Child Seat Install on w123 TD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sd300td · #1 09-08-2008, 06:08 PM

Obviously there's no LATCH system on a 123. So I'm wondering if any wagon owners have added a top tether attachment, and if so, where?

It seems that the best spot would be between the strip of floor between the rear seat and storage door, which runs the width of the cargo area and maybe 6 inches wide. My wagon does not have the 3rd row seat. I noticed last night that there are a few screws holding down that piece of interior flooring.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure that the normal shoulder/lap belt will work fine, but as springy as those rear seats are, I think a top tether would add some stability.

LaughingGravy · #2 09-08-2008, 06:21 PM

You could always use the 1979-1985 method---mom or dad's arm.

If you have the headrest though, it may make sense to use the bars.

Is this for a newborn?
If so, you may be better off with a rear facing using the 3 point harness from the right or left side, as opposed to the middle seat spot.

Barring those suggestions, I'd bring your carseat and car to the local Police dept. and ask for some help, or at least call them to ask if there is a friendly car seat check coming up. If there's not and they're a good police dept, they may ask you to simply come down on a date when they have someone in the know.

.......so they can write you up.

Seriously though, call the local police or the seat manufacturer.

They may say to just get a new car, since yours has no airbags and with that diesel smell is obviously a greenhouse nightmare.
I get comments like that from time to time.

sd300td · #3 09-08-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaughingGravy

You could always use the 1979-1985 method---mom or dad's arm.

If you have the headrest though, it may make sense to use the bars.

Is this for a newborn?
If so, you may be better off with a rear facing using the 3 point harness from the right or left side, as opposed to the middle seat spot.

Barring those suggestions, I'd bring your carseat and car to the local Police dept. and ask for some help, or at least call them to ask if there is a friendly car seat check coming up. If there's not and they're a good police dept, they may ask you to simply come down on a date when they have someone in the know.

.......so they can write you up.

Seriously though, call the local police or the seat manufacturer.

They may say to just get a new car, since yours has no airbags and with that diesel smell is obviously a greenhouse nightmare.
I get comments like that from time to time.

No, it's for a one-year old. He just graduated from rear-facing. 99% of the time he'll ride in the wife's car. No headrests, but I wouldn't use those anyway as they're most likely not designed to withstand a crash, etc.

Chad300tdt · #4 09-08-2008, 08:25 PM

When I repaired my rear seat, I stuffed it with high density foam and made it stiff enough to support the car seats for my 2 kids. When they grow out of the car seat stage, I'll remove some of the stuffing so the seat is comfortable again.

My wagon is THE kid transporter for our household.

zeke · #5 09-08-2008, 08:47 PM

My father has a c230 with the LATCH sytem, but I tell ya, wifey and I prefer to keep the car seat in our 300TD. We have a 1.9 y.o. (He turns 2 next month). We have mostly used the lap belt in the center seat. It is super easy to attach and tighten. Much faster than dealing with the LATCH system. We have also used the 3 point harness (and soon will do so exclusively b/c we have a little girl on the way), but we don't have the little clip that helps keep the 3-pt belt tight.

As for us, wagon is THE kid transporter for us, too (except for special occasions when we go in "daddy's car"). Can't wait to use those rear facing seat in a few years

Chad300tdt · #6 09-08-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

My father has a c230 with the LATCH sytem, but I tell ya, wifey and I prefer to keep the car seat in our 300TD. We have a 1.9 y.o. (He turns 2 next month). We have mostly used the lap belt in the center seat. It is super easy to attach and tighten. Much faster than dealing with the LATCH system. We have also used the 3 point harness (and soon will do so exclusively b/c we have a little girl on the way), but we don't have the little clip that helps keep the 3-pt belt tight.

As for us, wagon is THE kid transporter for us, too (except for special occasions when we go in "daddy's car"). Can't wait to use those rear facing seat in a few years

Congratulations on the soon to arrive daughter.

I have a 2.5 YO son and a 1 YO daughter. My son is big enough for a front facing seat now and my daughter is using a rear facing seat that clicks into a base that stays in the car. It's much easier to carry her in the baby seat when I'm going places with both kids. That way I can set her down if I need to.

I already have a duplicate of the front facing car seat for my daughter ... that one can also be mounted rear facing, which it will be until her legs touch the seat back.

