Two RF tethers on same seat track?

[NatesMamma]

When installing two seats that allow RF tethering side by side, is it acceptable to loop both D rings around the same seat track and tether both carseats to that single track?

I currently have a side by side RN and CCO that are both tethered to the inboard track of the front passenger seat in my car.

 

[wendytthomas]

I wouldn't. I'd move the outer seat to the outer track. Or one to the other inner track.

Wendy

 

[NatesMamma]

Thanks.

Why do you say it's a bad idea? The reason I tethered both seats to the same track is that the outer track for that seat is shaped differently, and I don't think I can pop the plastic off that one. I might be able to make the CCO D ring work there. However, I thought I saw something in the CCO manual about tethering toward the center of the vehicle, which I took to mean that the inner seat track is preferable. The RN was already tethered to that track. I could move the RN tether to the driver's seat track, though. The RN is center and the CCO is outboard.

I was just trying to think this through, and I can't come up with a good reason why it might be bad. Rebound isn't a super high energy event, so I highly doubt that having two tethers on the track would damage it in any way. Also, the vehicle in question doesn't have advanced airbags, so there are no wires/ sensors down there that could be adversely affected. I would feel differently if the car did have advanced airbags.

Not that it's a big deal to move one of the D rings. I just like having more info on why something is or isn't a good idea.

 

[wendytthomas]

More because I know Diono, Britax, and Combi say you can tether, and a seat track is fine, but I've never heard any of them say to tether multiple seats to the same essential point (not the same D ring, but the same area), and in general that's frowned upon. I'll freely admit that it's a gray area, but I'd probably move the Radian's tether over, rather than wonder if it's ok.

Wendy

 

[NatesMamma]

Fair enough. Thanks!