and you should feel free to twist if you need to to get a good installation.

On another note, one year olds don't need to have a full 45 degree recline. I would strongly encourage you to find a way to put in a seat that it sits upright enough that it doesn't take up too much room, and re-rear-face your daughter (if I am reading correctly and she is forward-facing.) She is at risk of serious injury being forward-facing so young and furthermore does not meet the minimum weight limit of any car seat currently on the market to forward-face. (If you're already doing it, phew! I'm very glad. )

 

firemomof3

New member

• Sep 15, 2009

• #12

You can get your Britax in the Jeep rf :thumbsup: Here is my Signo which is also a large convertible seat rf in my dh's Jeep and it fit great:

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Sep 16, 2009

• #13

ketchupqueen said:

On another note, one year olds don't need to have a full 45 degree recline. I would strongly encourage you to find a way to put in a seat that it sits upright enough that it doesn't take up too much room, and re-rear-face your daughter (if I am reading correctly and she is forward-facing.) She is at risk of serious injury being forward-facing so young and furthermore does not meet the minimum weight limit of any car seat currently on the market to forward-face. (If you're already doing it, phew! I'm very glad. )

Click to expand...

Oh no, the baby is still rf! The 4 yo is ff now. The baby is rf in the RA behind the passenger, and it is a tight squeeze. The 4 yo is ff behind the driver in the Blvd. Sorry.