Best Toad Braking System

doc brown wrote:
Second one was Ready Brake, required a little more installation time but simple however not proportional.

A properly adjusted ReadyBrake applies more braking effort to the toad the harder the coach is braked. That fits my definition of "proportional".

I would suggest the Ready Brake is the only true proportional system that I am aware of. Some systems provide braking force to the toad in proportion to the braking applied to the coach, but that is not necessarily what the toad requires. With the Ready Brake you have a positive feedback loop. The toad pushing on the coach results in increasing toad braking force until results are seen, then the braking force is decreased until the internal spring overcomes the pressure to the point the cable goes slack. This description might not make sense if you're not familiar with the operation of the system, but in simple terms, you get the required toad braking to relieve the force the toad is applying to the coach.

RichNewcome wrote:
I would suggest the Ready Brake is the only true proportional system that I am aware of. Some systems provide braking force to the toad in proportion to the braking applied to the coach, but that is not necessarily what the toad requires. With the Ready Brake you have a positive feedback loop. The toad pushing on the coach results in increasing toad braking force until results are seen, then the braking force is decreased until the internal spring overcomes the pressure to the point the cable goes slack. This description might not make sense if you're not familiar with the operation of the system, but in simple terms, you get the required toad braking to relieve the force the toad is applying to the coach.

And, what does it do on those long 6% downgrades with the engine compression brake on???

Dutch_12078 wrote:

doc brown wrote:
Second one was Ready Brake, required a little more installation time but simple however not proportional.

A properly adjusted ReadyBrake applies more braking effort to the toad the harder the coach is braked. That fits my definition of "proportional".

Understood, that's why I tried it. However the results achieved were not as advertised in my situation. Too many variables that could not be rectified to my satisfaction.

wolfe10 wrote:

And, what does it do on those long 6% downgrades with the engine compression brake on???

As long as you're in a state of deceleration, the toad will be pushing on the coach and toad braking will occur. If the speed is constant, on a steep grade the only braking required should be what is necessary to overcome the weight of the toad beyond what is provided by the compression of the Ready Brake's internal spring. I can't say that I have any proof of this though.

kalynzoo wrote:
I believe you will find that everyone has either the best or the worst system. I have the ReadyBrake. It is a surge system that does not require power from the RV or the toad. I like it.

X2 on Readybrake for trouble free operation, absolute simplicity and the best bang for the buck. Unless of course, you like paying more, maybe having to have someone install it for you and then not being able to even understand how it works for when you're having trouble with it along the side of the road.

RichNewcome wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:

And, what does it do on those long 6% downgrades with the engine compression brake on???

As long as you're in a state of deceleration, the toad will be pushing on the coach and toad braking will occur. If the speed is constant, on a steep grade the only braking required should be what is necessary to overcome the weight of the toad beyond what is provided by the compression of the Ready Brake's internal spring. I can't say that I have any proof of this though.

If you install the ind. light on your dash correctly, you can always see what the toad brakes are doing and just because the light might be on, when you're not really braking, it might be just enough to turn on the light and not necessarily dragging the brakes. Never a problem since inception with ours and we've been all over the country with it.
In essence, as soon as the toad tries catching up with the coach, the brakes will apply and just enough, so that it's no longer catching up to you and thereby releasing the brakes. Just like if you were driving the toad down hill and applying the brakes when necessary to sum it up.

tropical36 wrote:
If you install the ind. light on your dash correctly, you can always see what the toad brakes are doing

I agree with that. I wired my indicator light into the toad brake light circuit. The only time the light stays on is during a sustained braking situation. It sometime flickers briefly when I let off the accelerator. I currently have two positions I can use when hooking up the braking cable. I have an extra link in line with the cable which lengthens it by about 1-1/2" making the operation less sensitive, but recently I've not used it since the extra braking is not a problem. I could put an turnbuckle inline as some have done to fine tune the system, but so far, the spirit hasn't moved me. The only long downhill run I normally encounter is NC Fancy Gap, but it is not really that steep. I didn't have this setup the last time I was in the western mountains. I my experience, it operates just as you described.

RichNewcome wrote:

tropical36 wrote:
If you install the ind. light on your dash correctly, you can always see what the toad brakes are doing

I agree with that. I wired my indicator light into the toad brake light circuit. The only time the light stays on is during a sustained braking situation. It sometime flickers briefly when I let off the accelerator. I currently have two positions I can use when hooking up the braking cable. I have an extra link in line with the cable which lengthens it by about 1-1/2" making the operation less sensitive, but recently I've not used it since the extra braking is not a problem. I could put an turnbuckle inline as some have done to fine tune the system, but so far, the spirit hasn't moved me. The only long downhill run I normally encounter is NC Fancy Gap, but it is not really that steep. I didn't have this setup the last time I was in the western mountains. I my experience, it operates just as you described.

I have the the indicator light wired on the toad's 3d brake light, like you do, I'm guessing and I can connect it as OEM, as well. Wired on the 3d brake light, does make it fail safe, in case the cable isn't even connected for whatever reason and positively says that the toad's brake pedal is being depressed. Thing is, it's worked flawlessly for so long, I haven't even installed a dash indicator LED on our most recent and present coach, as yet and maybe never will.
I did install a turn buckle as well for my initial install and haven't had to adjust it since. Thing is, you can quickly do a few turns anytime you want without any disassembly. I also did some mods on the brake pedal hookup and foregoing the generic setup that came with it. Even made a cable loop under the pedal for quickly attaching a bungy cord and just in case the pedal decides to take it's time for immediately returning to rest.

RichNewcome wrote:

tropical36 wrote:
If you install the ind. light on your dash correctly, you can always see what the toad brakes are doing

I agree with that. I wired my indicator light into the toad brake light circuit. The only time the light stays on is during a sustained braking situation. It sometime flickers briefly when I let off the accelerator. I currently have two positions I can use when hooking up the braking cable. I have an extra link in line with the cable which lengthens it by about 1-1/2" making the operation less sensitive, but recently I've not used it since the extra braking is not a problem. I could put an turnbuckle inline as some have done to fine tune the system, but so far, the spirit hasn't moved me. The only long downhill run I normally encounter is NC Fancy Gap, but it is not really that steep. I didn't have this setup the last time I was in the western mountains. I my experience, it operates just as you described.

Agreed, we have no problem with our ReadyBrake/ReadyBrute running down I77 through Fancy Gap or I40 from Asheville to Knoxville either. The only time the brakes activate is when I stab brake to bring my speed down, exactly when I expect them to work.