Child Seat LATCH System Retrofit 1991 E300
 

My wife and I are expecting our first in a few weeks. I would like to know what is necessary for me to do to retrofit a LATCH anchoring system (top strap anchor and/or side anchors) into a 1991 E300 (W124). I've done some research and there is apparently a nut already welded for the top anchor, but I must locate some form of bolt extension kit. Does PeachParts carry this item?

Thanks

Answer
 

Call with your VIN#, and we can answer your part questions.. :D

Thanks a lot. Unfortunately, this appears to be a dealer only thing due to liability.

I don't think Phil will hold you liable.

Based on my talk with Phil, I talked to the dealership near me. I gave him the make and model, then later the VIN. Apparently Mercedes never made an option kit available for this model and year. So, the best and only approach will be through seatbelt securing of the child seat.

Thanks for the help!

More peculiar questions coming soon!

Seatbelt securing works very well. There's a blue plastic and steel winch like device we use to secure the babyseats in our cars. You can get it at Babies R Us. In my (former) 94 E500, we were hit head on by an out of control Toyota Sequoia. My (then 3 year old) son's seat didn't budge.

LATCH systems should never be retro fitted to an older car, unless the car's manufacturer has an approved LATCH kit for sale. As noted above seat belts, when properly used on the car seat, do a better job of securing the seat then the latch system. It's just missing the convenience factor.


The following link is definitely a procedure that should not be followed.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-LATCH-system-retrofit/


Excerpt from the site... Again this should not be followed. In the case of this fellow, If the car has no seat belts, have seat belts installed professionally.

And this is definitely a no no!

:eek:


.

"...so I decided to custom fabricate a LATCH system of my own to enable the safe transport of my daughter while avoiding the expense and hassle of getting seatbelts put in."


ACK!! :eek:

Poor kid... hope no accidents there. Man he could of at least used bigger washers! When it comes to kids, the expense and hassle is well worth it!

This is very interesting. I am planning to do this very same upgrade for transporting my daughter in our older Mercedes. No matter how much I crush the baby seat into the factory seat and pull the belts tight, by the time we reach our destination, her seat is loose.

i like the idea that the gentlemen used in the link above, I dont know that the eye bolts are strong enough, I plan to use a "U" bolt. I am not crazy about the small washers in that example either. The "U" bolt option requires 2 holes drilled so I feel it best to use a plate to back it up. That should be plenty strong.

No comment on the top mount. I will later share what I do for that. In our 300SDL and E300, I would use the same method as the bottom, through the steel of the hat shelf. In the 300TDT, I have to see what possibilities exist.

Why would someone put effort into adding seat belts when direct clip is the best option?

Seat belts are safer than LATCH systems. The only thing you need is this device called the Mighty Tite which will help you tighten the belt as far as possible and keep it from getting loose. As I said in an earlier post, we were in a head on collision with a Toyota Sequoia in my 124 and my kid's seat, which was fastened by the stock seatbelt, tightened by one of these, did not move an inch.http://www.topoftheline.com/car-seat-belt-tightener.html

I don't like his eye-bolts* either, nor do I like his caribiners; but, I understand why he would want something better than those crappy latches that come on the LATCH safety seats. Those latches suck! And they barely open up wide enough to fit on LATCH points in new cars. As far as the strength of the eye-bolts? I'd bet they are stronger than the plastic child-seat, stronger than the force needed to do tragic damage to baby, and hence, strong enough fit the intended purpose.

* Doubtless, those stickers have an anti-liability notice on them. I can't read it, but let me paraphrase what I'd expect it to read "For decoration only"