Supplemental Brake Systems - update 8/7/06

Don & Nancy wrote:
I have a new Roadmaster Even Brake unit and just made my first trip towing a dingy. I do have a couple of concerns with the Even Brake.

One concern has to do with the remote communications from the remote brake to the receiver in the motor home. Several times the remote monitor in the motor home showed the brakes applied, but then did not release right away. I stopped and checked the tow car and the brakes were not on. I power cycled the monitor in the motor home and it returned to normal. I think there are times when the sending unit in the tow car does not link well with the receiver in the motor home.

The tow car had a low battery alarm on the trip back - we were still an hour from home. The Even Brake unit reported the low battery alarm as it said it would. I don't know if I had a weak battery to begin with or not. We drove the toad around a lot the day before we came home and we were only 200 miles away. I don't think the Even Brake should have run down the battery on that short of a trip, the tow car started when we got home - I didn't have to use jumper cables or anything.

What a discouraging report, that is if you think Roadmaster can design a good product. I bought a BrakePro and it took them 1 year to get it right. The biggest problem was false braking on small road bumps. To their credit they did finally get the design to match their advertisements after 1 year.

In the meantime I installed a light on the dash connected to the toad brake lights so that I WOULD KNOW when the brake was applied and not when the monitor said it was applied. I was also motivated by posts on other products that had applied the brakes and caused expensive repairs.

Have your battery load tested, you could have a weak battery. My 04 CRV just got weaker and I became aware of it because the BrakePro monitor started flashing indicating a weak battery. ie A plus for BrakePro. Honda replaced the battery under warranty.

The other thing I learned is that using any box brake without a charge circuit from the rig has the potential to run the battery down.

And the third thing I learned is that over time installing a box brake becomes a PITA.

I fell for the proportional braking because I'm an engineer and understand these type of systems. The reality is what's important is stop when you need to stop. Starting over I would not use a box brake nor would I use any system that did not depress the brake petal. Why? Because I require a wire and light from the brake light switch to the rig that indicate when the toad brakes are depressed and that eliminates all systems that tap into the hydraulic system. And if the system did not have a charging circuit I would add one. So for me turn key operation, charging circuit and independent brake circuit light.