Autostop vs Ready Brute vs something else

I prefer the RVI brake because it's adjustable from the MH. You can monitor it remotely and adjust settings from the driver's seat.

PS I am obliged by the union rules to remind you that Cummings is a town in Georgia, and Cummins builds engines. ;-) (believe me if I don't someone else will!)

Welcome to the forums!

I haven't found any disadvantages to using our ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system. The 8,000 lb rated all-terrain aluminum tow bar is easy to hook up to our Blue Ox base plate, and the brake hookup is quite literally a "snap". Once the initial braking setup adjustments were made a couple of years ago, I've not had to re-adjust anything. It just works...

Got rid of my Brake Buddy (too hard to get down on my knees, get under the dash a bit to hook it up to the pedal (hopefully it's not raining down my back and into my car interior while I do this) and then struggle to get up off my knees). Threw it in the trash as I didn't wish that experience on anyone else even if they are young and healthy.

Got the B.O. Autostop and love it. Do the normal hookup with my tow bar and electrical connection/break away brake and then clip the Autostop cable to the cable loop on my car. I'd estimate the time to do the complete Autostop connection to be between 1 and 1.5 seconds.

The same would be true of Ready Brake but I was in the midwest when I said to H... with the Brake Buddy and stopped at B.O. to have them do the install (don't have much faith in dealers and RV shops). I've had mine two yrs and have about 30,000 add'l towing miles since I got it. Zero complaints.

Daughter who full times liked it and bought the little autostop extension for her towbar and now has a yr of carefree use.

I'm an 'old lady' and I typically have the job of hooking and unhooking the toad when we arrive in campgrounds.
Unhooking, from jumping out of the A to driving away in the jeep, typically takes four minutes, less if it is cold and rainy.
Hooking up takes about four minutes once the jeep is in the right place to reach the arms of the Ready Brute Elite.
The heaviest part are the arms and they don't weigh more than 15 lbs. Hooking them in 'stow' position is the hardest part of the job.
Because we have a custom bumper on our jeep, there is no real bending or crawling to get to the baseplate hooks.
We have not had any problems with the surge brake system. We have used it for 2.5 years and 38K miles.

Been using ReadyBrute for a year/6k miles. Really pleased - tows our 3200# Suby Forester without difficulty. No box to store away - just connect and go! ST

RVI 2 is light and and easy and best for us with 2 toads.

Thank all of yall for the informative responses. Certainly seems as though the surge brake systems have plenty of fans.

With the huge difference between motorhome and toad weight, I would go with a basic braking system primarily for emergency braking in the very unlikely event of a breakaway. It will be difficult to dial in effective toad braking without placing undue wear on your toad brakes.

rjstractor wrote:
With the huge difference between motorhome and toad weight, I would go with a basic braking system primarily for emergency braking in the very unlikely event of a breakaway. It will be difficult to dial in effective toad braking without placing undue wear on your toad brakes.

A user on another forum says he solved this problem with a bungee cord that prevents surge brake activation on, presumably, gentle slopes. Your point is well made however. it is really the only concern I have about using a surge brake system.

As a user, I can tell you a bungee cord is not going to have any effect on brake activation or not. I have heard of others using a cord to more quickly return the toad brake pedal to "normal" position, but once you set it up, I haven't seen any excess brake wear. A surge brake will not activate going down a hill if both coach and toad are moving at the same speed - hence, no "surge". It only activates when the coach slows and the toad pushes forward. Once toad brakes activate and slow it, no more surge, so no more brake activation, hence, no excessive wear. I sure didn't design it, but it sure works well! ST