Rear Seat Tether Anchor (2 Viewers)

[camino70]

ihadmail's thread had me reevaluate my current situation, so a big thanks to him for bringing it up.

Our main kid hauler is a 2004 LC with tether anchors:

2004 Rear Tether

• camino70
• Mar 30, 2016

My 1998 does NOT have the tether anchors and I'm currently using the cargo clip:

1998 cargo anchor

• camino70
• Mar 30, 2016

Some searching it looks like some guys use the third row seat anchors, this seems like a better idea than my current cargo tie down....

I think I'm going to head to the local toyo dealer and get 73709-12010.

It looks like this is the carpet cut out for it?

1998 carpet

• camino70
• Mar 30, 2016

Under the carpet is a plugged hole:

1998 plug

• camino70
• Mar 30, 2016

Just in case you haven't pulled the cargo carpet back, this is how its secured:

1998 velcro

• camino70
• Mar 30, 2016

Any advice before I head to the dealer?

TIA!

 

[camino70]

I picked up the tether anchor today:

tether anchor

• camino70
• Apr 2, 2016

Then pulled the plug (shoulda pulled plug earlier in the week....) to find just a hole, no welded nut on the other side:

top hole

• camino70
• Apr 2, 2016

Then it took me a moment and the help of a four year old with a flashlight to find the other side of the hole. The outer holes are above the coil spring housing. I have a screw driver circled in red and the coil spring housing circled in blue:

Under hole

• camino70
• Apr 2, 2016

Not sure what the proper course of action is at this point and could use some advice.

Do I get a quality nut, washer, plate for the under side and try to mount the tether anchor above the coil spring or go with the center (we have three kids, two in boosters, one in a car seat)?

Or keep using the cargo hold down for the tether?

Or use the third row seat anchor?

TIA.

 

[Julian Stead]

Have you looked what toyota used to fix the tether anchors in your 2004, they might sell a special nut as there is a hole there which makes you think it might of been a option on a 1998.

 

[camino70]

I think because Canada mandated anchors in 1980, most Toyota's in the US came prepared with anchor points and perforated carpet. I don't have the link in front of me, but it looks like 97-00 (yes I believe it's 97) LX and LC was carved out as NOT retrofittable, I think two or three other models too. Almost all other Toyota's have a welded nut in place enabling retrofit.

The 2004 came installed:

04 anchor

• camino70
• Apr 2, 2016

 

[camino70]

I didn't find any parts for the welded nut so I did this instead:

anchor plate

• camino70
• Apr 8, 2016

Up top installed:

anchor installed

• camino70
• Apr 8, 2016

Cut a slit in the cargo cover (it already has big holes in it for the third row seats):

slit in cover

• camino70
• Apr 8, 2016

Then installed the mat pushed closer to the front of the truck and slid it back:

cargo mat

• camino70
• Apr 8, 2016

Attached the tether (I moved the seat to the center, I was lazy and didn't want to mess with getting the tether anchor installed on the outside):

tether installed

• camino70
• Apr 8, 2016

I know this isn't factory, but has to be somewhat better than no tether anchor at all, no?

 

[yotasavg]

What is that anchor plate made from? I'm interested by this as the only reason I'd ever sell my '98 is to trade up to one with the LATCH system as my wife and I have started considering a kid in the next couple years.

 

[mister bean]

What is that anchor plate made from? I'm interested by this as the only reason I'd ever sell my '98 is to trade up to one with the LATCH system as my wife and I have started considering a kid in the next couple years.

LATCH isn't any more secure than installation with a seatbelt. In some cases it's a bit easier to install, but when properly installed, they're both effective. I wouldn't buy a new one just for that.

 

[TXLX100]

LATCH isn't any more secure than installation with a seatbelt. In some cases it's a bit easier to install, but when properly installed, they're both effective. I wouldn't buy a new one just for that.

I agree. I have two non latch vehicles and prefer it. We had a newer 4Runner and wife and I had to pay attention that the latch actually secured. I think there is a weight limit anyway. No weight limit with seat belts.

 

[yotasavg]

Interesting, I appreciate the advice from both of you. I have much to learn in regard to child safety! Pretty sure my dad just threw me in there and went for it... His first truck when I was a kid didn't even have seat belts!

 

[camino70]

I agree with the guys above, latch isn't any more secure, but it is more user friendly. I don't remember the years things changed, but our main kid hauler is a 2004 LC, with latch on two of the three in the second row, tether anchors and side curtain airbags. The '98 has none of these from the factory in the US.

I just used a piece of steel I had in the shed about the same length/width(but thicker) of the plate on the 2004. If I were to do it again, I'd try to source something like these:

seatsafe

• camino70
• Apr 10, 2016

SeatSafe - Child Harness Tether Anchor Assembly Kit
and
SeatSafe - Reinforcing Plate for Child Restraint

 

[MattyO]

I am having issues installing this in mine. Can anyone provide instructions for how your attached to vehicle? Mine is a 98 and does not have the plate/nut, just a hole. I have a really large washer that is very thick. I was trying to use that an a nut. I cannot get it tight enough. The tether still rotates. I tried to tighten it more and broke the bolt in two. What am I doing wrong? Is the tether supposed to be able to turn some, I would think it is not???

