your child seat

I have the RECARO ProSPORT Combination Harness To Booster Car Seat, it is amazing. I didn't buy the Recaro ProRIDE Convertible Car Seat because it's not a travel system. I had a Chicco travel system until maybe 12-14 months. Stayed rear facing as long as possible.

Then got the larger Recaro.

The Recaro is big, there isn't much room to recline your seat.
 
I have a Britax Regent and Britax Frontier and they are huge in size. Not much room to squeeze them in but my son loves those seats. The Recaro looks to be very similar in size. May have to move the front seat a bit but it should work.
 
no, no hints. Ian's going to start cranking them out cause he just threw away all his rubbers.
 
I have Britax marathon.... Very nice and my daughter loves it. Good for 40lbs rear facing, 70lbs forward facing. I waited to get this one for forward facing only, these convertibles are way too big for our cars for rearward facing. The front passenger seat on my 1st gen would have to be put forward soo much I could not sit there.
 
I was looking at the RECARO's (big fan of their seats) but found the Britax a little better. When my son was just getting into the seat, we used the boulevard CS. I would avoid the CS (costs extra and if you do not know when the seat belt is secured then you possibly shouldn't have a kid in the first place, haha). The Britax has a little more room for your child to look around whereas the Recaro seemed to be really tight. Reminds me of blinders on a horse.
My son is 19 months now and I moved to the Marathon from Britax. Much more space and easier to use than even the Boulevard.
Both fits nicely in my 05 FX.
 
Ok, so I need help in this department. We got our car last night, and then tonight I installed the kids 2 car seats. However, I didnt install them as most. I removed the lower seat portion and stapped them down to the actual sheetmetal/framing under the seat. So here was my issue. I didnt like how the 'safety Anchor points' are setup in this car. If you use those connectors (which I did), you seem to have to really crush the lower seat to get them to attach in that section. I am not takling about just pushing down on the seat cusion, I am talking about those little 'seat buckle' like connetors you make to the built in safety anchors that comes with the car. I have done this on 3 different cars, including my GTR, and all worked perfeclty, however the FX50 locators seem to be down low and away from the seat cushions, again practically squishing the seat foam between those locations. Am I missing something here? Has anyone else experienced this? (this is why I removed the foam cushion, I didnt want to already start crushing my wifes new FX50 seats.

Thanks for the help!

Jon
 
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jonv8944s said:
Ok, so I need help in this department. We got our car last night, and then tonight I installed the kids 2 car seats. However, I didnt install them as most. I removed the lower seat portion and stapped them down to the actual sheetmetal/framing under the seat. So here was my issue. I didnt like how the 'safety Anchor points' are setup in this car. If you use those connectors (which I did), you seem to have to really crush the lower seat to get them to attach in that section. I am not takling about just pushing down on the seat cusion, I am talking about those little 'seat buckle' like connetors you make to the built in safety anchors that comes with the car. I have done this on 3 different cars, including my GTR, and all worked perfeclty, however the FX50 locators seem to be down low and away from the seat cushions, again practically squishing the seat foam between those locations. Am I missing something here? Has anyone else experienced this? (this is why I removed the foam cushion, I didnt want to already start crushing my wifes new FX50 seats.

Thanks for the help!

Jon
Click to expand...

Sounds dangerous. I think you should follow the instructions in the FX owners manual, use the LATCH anchor points, and get a seat protector. Like this:

Summer-DuoMat-2-in-1-Car-Seat-Protector-Black-Grey.jpg
 
I am using the latch points, just not crushing the foam seats trying to FIND them. I just removed the foam, and connected the car seats to the 'latch' connectors (I didnt know thats what they were called, I called them something different.

In the end, I think its actually safer, as the child is lower in the car. It looks like shit, because the seat is missing, but I assure you, its probably the safest setup there is, but no one can sit in the middle becuase there is no more padding.

Trust me, my wife calls me 'safety first jon' because i wont do anything that risks the boys at all.

I can take photos if my explanation is confusing. I am not worried about crushing the lower seat foam from the child seat sitting on it, I am worried about crushing the foam between the upper part of the seat back and the lower part, where the 'latch' connector is. Mine are so far down and away, you'll be crushing the foam with the tie down strap trying to get at the latch.
 
Can you post a picture? I don't think I understand what you mean. You're saying the slots in the seat back don't line up with the anchor points?

I guess in the end if you can make the straps tight enough to prevent the child seat from moving then its probably OK, but I still wouldn't do it personally. With the seat pad installed, tightening the latch straps pulls the child seat back and down, effectively securing it in two directions via the resistance of both cushions while simultaneously affording a measured bit of compliance/shock absorption. With the seat bottom removed, you are changing the angle of incident to straight rearward or depending on your seat, back and up. This configuration may seem similar while sitting in your driveway, but i assure you it certainly won't be in a crash situation. You are also assuming that the fuel tank cover can withstand the concentrated forces of the child seat base like it can when its covered with the seat cushion, which may or may not be true.

The bottom line is that the LATCH system is very good, and its designed as a system that includes the seat cushion. Modifying it in a somewhat random way to keep from wrinkling the seats seems bad. Just my $0.02...
 
Not to mention, that must be a super bumpy ride for a little tike without seat cushion.
Jon, I know you wouldn't compromise child safely for seat preservation and I can tell you're pretty hands on with automobilia knowledge, but there must be a better way to strap it in. Hopefully it's just a matter re-configuring straps or solving a placement puzzle.
 
You guys are right on the 'compliancy portion', i am sure its a bit stiff without the foam cushion. The other parts, just dont hit the nail on the head, I'll take photos so you can see what I am talking about, it does sound like you guys are 'getting' what I did. But I AM using the latch system currently. And while the fuel cover is under the seat, it is not what the car seat is actually applying pressure to, the surrounding area is. I obviously still want the cusion in, but its currently not providing the right angles to get the latch system installed. THATS why I removed the seat, to ASSURE, I could use the latch system. Perhaps its the type of seats I have and the way they attach to the latch system. These are forward facing seats, so they come with those hard plastic 4 inch long 'mini seat belt looking' latch attachment pieces.

Again, I think photos will show the 'issue.' So I'll try to get them tonight and show whats going on. I assure you, the only issue I face right now, is that it looks ugly in the rear section. No compromise for safety is happening. The Latch system is designed to take 'forces' from all moments of movement, not just one. Thats how accidents happen, randomly and at all different angles, therefore the Latch system must provide for those. I am have also attatched the rear attachment from the top of the child seat to the rear of the seat back (3rd attachment point of the latch system)

Photos to come tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks for the assistance with this gentlmen, all feedback and insight is welcome.

Jon
 
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Update to this. While I went out to the car with the wifes camera fully intending to take a lot of photos, by the time I tried to snap the first photo, camera warned 'battery drained.' So I was like 'screw this.' BUT the good news is, I figured out what the issue was. EVERY other car I have owned the 'latch system' is right at the crease of where the seat back and the seat cusion meet, so you just reach in and find the latch. On the FX50 however, its NOT right there, and thats what lead to all the confusion, its actually about 2 inches down. What I did NOT know is that the FX50 has specifically built in 'access holes' in the lower seat cushion to gain access to these. YOU DO NOT go in from the meeting point opening of the back and the seat, you go in from the verticle slit openings in the seat cusion. This is exactly what lead to all of the confusion. I am guessing the manual would have told me this, but I didnt read it before attempting installation.

Thanks everyone!

Jon
 
Glad you got it figured out. Im assuming your kid is now back on the seat cushion and isn't sitting on the frame anymore. :)
 
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