Do we need another brake system ??
Hi All We purchased a Honda Fit to be our toad & are shopping for the tow bar etc. We see that a Road Master Invisi 8700 brake system will be about $1,000 plus installation. We went online tonigh...
Forum Discussion
"The crux of the counter point for me is this; There are no laws governing stopping ability."
Actually Effy, yes, there ARE laws governing stopping ability.
MCA (Montana Code Annotated) 61-9-312 is one of them.
It is also codified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). In fact, the Montana law is nearly word for word the same as the FMVSS wording.
California also has such a law, as do several other states.
The legal definition of "trailer" is also very clear in many states. for Montana, it is in MCA 61-1-101. A "trailer" is designed to carry property and is designed to be towed by another vehicle. An automobile is designed to carry PEOPLE (and property) and must be MODIFIED to be towed by another vehicle.
Some states set the trailer brake weight limit based on UNLADEN weight, and some base it on GVWR.
Nearly all states require brakes on ALL wheels of a trailer (MCA61-9-304). With current technology, that would be impossible to do with a car on a dolly.
As for the "panic stop" scenario, I hope those who harp on it realize that at 65 MPH they will travel about 188 feet before they even get their foot on the brake pedal! THEN the actual stopping distance comes into play. good luck.
Actually Effy, yes, there ARE laws governing stopping ability.
MCA (Montana Code Annotated) 61-9-312 is one of them.
It is also codified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). In fact, the Montana law is nearly word for word the same as the FMVSS wording.
California also has such a law, as do several other states.
The legal definition of "trailer" is also very clear in many states. for Montana, it is in MCA 61-1-101. A "trailer" is designed to carry property and is designed to be towed by another vehicle. An automobile is designed to carry PEOPLE (and property) and must be MODIFIED to be towed by another vehicle.
Some states set the trailer brake weight limit based on UNLADEN weight, and some base it on GVWR.
Nearly all states require brakes on ALL wheels of a trailer (MCA61-9-304). With current technology, that would be impossible to do with a car on a dolly.
As for the "panic stop" scenario, I hope those who harp on it realize that at 65 MPH they will travel about 188 feet before they even get their foot on the brake pedal! THEN the actual stopping distance comes into play. good luck.
