Mounting Infant Seat in Middle?

frankgindc · #1 (**permalink**) 01-14-2008, 03:45 PM

Hi, I'm hoping someone has already come across this and has some ideas.

First, just got a new Fit -- three months after getting a new baby, and both are doing fine. However, I'd like to mount the infant seat in the middle of the rear seat (I'm assuming this is safer than either of the outboard positions). The problem is two fold: 1) there are no LATCH connections in the middle so when mounted in the middle you have to connect to the two inboard LATCHes from the two window seats -- and SOME SAY that this might not be an approved installation. 2) when mounted in this way, you can no longer flip the smaller magic seat.

Obviously, safety comes first, which is why we want to mount it in the middle in the first place. But I have questions about both.

First, is it okay to mount the car seat in the middle? I'm assuming that as long as there are not other people also in the back seat with the baby that there is no possible way that these mounts would not be more than sufficient for anchoring the seat in an accident -- in fact they should be even stronger than the intended mount since each mounting bracket would get less load than if the car seat were installed to either side. I am assuming that the only reason that it *might* not be advisable to mount the car seat in the middle would be (possibly) when there are additional people in the back seat, thereby placing additinal load on the mounts. So....I'm assuming that mounting in the middle as I am doing would actually be safer than mounting to either side. Thoughts?

Second, after safety, it would be nice to be able to operate the magic seat even with the infant seat installed in the middle. This can't be done with the position of the LATCH mounts but it seems like an easy and safe workaround would be to get an adjustable lap belt with two male ends so that it would plug into the two available female sockets on the large rear seat -- and the car seat would safely mount in the middle while still allowing operation of the small seat.

Now, I'm not looking to rig this car in way that would be unsafe or even raise any questions. I"m going for safety and piece of mind here. Given that, is it possible to address both of the above? It just seems that middle is safer.....

Any advice folks have would be most apprieciated.

thanks,
Frank

kenchan · #2 (**permalink**) 01-14-2008, 04:36 PM

if you want child safety get a recaro sport. yah, it costs more
shipped, but it's worth it.

once you try the recaro, you'll ask yourself why you even got the
other cheezo brands. night and day difference starting from the
buckles to the side/lateral protection, to overall quality. fits like
a glove.

kenchan · #3 (**permalink**) 01-14-2008, 04:38 PM

and no, i don't mount the childseat in the center.

teterman2000 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-14-2008, 09:45 PM

I remember looking at the middle seatbelt, it's not a straight lapbelt so you can't just hook up the car seat without using one of those belt tightener-thingies. Also, no latch-system for the middle. I keep my seat on the passenger side, that way I can still lower the seat and load crap (when my little guy isn't in the car, of course)

Mr_ET · #5 (**permalink**) 01-15-2008, 11:43 AM

I would strongly advise against mounting the child seat in the middle. Is there even a hook on the back of the rear seat to hook up the top strap in the middle? The car is built so you can put 2 car seats and be able to use all three hooking points as described in the car seat manual. That way your child is secure and the seat will not move under impact.

The Fit has built in side curtain airbags to protect it's occupants from side impacts and your baby seat should have a 5 point harness and headrest for the baby. Think of your child as being strapped into a racing seat, it's about as safe as it can get.

My daughter has an Eddie Bauer seat and I feel perfectly safe having her either behind me or behind the passenger seat when mounting her seat using the 2 hooks at the base of the seat and the one on the back of the seat in the trunk.

frankgindc · #6 (**permalink**) 01-16-2008, 11:22 AM

Thanks for all the replies. What we have is a rear facing Graco infant seat. It installs with either a lap belt or a LATCH in the lapbelt position -- and there doesn't seem to be any provisions for a third middle anchor (no obvious mounting points on the seat and no reference in the manual).

