zonearc wrote:
I'm a newbie. We're actually still hunting for the right RV, but we have cash in hand so I expect it to be soon.
I have a Jeep Cherokee (XJ) that we plan to tow behind what we plan to get (late 80s/early 90s Class C).
I've read that we really should get a brake system for the Cherokee for safety reasons. My first question is .. is that necessary for safety?
Not just Safety but legal reasons as well.. But the answer is YES. you should, you take a risk when you do not have a breaking system.
Assuming you have a manual transfer case on that Cherokee and can tow 4-Down (Google Remco Towing and go to their store and enter the jeep's credentials (Year, make, model, engine etc) to be sure) you will need a tow bar, lights and a brake system.
Lights. You have basically 3 choices, First is a diode kit, this uses the jeep's original tail, stop and turn signals.
Second is add-on lights.. Just as the name implies
Third is the Add-a-lamp system, where an additional bulb is inserted into each tail light housing. I have used the first and last, I tend to like diode kits better but. .. The add-a-lamp has it's attractions as well. Search the forum for detractors. I do not care for the adde tow lights method as .. Well, they can grow legs and walk off on you.
Tow bars: Many companies... Most all are good. They can be grouped into 3 classes.. I will discuss
A-Frame.. These are the lowest in cost but as the bars are rigid you need to position exactly when you hook up,,, Just like a trailer.
"Extension" types (The arms contract for storage and hookup and then extend and lock when you begain the tow) come in two major flavors, One stows on the motor home, one on the towed. I like the ones that stow on the motor home since the towed looks better.
Finally there is the Readybrute (And Blue-ox now sells one like it) with Ready Brake (Autostop) this is a tow-bar and braking system in one (Surge Brakes). More on that in the brakes section.
Frankly, with the exception of the ready system, I can not recommend one over another as they are all more or less the same. But read the breake seciton on the Ready brute with ready brake (Blue ox with auto stop)
These are surge brake systems, Surge brakes are nice because for the most part they are auto-adjusting they are porportional (Audo adjusting) and progressive (Auto adjusting) and the adjustments are done by physical laws that simply can not go wrong.. UNLESS.
If you are an occasional camper and only tow a few times a year, the cable on the car can size up and freeze on you, this can either disable the system.. or more likely, let it pull the pedal down when you do a hard stop and not release it costing you a breake job on the jeep including rotors (NOT CHEAP)
However if you are a regular camper... Then this is less likely to happen. (Or you check the cable every time you tow to insure it's moving freely) How they work
A spring in the hitch assemble is compressed by the force of the Jeep pushing the class C when you slow down, A system of levers and cables then pulls the Jeep's brake pedal to the floor.. engaging the Jeep's brakes.. NOTE: Vacuum boosted brakes this self adjusts to the amount of vacuum in the booster. All adjustments save for the cable slack (Which is adjusted hopefully by the installer) are automatic based on how hard the jeep is pushing the motor home (How hard YOU are braking).
M&G, this one is an air/hydraulic system, great for Diesel pushers with air brakes they make a model for gassers as well. Goes between the booster and master cylinder, NOTHIGN at all inside the Jeep's driver's compartment. Great system. If I had a DP, Id get one IF IT FITS my towed. NEgative, a diferent towed may need a different slave (The part that mounts in the jeep is the slave, the master is the motor home).
US-Gear Unified Brake Decelerator and for most of this many other systems as well.
These use a system of cables and pullies to pull the brake pedal toward the floor based on electronic controls and inertial sensors. Most all work well, all of them feature one-time installation and easy hookup and unhooking, The US-Gear system I specified gives the MH driver the ability to adjust it, disable it, or engage the towed brakes INDEPENDENT of the motor home, only system with that amount of control, but very few of us will ever need that much control or for that matter know when and how to use it. So I group most all of these together, This includes the Stay & Play, Invisible Brake, and a host of others too lengthy to list. All of these, far as I know, include a vacuum pump to maintain booster vacuum so it works normally.
Brake system in a box.. This is a box you put in front of the driver's seat with an arm that reaches out to push the brake pedal when needed. These systems do NOT include a vacuum pump for the booster so you need to bleed off vacuum during installation and you need to install them EVERY time you towed. Great if you have multiple toweds or trade in every year but a pain in the operating system and way too easy to say Oh, "I'll just forget it for this short trip" if towing say to the dealer for service. I do not approve of these forget me systems.
