Have yet to decide whether to go with the Brake Buddy "Patroit" system or the "Ready Brake" system! The local RV center swears by the patroit system and says the readybrake will create problemd with the toad brake sytem because of the constant braking and its response you do while on the road. I drive a 2006 Liberty Jeep and one of the drawbacks I saw with Patroit was the need to plug into Jeeps 12v sytem via cigarette lighter and reset the Patroit everytime you turned key off on RV; I.E. stop for gas and before starting on down the road you would need to go thru start procedure on the Patroit. They also say the ready brake would eventually brekdown due to and salt clogging up the cable sysem. Plus, the RV center wants over $3200 to install the patroit system.Need some input; Advise as to your experience with either or both of these two systems. Last, which would be the easiest to install on my own and if its the Patroit system how would I avoid the 12v draw on the jeep??Thanks in advance for all your comments.

We have the BlueOx Patriot system and are happy with it. (Different than a Brake Buddy).Instead of plugging it in to the cigarette lighter, we a jump box for power in the tow'd vehicle.Have not tried the other system you mention.(EDIT: Not an Advert and that's not the jump box we use. That was just the first image that popped up on Google)

We have the ready brute elite which includes the ready brake integrated into the tow bars. It was installed a year ago and we have driven 18000 miles with the jeep attached since then. We have had no problems whatsoever. We have traveled up and down mountains (up to 12% grades) on gravel and dirt roads, camped on the beach in sand, been through rain storms...just about any condition you can think of.The brakes on our jeep are fine - no unusual wear at all. There isn't constant braking - it should be the same as using any other braking system. And no, going downhill with a ready brake system does not engage the brake. We don't have to worry about plugging the brake system into the jeep - the ready brake requires no electrical connection. I'm not sure of what salt corrosion your dealer is referring to but we have had ours caked with pounds of Dalton Highway mud and... nothing happened. We washed it off and the brake works fine. There is some wear on the external cable from rubbing but we figure another few thousand miles and we will replace the external cable just as a matter of course. It will take all of three minutes and cost maybe $15 for the cable and hooks. All the parts on the brake are mechanical - mechanical parts are pretty easily replaced. We are extremely happy with ours and would buy one again.

I think your dealer is trying to sell you something that he sells and is feeding you a line of bs. And to charge 3200 bucks is simply outrageous!!However, to answer your question, a simple 12v line from your mh to the toad's battery (with fuses at each end) will keep your toad's battery charged whenever using the Brake Buddy.Installing the Readybrake is not that difficult. You only have to drill a small hole in the firewall for the cable. The rest is fairly simple to do. I installed one on my buddy's jeep along with the breakaway cable, base plate, and light system in about four hours total. He's been pulling his toad now for a year or so and just loves the system and ease of use.If you have access to a drill motor and 3/8 drill bit and a few tools, you should be able to do it easily. Good luck..

Kennyg wrote:Have yet to decide whether to go with the Brake Buddy "Patroit" system or the "Ready Brake" system! The local RV center swears by the patroit system and says the readybrake will create problemd with the toad brake sytem because of the constant braking and its response you do while on the road. I drive a 2006 Liberty Jeep and one of the drawbacks I saw with Patroit was the need to plug into Jeeps 12v sytem via cigarette lighter and reset the Patroit everytime you turned key off on RV; I.E. stop for gas and before starting on down the road you would need to go thru start procedure on the Patroit. They also say the ready brake would eventually brekdown due to and salt clogging up the cable sysem. Plus, the RV center wants over $3200 to install the patroit system.Need some input; Advise as to your experience with either or both of these two systems. Last, which would be the easiest to install on my own and if its the Patroit system how would I avoid the 12v draw on the jeep??Thanks in advance for all your comments.I could see $3,200 if it were to include the Blue Ox base plate, tow bar and Patriot with installation. When we stop for gas or anything else, if I do not turn the ignition key "Off" then there is no need to reset the Patriot. Even if it is off the setup procedure takes all of two minutes. I bought the Patriot because Winnebago warns against using a surge type toad brake in the owner's manual. Ready Brake is a surge system.

