Braking System for Tow Vehicle

Golden_HVAC wrote:
I have a cruise control motor on my toad, and the cable from it pulls the brake pedal to the floor, all for about $35.

I took a cruise control motor off a junkyard Nissan, it is about 3" diameter, and fits under my dash easy. I had one from a Taurus on my Honda, and it was about 4" diameter, and pulled 'to hard' so the smaller diameter is actually OK.

The cable goes to a bracket on my floor, then to a clamp on the brake pedal arm. It is attached about 2" above the brake pedal rubber pad. Lower and it will give more braking effort, higher and it has less leverage, so will offer less effort. Mine is "About right" and when driving down a long grade on a 2 lane highway, I 'rode the brakes' on my motorhome, applying them just enough to turn on the brake lights, and activate the vacuum solenoid that applies engine vacuum to the power brakes on my car. At the bottom of that hill (about 3 miles at 6% grade) there is a rest area, and I checked the brake rotor temps. They where acceptable.

For the car, I have a 5' section of 3/8" air hose cut off a 50' long piece, and with the 3/8" air line connection at the end, with the tool end of a quick connect air fitting. It goes to a tee, then to the power brakes where there is a check valve, then another tee, and a check valve between this point and the engine, so that the car air intake does not leak air into the line when in the towing mode, but will allow free airflow into the car intake system (for power brakes while not towing). So air must leave the power brake reservoir towards the RV when towed, and towards the car engine while driving it, but not flow backwards in either case, so that you will not lose power brakes should the engine shut down while driving the Toy.

The other side of that tee is to the vacuum solenoid, and then to the cruise control motor. It must be a 3 way solenoid (got it from a junkyard car too) and it will let in air to the CC motor to release it when the brake lights are off. Power from the brake pedal (not the turn signal) goes to the solenoid. Like from the third brake light (if you have one) or from the wire leaving the brake pedal switch and going up towards the turn signal switch. When brake lights are on, vacuum is applied to the CC motor, when off, then air can enter the CC motor to release it. Check it by finding the common fitting. It not marked, you can blow through 2 ports, then when applied 12 volts through two points. The Normally open is one, that will be closed when you have 12 volts, and is the air into the CC motor. The NC will not pass air when off, but passes vacuum into the CC motor while energized. Common port goes toward the CC motor, and is open to one while off and the other port when on.

Sorry DP owners, it only works on gas engine RV's or those with a vacuum source. On my gas engine, I was able to find a 3/8" vacuum fitting. I took off the cap, and installed the other side of the 50' 3//8" hose. I tie wrapped it down well under the chassis to the frame, and kept it away from hot exhaust lines. The quick connect on the RV end does not pass vacuum when the engine is on in the RV (unless connected to the toad vacuum line), so you can still drive it while going without the toad.

Good luck, and write back if you need me to talk about this. You might need to send me a PM, and I will share the details here.

Fred.

PS: While this has worked on my RV, I am not to sure it will work for anyone else. . ..

Thanks to Fred, I also built this vacuum operated system. Only difference is that my CC motor (Jeep Grand Cherokee) has the necessary valves built in, so all I needed was to wire them to my brake light via the tow connector, and add a tee and check valve to the vacuum system. Works absolutely perfect! My sincere thanks to Fred for the inspiration.

kalynzoo wrote:
I use the ReadyBrake with my Demco towbar. ReadyBrake also makes a towbar but I already had the Demco and I am comfortable with it. I had it installed by a tech because I did not want to drill through the firewall myself and because I don't bend real well anymore to run the cable. I've used it for two years now and I'm satisfied.
As for do you need a brake: I ACTUALLY HAD MY SATURN DISCONNECT FROM THE RV...REALLY. The hitch shop used welds on the baseplate. On the first trip the weld failed, luckily at a slow speed, in a small town, not far from home. I did not have the supplemental brake attached (box type) since it was just a short drive. The shop paid for all the repairs. No one was hurt and no damage to anything but the Saturn, which had the front end pull away. I now ALWAYS use a supplemental brake.

Just to be clear, I think you're referring to a breakaway system that locks the brakes on the toad in case it comes loose from the coach. This is not the same as having a supplemental braking system on the toad, although some are integrated into one unit, I'm most sure. Others are completely separate as mine is and some people have one installed, without the other.
With NSA and like mine, READYBRAKE is the supplemental brake system and READYSTOP is the breakaway system which is sold separately and doesn't come with any of the packages, including the READYBRUTE/ELITE.

