Might trade in Brake Buddy
I have the classic Brake Buddy that I have used for the past 10 years while travelling 70K+ miles. The unit has served me well helping me stop many times. On my last two trips I noticed a few times...
Forum Discussion
Daveinet: I've almost always agreed with everything you've said in various posts, and definitely respect your experience with this subject as well as many others. However, strictly in terms of what is and is not 'proportional', I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you here.
A truly proportional system is just that - Braking system in towed vehicle and towing vehicle are physically linked together so that braking in one will always physically force the brakes in the other to engage a similar (proportional) amount.
Systems that sense deceleration to engage towed vehicle brakes do NOT fit this bill and are not truly proportional (Brake Buddy, Blue Ox Patriot, RViBrake, Unified tow brake, SMI duo and many, many others). Reason being, there are some scenarios (for example, slick roads) where engaging brakes on the towing vehicle may not necessarily engage the towed vehicle brakes at all. The brake systems are not technically linked together between the two.
Surge type systems like the Readybrake also do not fit the bill as truly proportional, as here again, there are some scenarios where engaging brakes on the towing vehicle may not necessarily engage the towed vehicle brakes. Like for example, in very, very gentle light braking, where not enough 'push' is felt by the Readybrake actuator to engage towed vehicle brakes at all.
Granted, these systems can be set up so they seem to work proportionally most of the time, and many of them (especially Readybrake) work great. However, in the true, pure sense of what proportional braking is...These systems are NOT proportional. Like Bumpy implied, don't drink that 'koolaid', as it has fake, artifical flavoring, haha. :)
All that said...I *DO* still agree with you, Dave, that all things considered ($$, maintenance, simplicity, performance, etc), the Readybrake is about as good as it gets (and only system I'll own). That is, unless you own a DP that has full air brakes, money is no object and you don't mind spending a small fortune to put in a system like M&G or Air Force One.
Will
A truly proportional system is just that - Braking system in towed vehicle and towing vehicle are physically linked together so that braking in one will always physically force the brakes in the other to engage a similar (proportional) amount.
Systems that sense deceleration to engage towed vehicle brakes do NOT fit this bill and are not truly proportional (Brake Buddy, Blue Ox Patriot, RViBrake, Unified tow brake, SMI duo and many, many others). Reason being, there are some scenarios (for example, slick roads) where engaging brakes on the towing vehicle may not necessarily engage the towed vehicle brakes at all. The brake systems are not technically linked together between the two.
Surge type systems like the Readybrake also do not fit the bill as truly proportional, as here again, there are some scenarios where engaging brakes on the towing vehicle may not necessarily engage the towed vehicle brakes. Like for example, in very, very gentle light braking, where not enough 'push' is felt by the Readybrake actuator to engage towed vehicle brakes at all.
Granted, these systems can be set up so they seem to work proportionally most of the time, and many of them (especially Readybrake) work great. However, in the true, pure sense of what proportional braking is...These systems are NOT proportional. Like Bumpy implied, don't drink that 'koolaid', as it has fake, artifical flavoring, haha. :)
All that said...I *DO* still agree with you, Dave, that all things considered ($$, maintenance, simplicity, performance, etc), the Readybrake is about as good as it gets (and only system I'll own). That is, unless you own a DP that has full air brakes, money is no object and you don't mind spending a small fortune to put in a system like M&G or Air Force One.
Will