afrescop wrote:Kennyg wrote:Have yet to decide whether to go with the Brake Buddy "Patroit" system or the "Ready Brake" system! The local RV center swears by the patroit system and says the readybrake will create problemd with the toad brake sytem because of the constant braking and its response you do while on the road. I drive a 2006 Liberty Jeep and one of the drawbacks I saw with Patroit was the need to plug into Jeeps 12v sytem via cigarette lighter and reset the Patroit everytime you turned key off on RV; I.E. stop for gas and before starting on down the road you would need to go thru start procedure on the Patroit. They also say the ready brake would eventually brekdown due to and salt clogging up the cable sysem. Plus, the RV center wants over $3200 to install the patroit system.Need some input; Advise as to your experience with either or both of these two systems. Last, which would be the easiest to install on my own and if its the Patroit system how would I avoid the 12v draw on the jeep??Thanks in advance for all your comments.I could see $3,200 if it were to include the Blue Ox base plate, tow bar and Patriot with installation. When we stop for gas or anything else, if I do not turn the ignition key "Off" then there is no need to reset the Patriot. Even if it is off the setup procedure takes all of two minutes. I bought the Patriot because Winnebago warns against using a surge type toad brake in the owner's manual. Ready Brake is a surge system.Exactly what is Winnebago's concern with a surge brake system.

SOOO Confused | Good Sam Community

willald
Explorer II
Aug 28, 2015
RobertL0 wrote:
Wow, that's quite a description, and make a lot of sense...

I think I'll put my money into some other braking system!

Thank you

--------------------------------------------------------------the type of system that Ready Brake uses is subject to Hysteresis. So, if you step on the brake (especially if you hit the RV brakes hard), the toad pushes forward into the back of the RV. This movement is mechanically transferred to the toad brake through a lever and a cable. Then the cable pulls on the toad brake pedal as though a driver had stomped on the pedal. The toad would then pull backwards from the RV releasing the pressure on the lever and cable, and letting up on the brake. Then the toad (not braking any longer - but the RV is still braking) overtakes the back of the RV and which causes the lever to pull the cable connected to the toad brake pedal and the toad slams on the brakes and the whole cycle starts over again. The remedy for this herky jerky braking, is to use something like a shock absorber to stifle the repetitive action of the lever pulling on the brake cable.

Yes, its quite a description. However, it also is a description that is about 20 years out of date when it comes to surge brake systems. :)

Suggesting that a modern system like Readybrake is prone to this behavior, would be a little bit like saying all automobile owners risk breaking an arm when starting it, from having to turn the crank at the front to start the engine (like they used to on old Model Ts, remember? haha! :) )

Will
RobertL0
Explorer
Aug 28, 2015
Wow, that's quite a description, and make a lot of sense...

I think I'll put my money into some other braking system!

Thank you

--------------------------------------------------------------the type of system that Ready Brake uses is subject to Hysteresis. So, if you step on the brake (especially if you hit the RV brakes hard), the toad pushes forward into the back of the RV. This movement is mechanically transferred to the toad brake through a lever and a cable. Then the cable pulls on the toad brake pedal as though a driver had stomped on the pedal. The toad would then pull backwards from the RV releasing the pressure on the lever and cable, and letting up on the brake. Then the toad (not braking any longer - but the RV is still braking) overtakes the back of the RV and which causes the lever to pull the cable connected to the toad brake pedal and the toad slams on the brakes and the whole cycle starts over again. The remedy for this herky jerky braking, is to use something like a shock absorber to stifle the repetitive action of the lever pulling on the brake cable.
BozemanTrail
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
+1 on the ReadyBrute/ReadyBrake. Just got back from two weeks driving around Idaho/Montana and no issues, worked great. I did end up making my own wireless TOAD brake indicator light that directly tells me when the actual brake pedal is being depressed in the TOAD, but this would be something you'd want on any system.
Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2015
40,000 plus miles towing with a ReadyBrute/ReadyBrake system and not a single issue with it. The braking action is smooth and basically just unloads the majority of the toad's weight from pushing the coach during stops. The dash mounted LED keeps me informed of when the toad brakes are applied, and I've never seen it lit when it shouldn't be.
OLYLEN
Explorer
Aug 20, 2015
I have the ready brute on my Winni with the Blue Ox base plate. Works fine. And the accelerometers in the Patriot system is a fancy electronic name for a about the same system ready brake uses only machanical.

LEN
Kennyg
Explorer
Aug 20, 2015
et2 wrote:
We have the Classic Brake Buddy. Used it in three toads and still going strong. This included a Jeep Liberty. I just had the dealer put a 12v plug by the radio ( near floor, tucked behind dash when not used). It wasn't wired to the key needing to be on. So the power was always there if needed.

