Rear facing installation of Britax RA in Subaru Outback - where to tether? (Related to post 1448.)
My husband tried to install the RA in our 2000 Outback (no latch). Center position. He tethered it to the factory-installed tether mounts in the rear. (I think this is the "Australian" method - according to the pictures I looked at in the link in post 1448.) It looks really funny and flops towards the rear. The seat is in upright position so it might be better reclined. But even so, this can't be right! Shouldn't we be doing the "Swedish" method? i.e. tethering to a point in the front, a front seat mount for eample? I looked in Toby's database and lots of people got good fits in this vehicle in the center and said the seat is tethered. But tethered where?! There are no factory installed mounts except for those in the rear (I think) and nothing in the Subaru manual about tether points under front seats. I do plan to have the installation inspected but I want to make a good efort. And we found out at her 6 month appointment (Monday) DD is 26.5 inches so we need her out of the SnugRide and into the RA ASAP. Help!
:-)
Thanks!
Lisa
RE: Rear facing installation of Britax RA in Subaru Outback - where to tether? (Related to post 1448.)
There are no factory installed tethers on any car for rearfacing seats, it's just a matter of crawling in there and finding a structural/bolted/non moving part on the rear of the front passenger seat (like the leg of the seat, or even the place where the front seatbelts are attached to the frame) or under the rear passenger seat. Once you find that non moving metal part, use your tether connector strap with d-ring, like you saw in the pictures on that link, wrap it around that spot, and attach the tether to the d-ring :)
http://www.angelfire.com/wa3/isakswings/ratetherrf.html Be sure to take your seat manual with you to the seatcheck...a lot of techs have never even seen a Britax, and may not know the first thing about tethering RF, since only britax (and the safeline sit n stroll seat) have rearfacing tethers. good luck!
RE: The Secret Subaru Spot-
Darren - thank you SO much! How handy that one of the techs on the board has our same car! :-)
I showed my husband your post and the photos and he went out to the car and tried it and just yelled in "it worked like a charm - tell him thanks" - so thanks!
One more question for you - regarding the angle of the seat. In the center position, the base of the car seat was up against the rigid plastic housing for all the seat belt gadgets. It seemed like the angle of the seat was funny (too upright even with the seat in "recline" position) when installed there. I know that center is safest so we put a rolled towel in front of the plastic seat belt gadget housing - under the base of the car seat. The install now feels very stable and the angle seems much better. Does this make sense? (I can snap a photo if what I am describing does not make sense.) Again, we do plan to have the seat inspected - we just want to make a good effort at intalling ourselves first!
Thanks again!
Lisa, mom to Zoe - 6.5 months
RE: The Secret Subaru Spot-
You can also adjust the recline by using the tension on the rear-facing tether. 45 degrees is the maximum, a bit more upright is somewhat safer for older babies who have head support and neck strength. It is also fine to fill up the gap with a rolled towel or foam pool noodle as it sounds like you have done. It sounds like yours is probably fine, as long as there is less than an inch of movement side-to-side and front-to-back when you grab the seat near the base where the seatbelt is routed.
Glad to help, good luck!
Darren
www.Car-Safety.Org
DuPage County SAFE KIDS