Bad Idea? - is this safe? (car seat setup Pics)s

911longhorn · 11:21 AM

Fellas, take a look at this and tell me what would be wrong with this set up ... I followed the thread on the century breverra so I thot I'd try it out myself .. well I found that the latch pivotted too much to keep the seat secure to my satisfaction so I thot I'd help anchor it a bit with some tie wraps .. other than the inconvenience of not being to remove the seat until I cut the tie wraps .. can anyone see how this may not be safe for my kid? Thanks!

ok ... from all the good comments - this is an extrememly bad idea ... thanks everybody ..appreciate the help .. now does anyone have any experience in making this work that will be safe for us?

Grant

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

I don't have any experience w/ car seats at all but I think the tie wraps will be history in an accident. If the tie wraps only hold things tight and there is plenty of restraint w/o them I'd say it’s fine. Otherwise, no way.

gblumenstock · 10-04-2002, 09:53 AM

If you are posting this you are obviously concerned. There is nothing like taking the little ones for a ride in the p-car but I would not sacrafice safety one bit. I would say no way to your setup. There are car seats that are designed to fit properly in the back (Porsche modeles). I would search and spring for one of those.

GB

Graham Archer · 10-04-2002, 09:54 AM

I don't think this is a good idea. It will allow the seat to rotate towards the door before the belt starts to resist the load (the tie-wraps are irrelevant in a crash).

911longhorn · 10-04-2002, 09:55 AM

excellent point, these are not twist tie garbage can tie wraps ... these are the ratcheting kind ... they are very strong ...while i am not a mechanical engineer ... it would take tons of pull (tensile?) to break a tie wrap. ... but you pose a good point ...do I double up on the tie wraps ???

911longhorn · 10-04-2002, 09:57 AM

Graham, I'm not sure I follow ... btw I did the same thing on the other side

ScotMcLean · ScotMcLean's Garage

The plastic ties would not hold up in a significant impact and I would not reply on them. To solve the same problem of forward movement/belt slippage I used a small grade 8 bolt/nut assembly through the latch which prevented slippage. Properly installed it is quite effective. In addition the rear luggage hook is used to the top restraining point with the stock safety seat hook and the lower one used to generally secure the seat with an additional belt and hook assembly. Finally a trip to our local fire department and an inspection brought a thumbs up, which in my opinion, is an important step. I can replace the car.

I think you can search the 912 BBS for a more detailed response and I know I posted pictures on www.socal912.org with instructions. Use the search function as it is a thread from a couple months ago.

My twins love riding with me and have known from day 1 that the engine is the radio in daddy's car. Best wishes.

Scott, 76 912E #86, 69 912 #(2)3078

Chuck Moreland · 10-04-2002, 10:02 AM

Hard to tell what is happening from the pics and description.

But if you are expecting those zip ties to restrain the seat in an accident, no way. Not even close.

DByers · 10-04-2002, 10:15 AM

Have to agree that the tie wraps are a bad idea. One idea is to use the teather option if the seat came with one. If you have a luggage bracket on the rear shelf, you could use that for an anchor point. Just my .02

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

Looks like retroactive birth control to me...

911longhorn · 10-04-2002, 10:33 AM

ok, great....thanks for the input ... now where are those scissors to cut these stupid tie wraps ....

Scott ..found the thread on the 912 bbs ... let you know if I have any questions ... thanks again guys....any other ideas would be helpful ... the main issue is the pivotting ... I have shoulder portion pretty snug ..just not in the lap area.

Grant

Jim T · 10-04-2002, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 911longhorn
excellent point, these are not twist tie garbage can tie wraps ... these are the ratcheting kind ... they are very strong ...while i am not a mechanical engineer ... it would take tons of pull (tensile?) to break a tie wrap. ... but you pose a good point ...do I double up on the tie wraps ???

Umm, it does NOT take "tons of pull" to break a tie wrap.

Those things pull apart very easily. I pop those things open with very little pressure all the time.

kanihitit · 10-04-2002, 11:01 AM

In an impact, those tie wraps will be as strong as 10LB test line. Is there anything preventing you from anchoring (the proper way) the seat with another passenger middle seat belt (donor car needed) through the arm that the upper tie wrap is attached to?

PS. I dont think the "Mothering" species in your life is gonna buy the tie wrap thing anyway. Save yourself the verbal flogging.

911longhorn · 10-04-2002, 11:09 AM

alright already about the tie wraps ... BAD idea .... I should join a gym so I can break those tie wraps in a single bound like Jim T. =^)

kanihitit, now that's a decent idea ... I should be able to look into that but then the same question is how strong is that arm.

I wonder if replacing the seat belt with the self locking (wrong term I'm sure) kind would help. I thot of the lap belt process but to get it snug enough my child would be sitting on the belt and not the contour of the seat .... sadly this thing fits great in the front seat.

Grant

Jdub · 10-04-2002, 11:14 AM

This is not safe for your child. You must find another solution.

John

dd74 · 10-04-2002, 11:31 AM

As blunt as Jdub is, he is completely correct. I don't know at all by the photos or the tie wraps what you're doing, but I can tell you this: if you're stopped, and a cop looks in and sees anything -- and I mean anything strangely rigged with your child's seat -- in a Porsche no less - your problems will be more serious than you can imagine. The car alone is almost a disaster waiting to happen when kids are involved. I stopped taking my daughter around in my P-car because of family pressures, the disparaging looks of fellow drivers, and mostly a hell of a lot of worry about pending accidents. Maybe you're different about safety issues, but I live in L.A. - land of the worst drivers on Earth, and not kid-friendly at all when it comes to the little ones in the back or anywhere else inside little cars. My advice: get another car, like an SUV, drive your child around in that until they are large enough to fit in the front of your Porsche, inside the proper standard seats with proper seatbelts. If not and the alternative happens, you will never forgive yourself.

I hate to sound acerbic about this -- and I'm not at all criticizing you or anyone else who wants to drive their child in their Porsches, but in my opinion, my reflection has been the car is hands-down not safe enough for a small person, at least not with the massive vehicles that are so much larger than a 911.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

BAD IDEA. Tie wraps are good for holding cables - not children. I've broken cables with my hands, and I'm not anywhere near a body builder. The tie wraps would be toast in an accident - similar to using yarn. Imaging a concrete block being dropped from 6 feet off the ground, and the tie wraps breaking the fall. Wouldn't happen.

Remove the rear seats, and drill into the chassis. Make sure that you use a backing plate - as the seat will rip the sheet metal in a severe accident...

-Wayne

911longhorn · 10-04-2002, 11:44 AM

you guys are right, I absolutely want to have it be at maximum safety ..... now if the only way to be secure it in the back seat is to drill into the chassis, I can't see that any of the other solutions I have read are even close.... at this point should I give up and wait until my son is older

I think it would be fun to have him along but not if it's not safe

Grant

dd74 · 10-04-2002, 11:47 AM

Waiting until he's older is the best idea of any. In the meantime, rip the backseats out entirely to make it lighter.

old_skul · 10-04-2002, 11:57 AM

Hey, did anyone mention that the tie wraps are a bad idea?

dd74's post concerned me, for several reasons: first of all, admonishing looks from other drivers are what I get all the time, just for the sin of driving a 911 while they're stuck in a Camry they owe more on. Parents? Whatever. Be a man.

And for god's sake, don't encourage people to buy SUVs. A 911 is a far safer vehicle than a roll-o-matic gas-guzzling SUV hauling a 102lb mama on a cell phone sipping a latte while adjusting her fake boobs and combing her hair and putting on makeup.