 

[camino70]

Which solution did you go with? I want to say the factory part will have some rotational play.

I'll go check my 03 to see. The 98 is no longer with us.

 

[MattyO]

I went with the factory part listed above. My carpets had the indentions for it but nothing on the underside to secure it. I went thick fender washer route but it turned

 

[camino70]

My 2003 factory anchors spin.

 

[Alibaster]

I know everyone is going to tell me that it isn't safe and my children are going to die, but I actually just have a chain I run from the cargo clips for the latch system. They're still held in by the seatbelts but I don't like the wiggle with the seatbelts.

 

[Otter]

When I added my cargo deck, I replaced the tether anchors with a climbing anchor.

 

[Alibaster]

My main issue was I run three carseats across the second row, so I wanted to keep them all secure without cranking them down so hard via the shoulder belt and getting them off level. I put them all in with the seatbelts, then just use the latch attachments on the chain I put on between the cargo clips on the sides and it actually worked out very well, they don't move at all and it cost me some extra chain I had.

 

[digitalmarker]

Mandatory disclaimer: this is not a DOT approved solution. My experience only, read at your own risk.

@camino70 thanks for this post and putting me on the right path! Finding the pre-drilled holes was a big step.

I ended up getting the kits from the Australian site (seat safe). However, their tether bolts were too narrow and did not fit the pre-drilled holes in my 99. Looked great online though so I thought it was worth a shot.

I ended up ordering the factory tether bolts, OEM nuts with an integrated crush washer to prevent them from spinning, and using the 3mm thick washer as a pull through backstop from the bottom.

SeatSafe wrote this to me:

Under the Australian Standards the 771-007 assembly is sufficient to secure a child seat on its own and the large washer acting as the pull through plate. When securing the backing plate under the car people use the CRP1 plate as this can be pop riveted under the panel and then the anchorage kit can be secured easily. If you use just the anchorage kit 771-007 on its own the plate/washer and nut are loose and this presents a problem for easy installation so people normally get both CRP1 and 771-007.

I have a 99 LC and I have three kids so three seats. Installing the center tether was very easy. The other two was actually pretty hard because the access to these areas was extremely limited, especially the passenger side because of a thick AC line that runs right around the coil tower cap. I literally had to use one hand to hold the nut in a wrench, long tweezers in the other hand holding the washer, a friend holding the anchor from the top And slid on the washer and the nut to put it all together.

But, all said and done I got them in, and I can sleep better at night knowing they are setup correctly instead of hooking them onto the cargo hooks which are not rated for the same amount of force in case of a collision (plus there is no center cargo hook). Definitely beats driving kids around with tethers at all, or having to sell the truck and buy a new one.

Now I need to do the same thing in my 80, which does not have any pre-drilled holes in the floor.

Here are some pics:

 

[Brandrup]

Mandatory disclaimer: this is not a DOT approved solution. My experience only, read at your own risk.

@camino70 thanks for this post and putting me on the right path! Finding the pre-drilled holes was a big step.

I ended up getting the kits from the Australian site (seat safe). However, their tether bolts were too narrow and did not fit the pre-drilled holes in my 99. Looked great online though so I thought it was worth a shot.

I ended up ordering the factory tether bolts, OEM nuts with an integrated crush washer to prevent them from spinning, and using the 3mm thick washer as a pull through backstop from the bottom.

SeatSafe wrote this to me:

Under the Australian Standards the 771-007 assembly is sufficient to secure a child seat on its own and the large washer acting as the pull through plate. When securing the backing plate under the car people use the CRP1 plate as this can be pop riveted under the panel and then the anchorage kit can be secured easily. If you use just the anchorage kit 771-007 on its own the plate/washer and nut are loose and this presents a problem for easy installation so people normally get both CRP1 and 771-007.

I have a 99 LC and I have three kids so three seats. Installing the center tether was very easy. The other two was actually pretty hard because the access to these areas was extremely limited, especially the passenger side because of a thick AC line that runs right around the coil tower cap. I literally had to use one hand to hold the nut in a wrench, long tweezers in the other hand holding the washer, a friend holding the anchor from the top And slid on the washer and the nut to put it all together.

But, all said and done I got them in, and I can sleep better at night knowing they are setup correctly instead of hooking them onto the cargo hooks which are not rated for the same amount of force in case of a collision (plus there is no center cargo hook). Definitely beats driving kids around with tethers at all, or having to sell the truck and buy a new one.

Now I need to do the same thing in my 80, which does not have any pre-drilled holes in the floor.

Here are some pics:

View attachment 2180092View attachment 2180093View attachment 2180094View attachment 2180095View attachment 2180097

Hi

Can you tell me the thread size of the bolt. I got a Volvo v40 from 2004 with threads in the trunk floor, Volvo doesn't have an anchor though.

Best regards.

 

[digitalmarker]

Hi

Can you tell me the thread size of the bolt. I got a Volvo v40 from 2004 with threads in the trunk floor, Volvo doesn't have an anchor though.

Best regards.

Not sure about the size of the bolt, I got the integrated bolt + anchor from Toyota.