This thread is just more for my curiosity, but who here uses an infant car seat base in their F150 scab? I became a father this past September, and we're actually taking our first family trip in the F150 this weekend. I went to install the base, and one thing I noticed and surprised me, is that my truck doesn't have those little metal clips that you clip the car seat base to. I've been in a 2003 F150, basically same truck as mine, and that one had them. I was surprised that my 2002 didn't.

Not a huge deal, I can still get the base tightened down enough with just the seat belt, but I have nothing to fasten those extra clips\belt to. My wife and I each have newer SUV's and we usually take those with the kid, but need to take the truck this weekend.

 

I have had one in my truck don't have the braccktes for the hold downs either. I believe it was in 03 that they became mandotory, like air bags and tpms also now.

 

I have had everything from rear facing infant seats to booster seats. Not much room back there.. but it works. I try to avoid it by using the car when possible. I also don't have the hold downs.

 

Here in SC if you dont have the anchors you cannot install a car seat by law. If you get pulled over its a 2500 dollar fine, no ifs ands or buts about it. If they are not there, then its not safe to have the car seat in there. Thats why cars have anchor points for the car seat. Its your child you are putting in danger so could you live with yourself if your little one dies because of your carelessness. Maybe its something to think about....

 

i have one in mine and its a pain since we dont have the hooks but i get by with it in the middle of the back seat. the carrier fit ok but now that i have the convertable recaro one in there it pokes towards the front seats but doesnt get in the way of them moving.

also with the buckets and the big car seat he did good going from cs to dallas which is a 3:30hr drive each way

chris when in september? thats when my son was born.

 

Wow, thanks for the lesson and all, but I'm fully aware of the laws and how to install the seat. As per my instructions:

1
Locate your vehicle's anchor points. Many models have them built into the lower seat, while others have them located on the rear ceiling or behind the rear seat's headrests.


I have the upper anchors, was just curious what years they started with the lower anchors as well.

 

Yeah, the middle is definitely the only place I could fit this rear facing seat. I got the base installed last night. We're taking an hour trip Saturday to see some family and haul some stuff for them. First family ride in the ole' F150!

september eh, My son was born Sept. 14th, that's awesome man, Congratulations to you guys.

 

I'm sorry but honestly that's one of the dumbest laws I've ever heard. If you own one car and have a child and the car doesn't have anchors then your forced to by a new car?? That's just something that the government shouldn't be able to force you to do. If they weren't safe why would they make them able to attach via a seat belt?

 

Contests should be fun haha. Mine was sept 23

 

one more for this comment

 

I know I said the same thing but it makes sense, the fire dept gave me a brochure of a company that makes universal hooks you can install and I dont think they were all that much. It just gave me a reason to get a 4 door truck which I have always wanted. Maybe you can call ford or shop online for some aftermarket ones.

 

blitz,

This is all I could find about seat restraints for kids. Where did you find the anchor information?

South Carolina’s child passenger restraint law

Synopsis of law:
South Carolina’s child passenger restraint law requires that:

* Children from birth to 1 year old, or who weigh less than 20 pounds, must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat.
* Children 1 through 5 years old weighing 20 to 40 pounds must be restrained in a forward-facing child seat.
* Children 1 through 5 years old weighing 40 to 80 pounds must be secured in a belt-positioning booster seat.
* Children under the age of 6 are not required to be in booster seats if they weigh more than 80 pounds or if they can sit with their backs against the car's seat and bend their legs over the seat edge without slouching.
* Children under 6 may not sit in the front passenger seat. However, this restriction does not apply if the vehicle has no rear passenger seats or if all other rear passenger seats are occupied by children less than 6 years old.
*

Violators are subject to a $150 fine. This law does not apply to taxis, church, school and day care buses, or commercial vehicles.