Not sure what you mean about resetting the Jeep. Once in nuetral it's always ther even if you turn on the car. You have to push the nuetral button to do anything.

In reviewing the video, it seems that you need to go thru the reset or test every time you stop and turn key off.
et2
Explorer
Aug 20, 2015
We have the Classic Brake Buddy. Used it in three toads and still going strong. This included a Jeep Liberty. I just had the dealer put a 12v plug by the radio ( near floor, tucked behind dash when not used). It wasn't wired to the key needing to be on. So the power was always there if needed.

Not sure what you mean about resetting the Jeep. Once in nuetral it's always ther even if you turn on the car. You have to push the nuetral button to do anything.
Hikerdogs
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
klutchdust wrote:
afrescop wrote:
Kennyg wrote:
Have yet to decide whether to go with the Brake Buddy "Patroit" system or the "Ready Brake" system! The local RV center swears by the patroit system and says the readybrake will create problemd with the toad brake sytem because of the constant braking and its response you do while on the road.
I drive a 2006 Liberty Jeep and one of the drawbacks I saw with Patroit was the need to plug into Jeeps 12v sytem via cigarette lighter and reset the Patroit everytime you turned key off on RV; I.E. stop for gas and before starting on down the road you would need to go thru start procedure on the Patroit. They also say the ready brake would eventually brekdown due to and salt clogging up the cable sysem. Plus, the RV center wants over $3200 to install the patroit system.
Need some input; Advise as to your experience with either or both of these two systems. Last, which would be the easiest to install on my own and if its the Patroit system how would I avoid the 12v draw on the jeep??
Thanks in advance for all your comments.

I could see $3,200 if it were to include the Blue Ox base plate, tow bar and Patriot with installation.

When we stop for gas or anything else, if I do not turn the ignition key "Off" then there is no need to reset the Patriot. Even if it is off the setup procedure takes all of two minutes.

I bought the Patriot because Winnebago warns against using a surge type toad brake in the owner's manual. Ready Brake is a surge system.

Exactly what is Winnebago's concern with a surge brake system

Winnebago's initial advise against using surge brakes is a throwback to the days of old. It was based upon incidences of hitch failure and motorhome damage. Many of the earlier trailer surge systems needed a significant amount of pressure against the hitch to overcome a spring built into the brake mechanism. The spring was supposed to keep the trailer brakes from engaging on light deceleration.

In some cases the springs were too strong or hadn't been maintained properly and didn't allow the trailer brakes to engage when needed. The full weight of the trailer (in some cases an overloaded trailer) against the hitch caused the hitch or the hitch mounting platform to fail and fold under the motorhome in a panic stop situation.

By now I believe almost all trailers equipped with that style surge system have either been sent to the junk yard or upgraded. Current systems use a metering valve in the master cylinder to remedy the situation.
Since at least 2012 Winnebago has been manufacturing their own hitches and mounting platforms. According the factory rep I spoke with they are at least double the strength of the hitches they had been purchasing.

I can attest to the fact that they can take a beating. In 2014 we were towing our Jeep behind our 2013 Winnebago Adventurer. We were traveling at approx. 65 mph (the speed limit) when the Jeep was rear ended by a kid (presumably texting while driving) in a pickup truck going at least 75 mph.

The Jeep sustained about $10,000.00 damage. The towbar and brackets were turned into pretzels, and the 10,000 lb. drop receiver was bent at a 45* angle. The good news was there was no damage to the motorhome or the newly designed and manufactured Winnebago trailer hitch.

Just to be sure there wasn't any hidden damage we took the motorhome to the Winnebago factory when we returned. The hitch was removed and inspected as well as the motorhome mounting platform and frame. The inspection confirmed no damage.
Kennyg
Explorer
Aug 16, 2015
Sorry, the 3200 I referenced was for the entire system including 800 for labor.
lanerd
Explorer II
Aug 16, 2015
afrescop wrote:

I could see $3,200 if it were to include the Blue Ox base plate, tow bar and Patriot with installation.

FWIW, I purchased the Readybrute Elite tow bar, Readybrake breakaway package, lighting system w/diodes, Blue Ox base plate with adaptors for about $1800 on Amazon with free shipping (prime). I spent about four hours installing everything and estimate about $500 for labor.

So, yes I still feel 3200 bucks is outrageous.

Ron

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