How much aux brake effect should I be sensing?

[djlind]

I am pulling a 5,600 lb. toad with a 23,000 lb MH. The toad has the Unified Brake System installed. When I apply the MH brake, or manually activate the toad brake through the remote console, everything appears to be working, but I never have any sensation that the toad brake is contributing. I've pulled all kinds of trailers from flatbeds to goosenecks to 5ers, and there was always a felt contribution from the trailer brake if the gain was set high enough on the brake controller. Not here.
Is this because the MH weight is simply dwarfing that of the truck? That is what the dealer is saying, but they have already proven themselves capable of talking way past what they actually know. So I wanted to check here.

Thanks,

[bsimonds]

MountainAir05 wrote:
As stated, manual set the brake on the toad only and if you do not feel it they are not working.

X2
Also, the distance from the pivot point on the brake pedal where you attach the cable determines the amount of leverage the solenoid has on the toad brakes and greatly effects the amount of toad braking you get.

[djlind]

zman-az, I use the Unified Brake System, which activates the vacuum pump on the toad. No need to run the engine.

[zman-az]

The Texan wrote:
If properly set up, you should have NO sensation of the toad braking contributing anything. When properly set, the RV stops its weight and the toad stops its weight, so there is NO contribution from the toad to the RV.

I don't completely agree. With the Toad engine off you are not getting the help from the brake booster. If the engine was running then I would agree. So the RV is also stopping the toad but the toad brakes are taking away some of the burnen.

[wa8yxm]

I have read the manual on your system, it says to brake, hard, on a gravel road and the towed brakes should "lock up".. By the same manner I'd guess the manual control should lock them. Alas, I do not like braking that hard on the motor home.

But if you feel the towed brakes,,,, they are too strong. AND you are towing too much weight.

[restorodder]

There have been quite few stories on this forum, about people that have draged their toad for many miles with the brakes locked, and had no idea there was a problem. People often forget to release the parking brake, and can not feel it, until they see the smoke. Many Brake Buddy type electric controlers have failed and locked or draged the brakes, causing a fire.Thats how rear view cameras became standard equipment.

[djlind]

Thank you all for your feedback. I'm going to stop worrying about what is behind me and focus on the road ahead!

DJL

[Gau_8]

Dale.Traveling wrote:
If everything is working correctly you should feel nothing. The braking system should only compensate for the weight of the towed vehicle. The only way I know the brakes are active is when my dash indicator comes on.

Precisely! Well said.

[robatthelake]

If it is working correctly You should be able to come to a complete stop in the same distance as if there was no additional towed vehicle attached.

Go find a stretch of pavement such as an empty parking lot or a secondary road that has little or no traffic.Take along a couple of friends to help set up and measure the distance that it takes You to stop Your Motorhome from 20 mph. repeat this 2 or 3 times to get an average stopping distance.

Then repeat the process with the Towed vehicle attached and the braking system set as You normally have it.

If it is working correctly there should be No difference in stopping distance!

Now try it with the Braking system turned off!

Please try this and report the results to the forum.

[Rick_Jay]

When I push the "Brake Test" button on my auxiliary brake unit while coasting on a level road, I can feel the added drag from the toad brakes. I would think that to be normal. For weights, this is a 4,500 lb. minivan connected to a 21,500 lb. (loaded) motorhome. (Kind of like dragging your kid behind you. If he's happy, it's an easy pull. If he's yelling and screaming, you'll feel the difference (and that's comparing a 50 lb. kid to a 200 lb. adult! LOL)

I don't know if I'd feel much difference if the brakes were on when I started up, though, as I've read stories of people dragging their toad around with the brakes on. But from a free-roll to a "brake test" condition, I can feel a slight tug from the toad. I would think that to be normal and would be more concerned if I didn't feel anything.

Under normal braking conditions, the rig seems to brake the same whether I have the toad or not. However, I have done a few tests with the auxiliary brake disabled and I can definitely notice the added stopping distance of the motorhome with the toad attached and no auxiliary brakes. So in my opinion, yes, there SHOULD be some noticeable difference.

~Rick

[Sprig]

djlind wrote:
I am pulling a 5,600 lb. toad with a 23,000 lb MH. The toad has the Unified Brake System installed...

I have a toad that is waiting for me to find the time to install the Unified Brake System that I have for it. I think it is a good idea for the toad to pull ... er stop ... it's own weight.

Now, having said the above, the reality is that if I have the toad hooked-up or not, if the backup camera is not on, I can't tell by "sense" whether or not the toad is back there.

[WyoTraveler]

The brakes on my Jeep are working. I have indications on dash & I don't feel it. A lot different when a small vehicle is towing a large object. In our 34 ft MH & towing a 3000 lb object not much indication. I only added braking because it is a requirement in some states. Back in the 80s I towed without brakes. Feels the same.

[The_Texan]

If properly set up, you should have NO sensation of the toad braking contributing anything. When properly set, the RV stops its weight and the toad stops its weight, so there is NO contribution from the toad to the RV.

[Dale_Traveling]

If everything is working correctly you should feel nothing. The braking system should only compensate for the weight of the towed vehicle. The only way I know the brakes are active is when my dash indicator comes on.

I drove a block with the toad parking brake set and the only way I knew something was wrong was that my continuous fuel mileage dropped below what I normally see pulling away from the curb. Felt nothing both accelerating and braking.

[djlind]

I should have added more detail around "everything appears to be working". When the toad brakes are activated from the MH, the vacuum pump in the toad kicks on and there is movement in the brake pedal. If I really stab the MH brake, the toad brake pedal is moved more. So I believe the system is performing at some level.

I wonder if it is possible that the toad brakes are so small that they have no effect on the MH...