What is the safest option?

Cindy&Connor

New member
What is the safest option? *Pics added*

Last week my dh purchased a 96 Ford Explorer. I gave him a list of things his new car must have and one was headrests in the backseat for ds who is in a lbb. Well it does have headrests but they don't adjust so ds's head is above the seatback when in his booster. I did try him without the booster and he fits okay. Passes all the steps except the shoulder belt is on his neck. We do not have a hbb that he fits in and we're not really in the postion to buy one that he'll only fit in for a couple of months. Actually I don't know if he would fit in any of them anyway because he's tall.

So I guess my options are

-lbb with his head over the back of the seat
-no booster with the shoulder belt on his neck
-lbb in front seat

I know which option I'm most comfortable with but I'm having a hard time since it's not ideal. He'll be in the explorer very rarely because we normally take my car if we're all going somewhere. So which option do I choose?
 
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T4K

Well-known member
Is it his whole head that's over the headrest? Support up to the ears is what is accepted. Which lbb is it? Perhaps there is an inexpensive lower profile seat out there? And lastly, how old is DS?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
The shoulder belt slightly on his neck (not like, on his face where it wouldn't really restrain his body, but just nudging the neck a bit) is not a safety issue in and of itself; the issue is that it could cause him to lean out of position trying to get away from it, or put it behind his back, etc. If he's mature enough to deal with that, and he doesn't have adequate head support in a booster, and his knees bend at the edge of the seat and the lap belt is low on the hips/thighs, then I'd say no booster in the back seat is the winner.
 

Cindy&Connor

New member
Is it his whole head that's over the headrest? Support up to the ears is what is accepted. Which lbb is it? Perhaps there is an inexpensive lower profile seat out there? And lastly, how old is DS?

Yes his whole head is over. I thought about a lower seat because the one he's in (Evenflo Amp) is high but I don't think it would make that much difference. He's 8.5.
 

Cindy&Connor

New member
The shoulder belt slightly on his neck (not like, on his face where it wouldn't really restrain his body, but just nudging the neck a bit) is not a safety issue in and of itself; the issue is that it could cause him to lean out of position trying to get away from it, or put it behind his back, etc. If he's mature enough to deal with that, and he doesn't have adequate head support in a booster, and his knees bend at the edge of the seat and the lap belt is low on the hips/thighs, then I'd say no booster in the back seat is the winner.

I'm going to check again today. I know he wouldn't put the belt behind his back and I don't think he would lean out of it but I would have to try. I'll try to post a picture later for opinions.
 

Cindy&Connor

New member
I went out to take pictures and realized it's not as great a fit as I thought. The lap belt is pretty low on his hips but his feet don't reach the floor like I thought they did. If he sits all the way back like he should then the shoulder belt should not bother him. So what do you think? If this won't work then what is my next best option?

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henrietta

Well-known member
We've had a LOT of 90's model Explorers/Mountaineerr in our family in the last few years...are you absolutely SURE the headrests don't move up, b/c they sure look like the kind that do move. They look like all the ones we've had.

Double check. If you have the manual look in it to make sure.

If not, then I'd either put a small cooler or step stool under his feet and do the back seat without a booster, OR I'd do the front seat pushed all the way back w/his backless booster.
 

henrietta

Well-known member
This is the manual for a '96: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/Conte...rGuidePage&year=1996&make=Ford&model=Explorer

I couldn't find a section dedicated to the headrests, but somewhere around pg 177, it shows how to fold down the back seats, and you have to "lower the headrest and rotate it forward", which is exactly like my brother's, dad's, and brother in law's. I've used and installed carseats in all three of them.

The picture you show of your son looks just like the ones we had and they do move, they just are in their "fold down" mode like they are and can be tough to move up until you learn how.

Now I could be wrong...but all of ours that looked like that were moveable. If you can take a pic of the back of the seat, from behind where your son is sitting, that can help a lot.

If they move up, this is what they'll look like from the back when raised up: http://www.preownedtruckstore.com/vehicle/3968886/2000-ford-explorer-xlt-cartersville-georgia-30121

hths
 

Cindy&Connor

New member
This is the manual for a '96: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/Conte...rGuidePage&year=1996&make=Ford&model=Explorer

I couldn't find a section dedicated to the headrests, but somewhere around pg 177, it shows how to fold down the back seats, and you have to "lower the headrest and rotate it forward", which is exactly like my brother's, dad's, and brother in law's. I've used and installed carseats in all three of them.

The picture you show of your son looks just like the ones we had and they do move, they just are in their "fold down" mode like they are and can be tough to move up until you learn how.

Now I could be wrong...but all of ours that looked like that were moveable. If you can take a pic of the back of the seat, from behind where your son is sitting, that can help a lot.

If they move up, this is what they'll look like from the back when raised up: http://www.preownedtruckstore.com/vehicle/3968886/2000-ford-explorer-xlt-cartersville-georgia-30121

hths

Seriously I want to hug you. I had pulled and pulled on that headrest and it didn't budge. When you told me it was in the fold down position it gave me the idea to rotate it up and then pull up. We've only had newer explorers and they all just pulled up and then there was a button to put them down. So anyway thank you thank you thank you!!!!
 

henrietta

Well-known member
Seriously I want to hug you. I had pulled and pulled on that headrest and it didn't budge. When you told me it was in the fold down position it gave me the idea to rotate it up and then pull up. We've only had newer explorers and they all just pulled up and then there was a button to put them down. So anyway thank you thank you thank you!!!!

You are so welcome!! Glad I was actually right. I was worried I wasn't, and I looked at dozens of pics of cars for sale. My dad recently sold his Mountaineer, and my brother and brother in law were at work and had their Explorers w/them. LOL

I was pretty sure it looked exactly the same as all of theirs, which I've adjusted many times. ;)

Glad you got it all worked out!
 

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