How do I properly anchor my daughter's front-facing car seat in my 79 regular cab with bench seat? I've currently been using just the lap belt, but I believe to do it properly I'm supposed to use the top anchor similar to when the car seat is in the Focus. Where does the top anchor go? Am I supposed to put the bolt & hook for the anchor in the floor behind the seat? How do I tighten the top anchor then with the seat pushed all the way back? Wish I could find a car seat clinic in the area.....

 

Every car seat maker installation is going to be a little different. I use my sons front facing seat, I think it's a Graco?, in my '78 F150 use just the lap belt. To properly install it I have to put weight in it using my knee and then tighten the strap until I can barely not reach the seat belt anchor clip. Then I use one more forceful push of weight to put the seat in enough to lock the catch into the reciever. Some car seats require the use of the metal "double T" shaped belt tensioner that should come with the seat. You might want to consult with your particular seat maker to make sure you get correct and proper information for that seat.


And as for the infant/baby seat clinic.....Check with your local law enforcement agencies. Here in Oklahoma taxpayer money provides us with free literature, classes, demonstration clinics, and such just to teach people how to properly install, use, and maintain car seats. (Did you other Okies know that? ) I stopped by my local P.D. and the lady that teaches the classes gave me books and pamplets and got in my little Ford Contour and showed me exactly how to muscle the seat into place and properly secure it. Baby/Infant seat installations are so important that every year our city area actually has a free inspection station setup in local store parking lots for concerned parents to bring their autos by to have the installations checked and re-installed if necessary.

 

How old are your passengers? I've got a boy on the way in three weeks if all goes as planned.


http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site...0811060008a0c/

I found this site, it might be helpful if you don't have directions with your seat. I don't think you need to use the top anchors with these rear facing seats. Check the owners manual in the Focus. My wife has (gulp) a VW Jetta. It has anchors hidden between the rear seat and rear seatback and our manual shows that we only use those two. I think the upper anchors are for the bigger kids and forward-facing seats.

I'm planning to put his seat exactly where and how you are, the center lap belt really cinched down. Not sure what I'll do with a forward-facing seat in the truck down the road...

Regards,

Bob
'78 F-150 Explorer

 

Sorry, I'm a knucklehead. You asked about FRONT facing...

Try the link I sent, hope it helps.

Bob

 

mine called for a 3/8 hold to be drilled as close to the back window as possiable.... which would put in through 2 layers, that are gonna crush if you tighten it up.

i made a stainless bracket, and used a pile of tech screwed to attach it, so i can just reach it with the clip, without flipping the seat ahead.

i think one hooked to the floor would work fine aswell. i've removed the in cab tank from my crew cab, and the bolt holes from it, will become child seat anchors for the next child. maybe this one, if i get it done in time

 

My daughter is just over a year. The rear facing seat worked fine with just the lap belt. I do have the manual for the car seat, I'll dig it out of the car this weekend and take a look. I'd be a little reluctant to drill a hole through the back wall of the cab though!

The link does work, so I'm looking there right now for info. I also got the phone numbers for local board of health and police departments so I can ask them about car seat clinics.

Thanks for the feedback.

Oh, and for the record, my 79's manual doesn't have any info about installing carseats, not really surprised there.....

Another edit: the NHTSA site mentioned contacting the vehicle manufacturer, so maybe I will if the other options can't help me.

 

I know I'm going to step on some toes but here goes in the name of safety. If you are really trying to keep your child safe as you possibly can then just skip using these older trucks for transporting children in car seats. That is if possible.

Is it really wise to risk finding out that the ancor you invented didn't save your child in a crash someday? There is a reason you are having a hard time finding any current information on updating trucks like these to modern child safety seat standards. Also, if there are no suppliers for ancors that have manufactured one with specific information and installation directions for these trucks then I think that says it all.

Just stop and think about it.

 

purely, yes there are times that i have to use my truck to transport my child. there are many times in the winter, that's it's not fit to use my car, due to the depth of the snow, or times when hauling a trailer, or other stuff that calls for the use of the truck.

my seat had instructions for mounting to any age truck, with lap belts, and they called for a bolt through the cab. this would be fine, if you didn't mind it rusting your truck out, and causing a leak. i have no trouble with my daughter traveling in my truck with me, and have no doubts about the braket i made. i am a machinist/welder, and design/build things every day. i would not build one for someone else, the liability is too high these days.

just because i can afford to buy a newer truck, and don't want to have to go into debt to buy one, shouldn't prevent me from using the truck. these are very safe trucks.

my crew cab, is going to have the in cab tank removed, and this leaves 5 carraige bolt holes, which are in the perfect spot for the mount for a child seat. 3 out of the 5, will have mounts added to them, when i restore the truck. then it will be safe for my daughter, and the next one the wife is telling me we're gonna have )

 

Theonlybull, it sounds like you have an advantage over the average person in this instance.

Each one of us has to rationally justify what we are doing for safety ourselves. I know my statement doesn't go along with the consensus of this group, but it is what I believe. All I am saying is to stop and use objective critical thinking and not be subjective. I never said any one way is the best way or that it will work better in every situation.

Just because you have not witnessed any injuries or deaths does not make it safe. All statements of how safe our trucks are with modern child safety seats are pure conjecture.

 

Best thing for safety is not to drive!! It's probably the most dangerous activity any of us do.

I had a 96 GM before my current truck and here in canada they have a policy where you can take it to the dealer and they will install an anchor for you. I think it's actually considered a recall that they didn't come with one. All they did is bolt an anchor to the cab just as these guys are saying. I installed a second one myself because it was just silly.

I would say that the way the forces would be applied to the cab it should hold fine even in the sheet metal. Because the force will mostly be upwards it would have to tear the steel to fail.

I just put an anchor in my 79CC through the back of the cab and expect it to work fine in the event of an accident. The only addition I made was to use a large washer behind the cab to spread the load out. I'm more concerned about rollovers at this point.

Have you looked at the seat belt anchors on the front pillars? They just bolt into the sheet metal too. I'd think those were engineered properly to hold the forces involved in a crash. Plus, kids are a lot lighter

 

I Attached mine on the to the seat bottom. At the rear of the seat base there was an approx. 1" square tube crossmember running all the way across the seat base. (bench seat). I driiled thruogh both sides of the tubing, used a grade 8 bolt, lock nut, washers, etc. Its slightly difficult to get to, however it is very solid, I like it better than one or two layers of sheet metal. I can also move the seat ahead with the child seat anchored.