Everything we've read in the car seat manual and in all the baby books is that middle is safest -- and that makes sense for side impacts. I see that Honda doesn't allow borrowing but from an engineering perspective, but it seems that borrowing from each side and not putting any other people in the back seat with the car seat (which would add to loads on anchors) would have to be as strong if not stronger than the recommended installation. I'm assuming that if Honda wanted to allow a middle installation, they would also have to have beefed up everything to handle the middle installation *and* the potential for two adult back seat passengers at the same time. With no additional passengers, I don't see how borrowing would overload the system.

Am I missing something or is it generally just not advisable to mount other than the car's recommended way?

How would the extra middle latch tether work? If the car seat maker doesn't call for it do I need to worry about it?

I'm open to moving the car seat to the sides, although it would likely be looked at askance by my wife (and all the baby books) who will assume it's because I want to maintain access to the cool 'magic seats'...

Frank

kenchan · #7 (**permalink**) 01-16-2008, 12:34 PM

if you're using the back facing infant seats then yah, i guess you
can mount it in the center. you can just use the lap belt. extend it
all the way out and it will lock as it retracts. nice feature.

but you guys should seriously check out the RecaroSport when
your kids are old enough for the front facing. once you get one
that couple hundred buck difference will be nothing.

that 1-2ft or so difference between sitting the child in the center or
side of the car is not going to make much of a difference imo. it's
how the child seat itself protects the child during impact.

kenchan · #8 (**permalink**) 01-16-2008, 12:37 PM

here's where i got mine. very quick service.

MiniCarParts.Net: Mini Cooper Accessories, Parts & Information For Newer-Model BMW Mini's

tanukifit · #9 (**permalink**) 06-16-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankgindc

Hi, I'm hoping someone has already come across this and has some ideas.

First, just got a new Fit -- three months after getting a new baby, and both are doing fine. However, I'd like to mount the infant seat in the middle of the rear seat (I'm assuming this is safer than either of the outboard positions). The problem is two fold: 1) there are no LATCH connections in the middle so when mounted in the middle you have to connect to the two inboard LATCHes from the two window seats -- and SOME SAY that this might not be an approved installation. 2) when mounted in this way, you can no longer flip the smaller magic seat.

Obviously, safety comes first, which is why we want to mount it in the middle in the first place. But I have questions about both.

First, is it okay to mount the car seat in the middle? I'm assuming that as long as there are not other people also in the back seat with the baby that there is no possible way that these mounts would not be more than sufficient for anchoring the seat in an accident -- in fact they should be even stronger than the intended mount since each mounting bracket would get less load than if the car seat were installed to either side. I am assuming that the only reason that it *might* not be advisable to mount the car seat in the middle would be (possibly) when there are additional people in the back seat, thereby placing additinal load on the mounts. So....I'm assuming that mounting in the middle as I am doing would actually be safer than mounting to either side. Thoughts?

Second, after safety, it would be nice to be able to operate the magic seat even with the infant seat installed in the middle. This can't be done with the position of the LATCH mounts but it seems like an easy and safe workaround would be to get an adjustable lap belt with two male ends so that it would plug into the two available female sockets on the large rear seat -- and the car seat would safely mount in the middle while still allowing operation of the small seat.

Now, I'm not looking to rig this car in way that would be unsafe or even raise any questions. I"m going for safety and piece of mind here. Given that, is it possible to address both of the above? It just seems that middle is safer.....

Any advice folks have would be most apprieciated.

thanks,
Frank

I mount my daughters seat in the middle using the the 2 center latches from the left and the right sides and the latch on the center of the ceiling under the antenna. I lost use of the magic seats but safety first. You can even use the center seat belt for double insurance.

tanukifit · #10 (**permalink**) 06-17-2009, 12:59 AM

^^ wow, that post was long ago. sorry.

Flyin172s · #11 (**permalink**) 06-18-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanukifit

I mount my daughters seat in the middle using the the 2 center latches from the left and the right sides and the latch on the center of the ceiling under the antenna. I lost use of the magic seats but safety first. You can even use the center seat belt for double insurance.

BTW my car seat manual says: LATCH is defined as anchorages 280mm(11.02in) on center.

Meaning that the anchor points can't be more than 11 inches apart so you shouldn't use the LATCH system like that because those latches are too far apart.