Is it possible to install a TA yourself?

[rjaeh]

We called Dodge about getting a retrofit TA installed in our 03 Caravan.
The part is $78, but installation was $200...
Just wondering how difficult it is to install and if the part comes w/ instructions. Also, about the safety aspects of doing it ourselves...

We called 2 other dealerships that said they thought around $50 to install, but weren't sure b/c they had never done it and weren't even sure what it was.

The first dealership had done it before and seemed quite confident in what they were doing, so we might just go w/ them anyway.

 

[MamaErin]

It is definitely possible with a torque wrench and I sure wouldn't pay $200 for the dealer to do it. I am curious though, doesn't the 2003 already have TA's?? I believe I heard that if your vehicle already comes factory equipped with anchors, you aren't allowed to add more....Hopefully someone else will have more info on that for you to be sure but I believe a 2003 should already have a couple anchors.

ETA: According to this thread http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=127966 you should already have some anchors, it looks like 2 in the middle and 1 in the center 3rd row.

 

[whiteyacht]

I'm sure it depends on the region, but $200 sounds like highway robbery to me. It took our dealership all of 10 minutes to install two tether anchors. They'd never been asked to do it, either, but the anchors didn't fail when our van was in an accident, so I assume the installation instructions were easy for them to follow!

Sent from my phone. Please excuse typos.

 

[rjaeh]

It is definitely possible with a torque wrench and I sure wouldn't pay $200 for the dealer to do it. I am curious though, doesn't the 2003 already have TA's?? I believe I heard that if your vehicle already comes factory equipped with anchors, you aren't allowed to add more....Hopefully someone else will have more info on that for you to be sure but I believe a 2003 should already have a couple anchors.

ETA: According to this thread http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=127966 you should already have some anchors, it looks like 2 in the middle and 1 in the center 3rd row.

Yes, I have 3 TA, but we have 4 kids (w/ another due in a little over a week) and are having trouble getting them all in the van, an extra tether could give us some better options for the 3rd row.
I asked here, and was told we could have an extra added.

Our friend has a torque wrench, so we have one available...

 

[rjaeh]

I'm sure it depends on the region, but $200 sounds like highway robbery to me. It took our dealership all of 10 minutes to install two tether anchors. They'd never been asked to do it, either, but the anchors didn't fail when our van was in an accident, so I assume the installation instructions were easy for them to follow!

Sent from my phone. Please excuse typos.

I was thinking so too..they said something about it taking 2-3 hours and I told them I was pretty sure it was just a matter of screwing it on...I will call a couple more dealerships today.