Here's the seat that clicks into the base that's mounted in the car.

SwampYankee · #7 09-09-2008, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

(and soon will do so exclusively b/c we have a little girl on the way), but we don't have the little clip that helps keep the 3-pt belt tight.

Congratulations on the impending princess! Just to bring a little reality check to Chad's "butterflies and lollipops" scenario of sleeping more with the second one

, we got very lucky with 1-3. #4 is still a PITA sleepwise at 2yo. (very headstrong, too). I always joke that if he was our first he'd be our only. And it's mostly kidding.

I think you can get those clips from the manufacturers, probably just for the cost of shipping. I picked up a couple clips from seats people had set out by the road since I have the propensity to lose them when switching from car to car. They are a must have item especially with the shoulder belt since they're not ratcheting but I use them in the center with the lap belt as well.

Chad300tdt · #8 09-09-2008, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

Congratulations on the impending princess! Just to bring a little reality check to Chad's "butterflies and lollipops" scenario of sleeping more with the second one

, we got very lucky with 1-3. #4 is still a PITA sleepwise at 2yo. (very headstrong, too). I always joke that if he was our first he'd be our only. And it's mostly kidding.

I think you can get those clips from the manufacturers, probably just for the cost of shipping. I picked up a couple clips from seats people had set out by the road since I have the propensity to lose them when switching from car to car. They are a must have item especially with the shoulder belt since they're not ratcheting but I use them in the center with the lap belt as well.

My wife and I are thankful the kids came in the order they did. We appreciated the tough setup for the easy second kid.

I lost one of those "H" clips before and found they sell them for less than $5 at Babies "R" Us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

That's definitely a problem with the umbrella types and some regular strollers. I know my brother paid an unreasonable amount of money for handle extensions, but they do exist. Making your own out of some metal pipe and maybe wrapping it with barbed wire will allow you to salvage at least a semblance of your manhood while pushing it.

LOL

zeke · #9 09-09-2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

My wife and I are thankful the kids came in the order they did. We appreciated the tough setup for the easy second kid.

I lost one of those "H" clips before and found they sell them for less than $5 at Babies "R" Us.

LOL

Cool, Thanks...we will go check that out. We will need that H-clip very very soon!

Wow, I was almost going to write that since you are selling the Acura you should replace it with a coupe!!! really!

Congrats! I will look forward to seeing it in another thread.

Before we got our wagon, I always lusted over yours (it's the same color as my 240D)

Wifey keeps saying that when we are past the car seat stage she wants to trade the 300TD for a SD and the 240D for a CD

@Swamp:
I like what you said about retrofitting some sort of LATCH system...sounds scary. I will show that comment to my wife. Should make sense to her.
We are sure hoping this baby will be easier (#1 didn't sleep throught the night for MONTHS!), but besides the sleeping part, our first is so well-behaved and sweet, we are afraid that the second could be like Danny DeVito in Twins...

mdesmarais14 · #10 09-09-2008, 09:41 AM

good to find some other dads here concerned about car seat installs. I like the idea of adding foam to the seat to make it firmer, think I'll try that, I have always been a bit skeptical of those springy seats.

. Also, we have had great luck with Maclaren strollers (http://www.maclarenbaby.com/us/index.php?lang=en&mosConfig_lang=english). They make nice umbrella strollers with high handles, very comfortable. They can be a bit pricey, but I have seen some good used ones on craigslist and ebay.

SwampYankee · #11 09-09-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

@Swamp:
I like what you said about retrofitting some sort of LATCH system...sounds scary. I will show that comment to my wife. Should make sense to her.
We are sure hoping this baby will be easier (#1 didn't sleep throught the night for MONTHS!), but besides the sleeping part, our first is so well-behaved and sweet, we are afraid that the second could be like Danny DeVito in Twins...

You just don't know how the vehicle body will react in an accident, I suspect a lot of time and money gets devoted to engineering those latch spots. They've got to be strong enough to withstand an accident yet be weak enough that each point doesn't come between parts and a body when they become loose.

I had a somewhat similar quandry when adding seatbelts to a vintage RV from the pre-seatbelt era. Some folks (on a vintage RV forum) said to bolt them through the frame or to wrap a chain around the frame and bolt them to the chain. My very first thought was that I don't want my kids', or any other passenger's, body to be the only thing between the body and the frame if they decide to separate themselves.

