Towing without a car braking system??

the silverback wrote:
OK, has anyone been stopped to see if you have a supplemental braking system?

and that matters because?

if a Rver runs into me and is towing a toad, that is one of the questions I will ask the investigating officer.
bumpy

IMHO regardless if it is required or not it should to all sensible people to use one regardless of weight or stopping distance. Everybody knows tow bar systems do on occasion break and when they do you could have a vehicle going down the road with nobody in it and with out a break away system this projectile could impact another vehicle causing serious injury or even death. I personally don't care if it required or not I'm using one as I don't want to be responsible for killing another individual or worse a family because I thought I could save a few bucks. If I can't afford some type of braking system that would help stop me sooner or a break away vehicle than I (and you RVR's) need to find another hobby. I don't think I could live with myself if I caused an accident that killed another adult or worse a child because I thought I could save a few dollars. Bottom line is purchase one with a good break away system and call it part of doing business or be prepared to loose every thing you have in court. So lets put this subject to bed and enjoy RV'ing.

Blessings; KDK

kdk wrote:
IMHO regardless if it is required or not it should to all sensible people to use one regardless of weight or stopping distance. Everybody knows tow bar systems do on occasion break and when they do you could have a vehicle going down the road with nobody in it and with out a break away system this projectile could impact another vehicle causing serious injury or even death. I personally don't care if it required or not I'm using one as I don't want to be responsible for killing another individual or worse a family because I thought I could save a few bucks. If I can't afford some type of braking system that would help stop me sooner or a break away vehicle than I (and you RVR's) need to find another hobby. I don't think I could live with myself if I caused an accident that killed another adult or worse a child because I thought I could save a few dollars. Bottom line is purchase one with a good break away system and call it part of doing business or be prepared to loose every thing you have in court. So lets put this subject to bed and enjoy RV'ing.

Blessings; KDK

As I mentioned I use one in my toad but now I have to assume that if your braking system ever fails, you will immediately disconnect your toad and leave it behind or have your wife follow you until you can find another brake system.
If you read all of the posts, COST or being able to afford one, was never mentioned by anyone.

rgatijnet1 wrote:

kdk wrote:
IMHO regardless if it is required or not it should to all sensible people to use one regardless of weight or stopping distance. Everybody knows tow bar systems do on occasion break and when they do you could have a vehicle going down the road with nobody in it and with out a break away system this projectile could impact another vehicle causing serious injury or even death. I personally don't care if it required or not I'm using one as I don't want to be responsible for killing another individual or worse a family because I thought I could save a few bucks. If I can't afford some type of braking system that would help stop me sooner or a break away vehicle than I (and you RVR's) need to find another hobby. I don't think I could live with myself if I caused an accident that killed another adult or worse a child because I thought I could save a few dollars. Bottom line is purchase one with a good break away system and call it part of doing business or be prepared to loose every thing you have in court. So lets put this subject to bed and enjoy RV'ing.

Blessings; KDK

As I mentioned I use one in my toad but now I have to assume that if your braking system ever fails, you will immediately disconnect your toad and leave it behind or have your wife follow you until you can find another brake system.
If you read all of the posts, COST or being able to afford one, was never mentioned by anyone.

It is not a case of not being able to afford the brake unit, it is just like the Guy who buys the new boat and then is to **** tight to buy a rope to tie it up or anchor it with. The same to tight scenario applies to the motor home Guy.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
I agree and I use one also, BUT, I will not leave the toad behind or make my wife drive it and follow the RV, IF the brake system ever fails, which they occasionally do. I know that I am legally allowed to continue my journey, with the vehicle in tow, until I repair my auxiliary brake system or get home.

As I mentioned I use one in my toad but now I have to assume that if your braking system ever fails, you will immediately disconnect your toad and leave it behind or have your wife follow you until you can find another brake system.

You subtly made this statement twice, both at the beginning of the post and now toward the end. I think you made it to start the argument that a towed is not considered a trailer. If my memory serves me correctly, you've brought this up before on other posts. If you feel it's not a trailer, fine.

For the purposes of safety, most of us will buy braking systems. If mine fails, having my wife drive the towed may be an option until I can get it repaired. It's not that big of a deal! I don't see it as such a catastrophic failure that would end a trip.

Wow I now know what topics gets this forum going :B Over on the tow vehicle site its GVWR vs GAWR and DRW or SRW or short bed or long bed. I won't mention Ford vs GM vs Ram or diesel vs Gas :W
The weight wars never end over there, but never a brake war :E
That is over on the 5er forum :R

Here's a good article describing the various braking systems.

We used Brake Buddy successfully for 10 years.

Braking Systems

I use a brake buddy! If I am required to or not doesn't matter to me. For safety of myself and others I feel I need to have one. Would I ever get stopped and asked if I had one by an officer of the law, I doubt it.

Is it possible in an accident for this to be addressed, possibly! Is there a 100% answer to have a braking system or not, probably not. Can anyone tell by looking if I have a braking system for my toad, nope!

So do it if you want, don't if you don't want to. And deal with that one time something happens and wish you had one.

Some states require a braking system, some don't and often based on weight for "things" being towed and their weights. It's ambiguous whether or not it applies to cars being towed. If your car breaks loose and kills someone you can be sure that some lawyer is going to make the argument that you're negligent for not having one.

If you don't have one and the state requires it, what are you going to do?


This might help.

I have one via the surge system built in to my Ready Brake tow bar. Fully loaded with the toad I'm well under GCWR but I figure if I can add 3500 pounds of stuff to the coach weight and not effect the stopping distance that's a good thing. The big disks Ford uses on the F53 chassis work well but if I can help why not.