2x child seats: location & also protection from little savages?
04-22-2019, 05:19 PM
#21
Senior Member
I use a folded bath towel under the kids seats..... easy to remove, shake out, replace. Or, you can swap for different colors when you want.
overall very easy, effective and already available in your house. Luckily for me, my kids are in booster seats so I no longer worry about the bottom anchors, or running the belt through the back of the seat.... that was always the hardest part for me!
overall very easy, effective and already available in your house. Luckily for me, my kids are in booster seats so I no longer worry about the bottom anchors, or running the belt through the back of the seat.... that was always the hardest part for me!
I have a piece of thick cardboard in between the blanket on the bottom seat to keep indents from forming in the leather, also have a towel and cardboard behind the seats to protect the leather. Works great and is easy to clean.
04-22-2019, 05:40 PM
#22
I have had 2 car seats in my truck since I got it. When they were using seats with integrated harnesses, I had them next to one another behind the driver and in the middle. Currently, they are set up as one behind the driver and one behind the passenger. This is for a couple reasons...First, they are able to fight/hit one another much less with a little distance between them. Second, the first set of carseats had built in harnesses, so I didn't have to access the seatbelt release much, if at all. Once they moved into using the carseat as more of a booster and using the trucks seatbelts, I moved them apart so that the female belt buckle could be accessed more easily.
When I had seats that used the LATCH system, I put a towel underneath them to prevent indentations/damage on the leather and to catch any food/drink. I would just suggest making sure you can get to the latches easily if you put then next to eachother.
When I had seats that used the LATCH system, I put a towel underneath them to prevent indentations/damage on the leather and to catch any food/drink. I would just suggest making sure you can get to the latches easily if you put then next to eachother.
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blkZ28spt (05-13-2019)
04-22-2019, 08:18 PM
#24
Many states require the use of a latch system, if present. There is a reason that they are required in new vehicles.
That being said, in order to put a carseat in the middle, you would have to piggyback on one of the latch anchors, attaching two latch straps to it. I am not a LEO or carseat designer, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is frowned upon, if not downright illegal. The anchors are designed to anchor a single seat, and may not be rated for the doubling of the load.
Even if that is not an issue, when you transition to front facing seats, you will have an entirely different problem. Front facing seats require the use of the top anchor, and there are no provisions for this in the middle seat.
As far as protecting your truck, I recommend you find a purpose-designed seat protector for use with carseats. These tend to have some structural rigidity which will help to reduce the impressions and dimples the carseat will inevitably put in the seats of your truck (nothing will really prevent them entirely). Search for the one with the highest seat back protection, because once you go forward facing, the top of the carseat will also put impressions into your back seat.
A normal seat cover may be great for stain prevention, but it will do nothing to protect your truck from the constant pressure of the carseat body pressing into your upholstery.
Once the kids are forward facing, I recommend seat back protectors for the front seats. Dirty little shoes love to find there way onto the backs of the front seats. Many of these protectors are also equipped with helpful storage compartments for napkins, wipes, snacks, sippy cups, etc.
Luckily my two are both in boosters now, so the upholstery is finally getting a bit of a reprieve.
That being said, in order to put a carseat in the middle, you would have to piggyback on one of the latch anchors, attaching two latch straps to it. I am not a LEO or carseat designer, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is frowned upon, if not downright illegal. The anchors are designed to anchor a single seat, and may not be rated for the doubling of the load.
Even if that is not an issue, when you transition to front facing seats, you will have an entirely different problem. Front facing seats require the use of the top anchor, and there are no provisions for this in the middle seat.
As far as protecting your truck, I recommend you find a purpose-designed seat protector for use with carseats. These tend to have some structural rigidity which will help to reduce the impressions and dimples the carseat will inevitably put in the seats of your truck (nothing will really prevent them entirely). Search for the one with the highest seat back protection, because once you go forward facing, the top of the carseat will also put impressions into your back seat.
A normal seat cover may be great for stain prevention, but it will do nothing to protect your truck from the constant pressure of the carseat body pressing into your upholstery.
Once the kids are forward facing, I recommend seat back protectors for the front seats. Dirty little shoes love to find there way onto the backs of the front seats. Many of these protectors are also equipped with helpful storage compartments for napkins, wipes, snacks, sippy cups, etc.
Luckily my two are both in boosters now, so the upholstery is finally getting a bit of a reprieve.
04-22-2019, 08:57 PM
#26
Great info! As an FYI...4Knines seat covers are waterproof, heavy-duty covers and are LATCH compatible. Take a look at our Crew Cab Cover and let us know if you have any questions.
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blkZ28spt (05-13-2019)
04-24-2019, 10:58 AM
#28
Senior Member
I bought 2 of those seat protectors - I forget the name but I know why I picked them. vinyl/rubber covered stiff cardboard or plastic inner layer - covers the seat (leather seats) and the car seat rides on it. Reduced the depressions the car seats make in the leather. but also - take the brunt of sticky things that get dropped.
doing it again I would have gotten a rubber sheet to cover the rear seat - put stiff cardboard under it - some stretch fabric seat cover (like that cover king) on top of the cardboard - then rubber sheet on the cover.
car seat on the rubber. why that matters - the car seat will slide around a bit if it doesn't have something to grab to. yes even when you have the straps so tight they are depressed in the seat 2 inches.
Which is why the purchased seat protectors have some rubbery feel on one side to help hold things in place.
They are also easy to clean. MIne were something like 20 dollars each - and given to me.
OH and 4.3 going on 30, and 1.1 going on 12 daughters. Put one on one side - and one on the other.
doing it again I would have gotten a rubber sheet to cover the rear seat - put stiff cardboard under it - some stretch fabric seat cover (like that cover king) on top of the cardboard - then rubber sheet on the cover.
car seat on the rubber. why that matters - the car seat will slide around a bit if it doesn't have something to grab to. yes even when you have the straps so tight they are depressed in the seat 2 inches.
Which is why the purchased seat protectors have some rubbery feel on one side to help hold things in place.
They are also easy to clean. MIne were something like 20 dollars each - and given to me.
OH and 4.3 going on 30, and 1.1 going on 12 daughters. Put one on one side - and one on the other.