Entire text of law:

ARTICLE 47.
CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM


SECTION 56-5-6410. Child passenger restraint systems; age and weight as basis for required restraining system; standards.
Every driver of a motor vehicle (passenger car, pickup truck, van, or recreational vehicle) operated on the highways and streets of this State when transporting a child five years of age or younger upon the public streets and highways of the State must provide an appropriate child passenger restraint system and must secure the child as follows:
(1) A child from birth up to one year of age or who weighs less than twenty pounds must be properly secured in a rear-facing child safety seat which meets the standards prescribed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
(2) A child who is at least one year of age but less than six years of age and who weighs at least twenty pounds but less than forty pounds must be secured in a forward-facing child safety seat provided in the motor vehicle which meets the standards prescribed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
(3) A child who is at least one year of age but less than six years of age and who weighs at least forty pounds but not more than eighty pounds must be secured by a belt-positioning booster seat. The belt-positioning booster seat must be used with both lap and shoulder belts. A booster seat must not be used with a lap belt alone.
(4) If a child is at least one year of age but less than six years of age and weighs more than eighty pounds, the child may be restrained in an adult safety belt. If a child less than six years of age can sit with his back straight against the vehicle seat back cushion, with his knees bent over the vehicle's seat edge without slouching, the child may be seated in the regular back seat and secured by an adult safety belt.
(5) A child who is less than six years of age must not occupy a front passenger seat of a motor vehicle. This restriction does not apply if the motor vehicle does not have rear passenger seats or if all rear passenger seats are occupied by other children less than six years of age. Any child restraint system of a type sufficient to meet the physical standards prescribed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at the time of its manufacture is sufficient to meet the requirements of this article.

SECTION 56-5-6420. Transportation of children with insufficient number of restraint devices. If all the seating positions with restraint devices are occupied by children under the age of six years, a child may be transported and the driver of the motor vehicle is not in violation of the provisions of this article, but priority must be given to children under the age of six years, according to their ages.

SECTION 56-5-6430. Use of restraint device not required under certain circumstances. The provisions of this article do not apply if a child being transported is being fed, has a physical impairment, or a medical problem or any distress which makes it impractical to use a child restraint system. Alternate restraint protection, such as safety belts, must be utilized if possible.

SECTION 56-5-6440. Persons and vehicles excepted from article.
The provisions of this article do not apply to:
(1) Taxi drivers.
(2) Drivers of emergency vehicles when operating in an emergency situation.
(3) Church, day care and school bus drivers.
(4) Public transportation operators.
(5) Commercial vehicles.

SECTION 56-5-6445. Applicability of chapter.
The provisions of this article apply to all motor vehicles equipped with safety belts.

SECTION 56-5-6450. Custodial arrest not authorized; penalties for violation of article; waiver. No person shall be subjected to a custodial arrest for violation of the provisions of this article. Any person violating the provisions of this article shall upon conviction be fined not more than twenty-five dollars. The court shall waive any fine against any person who, before, or upon the appearance date on the summons, supplies the court with evidence of acquisition, purchase or rental of a child restraint system meeting the requirements of this article.

SECTION 56-5-6460. Violation of article not to constitute negligence.
A violation of this article shall not constitute negligence, per se, contributory negligence nor be admissible as evidence in any trial of any civil action.

SECTION 56-5-6470. Enforcement after June 30, 1984.
After June 30, 1984, any person violating the provisions of Article 47 of Chapter 5 of Title 56 may be, when apprehended, issued a summons, to appear in court for the violation, but no person shall at any time be placed under arrest or taken into custody for such a violation, other than upon a warrant issued for failure to appear in court in accordance with the summons or upon failure to pay a fine duly imposed by a court upon conviction.

 

Heres a dumb question. What the heck are the anchors? Anybody post pictures up. When i built my truck ( bought it as a roll over in 2002) I dont remember any special brackets in the back.


I dont have kids yet, but probably will some day. Id like to think i will be still driving the "Tough Ford" so this raises my question.

 

The ones I'm talking about (that I don't have) look like the picture I posted (and that's not my old decrepit hand, I google image searched lol) . They're not really visible until you feel around for them where the bottom seat cushion meets the lower seat back. It seems like these became standard in all vehicles 2003 and up. My father in law has my same exact truck, except it's an 03'. My 02' does not have them.


Another option for you (and I actually want to confirm these are okay) is the upper anchors. I had to pull my rear upper seat back cushion out some, and I found a nylon anchor point (behind all 3 belted seating areas) all folded with rubber bands (rubber bands were a bit dry rotted from the factory ). I was able to fasten up to those. I can't find a picture of those, but I'll most up some pics of mine this weekend.

 

Hmm never seen those, any idea what they bolt to?