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Harness question for kid in rear seat...

SanDiegoOverland

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Diego
anyone use a booster bottom and a 5-point on a stock bench for a kid in the back?

It's legal for my 4.5yr old daugher to sit on the bench with a 3 point stock belt, but I'd rather keep her in a harness. (It'd help my space issue greatly, and a 5-point is much safer, IMO.)

I'd have no problem putting a harness bar behind the rear seat, as I plan on putting a rear cage and load barrier in at the same time...
 
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I think there's probably some logistical issues there.

Are you going to find a harness that fits kids? If so, does she sit up high enough so that the shoulder straps fit her properly (not too high so they keep her in and not too low so they compress her spine)?

The biggest issue IMO is the one of legal safety. Stock belts have been tested for safety with all sorts of people sizes and the law says a stock belt and a booster seat is safe. The law might view your installation as an unsafe modification to the vehicle. There's no guarantee that what you install will be safe in an incident.

If you want her in a harness, buy a convertible car seat and keep her in it. Much safer IMO. Both of my boys are in Recaro car seats, my 4 year old included. There's enough adjustibility there to satisfy the 7/70 requirement.
 
my 2 year old fit nice in her simpson carseat... then i set the jeep up to go fast in the desert and scared the crap out of the wife.. no more baby allowed in my jeep :gee: baby never got to hit the dirt in the simpson seat tho.
 
The biggest issue IMO is the one of legal safety. Stock belts have been tested for safety with all sorts of people sizes and the law says a stock belt and a booster seat is safe. The law might view your installation as an unsafe modification to the vehicle. There's no guarantee that what you install will be safe in an incident.

yup, this is the moral brick wall I keep running into...as I explore NOT selling my jeep for a bigger rig as much as possible.

Thanks for the input and perspectives...

The other option would be indiv. prp preemie seats. At several hundred dollars a piece, plus harnesses and a cage to hook it all to, though, and the loss of the back seat for anyone but kids, (not to mention, not being able to use the fold down function.) I think thats a "no-go".

she's already in a 5point harness "slimline" carseat and is getting close to not fitting, fyi.
 
My kids aren't the biggest, but they fit well into the seats we have.

http://www.recarochildseats.com/store/recaro-child-seats/recaro-childseats-young-sport-charcoal

My 4 yr old wears the harness in the truck because the seat is held in with the shoulder belt, but wears the shoulder belt in the wife's MINI because the seat is held in with the latch system. I don't feel comfortable just sitting the seat in there and putting the belt on him, it doesn't seem very secure that way.

I think you've got it right. I'm sure you could come up with an extremely safe and well thought out installation, but as a good dad you're questioning whether or not it's the right thing to do.

When the boys are in the jeep, they're in their car seats and have plenty of room. Their seats get ratcheted down with these:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Kids-10001-Mighty-Tite/dp/B000056JHP

Those things are the greatest invention ever. We swap car seats a lot (I wish I could afford 2 more) and you're not fumbling with clips or belts. Takes me about 2 minutes to slide the seat in and secure it. Might be something to look into if you want it to be more secure.
 
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