Considering my brother and I were just thrown in the back seat to fend for ourselves and survived, the new carseat design and factory seatbelts are infinitely more safe.

Now that I think of it, my sister (8 years younger than me) had a carseat. Hmmm....

zeke · #12 09-08-2008, 10:01 PM

Chad, we will have them 2 yrs apart. Looks like there is plenty of room there in the backseat. We are going to move our son's seat into my car, and get a new one for him. Someone is getting us a pumpkin seat like yours for our daughter's baby shower.

Our big debate is whether to get a double stroller or just hope that our son is old enough to walk around by the time she is out of the baby sling and into a stroller.

What do you guys do?

Nice Acura, too btw. I hadn't clicked on that link before.....
@sd300td
As I was typing this, wifey came in the room and I was telling her about this thread, and she wants me to keep an on it 'cause she had the same question.

Chad300tdt · #13 09-08-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

Chad, we will have them 2 yrs apart. Looks like there is plenty of room there in the backseat. We are going to move our son's seat into my car, and get a new one for him. Someone is getting us a pumpkin seat like yours for our daughter's baby shower.

Our big debate is whether to get a double stroller or just hope that our son is old enough to walk around by the time she is out of the baby sling and into a stroller.

What do you guys do?

Nice Acura, too btw. I hadn't clicked on that link before.....

Zeke, If your son is turning 2 next month, your wife must be anxious to get to the hospital.

For us, number 2 was easy and we didn't lose as much sleep as we did with number 1.

My son walked early, so we just have umbrella strollers for the two of them. When I'm alone with them, he walks and the daughter gets a stroller or shopping cart ride. When the wife is with us, we each take a kid and a stroller. I didn't like any of the two seater strollers we looked at since they all would mean one of the parents would have to wait in the hall at malls while the other went into the stores. Other than the department stores, those strollers don't navigate well though the small isles. If I could find a double stroller that was no wider than an umbrella stroller and only like 1 foot longer, I'd buy it.

Thanks for the Acura compliment. We've had fun with it, but its new owner is supposed to be picking it up tomorrow and then the ad will be removed.

Then we're off the pick up my wife's "new" 1985 300CD.

SwampYankee · #14 09-09-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

Zeke, If your son is turning 2 next month, your wife must be anxious to get to the hospital.

For us, number 2 was easy and we didn't lose as much sleep as we did with number 1.

My son walked early, so we just have umbrella strollers for the two of them. When I'm alone with them, he walks and the daughter gets a stroller or shopping cart ride. When the wife is with us, we each take a kid and a stroller. I didn't like any of the two seater strollers we looked at since they all would mean one of the parents would have to wait in the hall at malls while the other went into the stores. Other than the department stores, those strollers don't navigate well though the small isles. If I could find a double stroller that was no wider than an umbrella stroller and only like 1 foot longer, I'd buy it.

Thanks for the Acura compliment. We've had fun with it, but its new owner is supposed to be picking it up tomorrow and then the ad will be removed.

Then we're off the pick up my wife's "new" 1985 300CD.

First, you lucky dog! Congrats!

Even though there were 3 years between #3 and #4, #3 was slow to develop so he was riding a lot longer than usual. We had both the double wide umbrella and a front and back double stroller. The only advantage the double wide had was its light weight. Otherwise it was useless anywhere but in a parking lot. The front and back worked very well 99% of the time. There was an occasional aisle that was too closely spaced to the turn but otherwise it was just a matter of lining up your turns. Not unlike driving a semi.

Chad300tdt · #15 09-09-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

First, you lucky dog! Congrats!

Even though there were 3 years between #3 and #4, #3 was slow to develop so he was riding a lot longer than usual. We had both the double wide umbrella and a front and back double stroller. The only advantage the double wide had was its light weight. Otherwise it was useless anywhere but in a parking lot. The front and back worked very well 99% of the time. There was an occasional aisle that was too closely spaced to the turn but otherwise it was just a matter of lining up your turns. Not unlike driving a semi.

Thanks, I hope it all goes well today.

I'll have to go looking at strollers again. My main complaint about strollers is the height of the handles for the pusher. I wish they made them adjustable. I've been considering extending the handles on ours with some pieces of metal pipe and some sheet metal screws. I'd like another 6" on the handles so I don't keep kicking the wheels on the stroller.

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