I use the ReadyBrake with my Demco towbar. ReadyBrake also makes a towbar but I already had the Demco and I am comfortable with it. I had it installed by a tech because I did not want to drill through the firewall myself and because I don't bend real well anymore to run the cable. I've used it for two years now and I'm satisfied.
As for do you need a brake: I ACTUALLY HAD MY SATURN DISCONNECT FROM THE RV...REALLY. The hitch shop used welds on the baseplate. On the first trip the weld failed, luckily at a slow speed, in a small town, not far from home. I did not have the supplemental brake attached (box type) since it was just a short drive. The shop paid for all the repairs. No one was hurt and no damage to anything but the Saturn, which had the front end pull away. I now ALWAYS use a supplemental brake.

cbigham wrote:
Your rig will stop quicker. After installing my blue ox air brake system I tested it with brakes applied on the jeep from external air on a lark, years ago.. The motorhome at idle in drive could not move, such was the resistance.

That said, these days I wish I had put in electronic brakes in the toad, as I'd like to tow it with my smaller class b on occasion, just more universal

On flat ground and asphalt surface my own coach with NO TOAD attached does not move when placed in gear and the engine at idle.....:h

happy-2 wrote:
If you don't believe anyone just stop in a weigh station and ask CHP.

No guarantee the officer you speak to knows positively

Your rig will stop quicker. After installing my blue ox air brake system I tested it with brakes applied on the jeep from external air on a lark, years ago.. The motorhome at idle in drive could not move, such was the resistance.

That said, these days I wish I had put in electronic brakes in the toad, as I'd like to tow it with my smaller class b on occasion, just more universal

The heck with the laws and again, my only question ever was as to whether or not my rig would stop any quicker with a supplemental braking system and if the answer is yes, no matter how little the difference might be, then one is needed. As for my pick, the READYBRAKE beats all hands down for simplicity and cost effectiveness and is easily installed by most do it yourself types.

J-Rooster wrote:
Not only do you have to check the laws of your State on towing brake systems but the States you plan to frequent to make sure your safe and legal. Some States have no laws but most do!

Every state where I have checked the towing laws ( mostly in the West) DOES have an applicable law!
It is called a Braking Performance Law or Standard. For an example, look at Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 61-9-312.
California has a similar law, except, IIRC, their distance for a towing vehicle is 45 feet.
I have never seen a "list of towing laws" that refers to braking standards!
Keep in mind, when discussing "emergency stops", that at 60 MPH you will travel over 150 feet BEFORE your foot even touches the brake pedal! REALLY GOOD reflexes may be shorter, old guy reflexes may be longer.

The cost for a braking system is less than 1% of your investment in MH and Toad, what would be the cost to replace someone's vehicle or worst case their life? OH yeah and don't forget everything you read on the internet is true, ya right.

catsgalore wrote:
We have a 1999 Fleetwood class A motor home and once in awhile we tow our Toyota Tacoma truck. We do not have a supplement braking system for the tow vehicle is this a must? I looked into a few of them and there quite expensive with installation.

Ignoring state law.. YES IT IS A MUST, Per one company a proper braking system can cut your skid distance as much as 30%, If you should have the bad luck to rear end someone.. That's the difference between "OPPS" and Reckless driving practice.

Several systems: If you tow often. the Ready Brake or Blue-Ox Auto-stop are surge brake systems, these use a cable and levers so that when your towed pushes against the motor home the towed's breakes are applied. Purportionally, Progressively, all automatically. The system is nearly 100% invisible when not towing (Small bracket on brake arm).

If your motor home is a diesel, and has air brakes, ANd if the slave unit fits on the towed (Will not fit all) M&G makes an air powered system. This one is 100% invisible to the driver of the towed when it is not being towed, NOTHING at all shows up inside the cockpit.

The above systems use no electrical power save for brake lights may com on with the Ready Brake/Auto-Stop.

There are some air powered pedal pushers as well, this system mounts a cylinder under the driver's seat and you have to hook it to the pedal, pumping the brakes several times when you hook up.

Now we get to electrically operated systems.

US-Gear Unified Brake Decelerator offers the most control over the towed brakes of any system made, This system the only visible part is the bracket like on the top listing. There is also a solenoid system but it is normally under the driver's seat (I put mine elsewhere but still out of sight). This system eats battery power, but gets it from the motor home.

Invisible Brake.. This one works all automatically.. Again you see only the bracket,, No hookup at all (Works off the tow light system) eats power but again gets it from the Motor home.

There are a number of systems that mount under the dash, like the above just the bracket and possibly a switch, showing. These do not however re-charge the towed battery.. Thus I dis-trust them (As the towed battery ages they can fail).

And finally we find the box in the driver's seat systems (Brake Buddy/Even Brake/ and more) these need to be installed by you every time you tow, Mistakes can happen, and they eat battery power with no way to replace it (See last paragraph) Plus you have this big, attractive to thieves box that you have to stow when NOT towing.