Brake issue

[brodon]

Just bought a 2005 Nat. Dolphin 38' Class A MH and now looking at braking issue.
MH stats:
GVWR 24,000
GCWR 30,000
UNLOADED WR 20,000
MAXCC 3,160
CCC 1,782
TOW CAR 3,880
THE WAY I READ THESE FIGURES IS I CAN BRAKE USING MY MH SAFELY. IS THIS RIGH?

[Thunder_Mountai]

It is not worth the chance. You don't want to get your undies in a wad having an accident and some lawyer with enough brains to start asking questions. Supplemental braking doesn't have to be expensive. Go to eBay or Craig's List and buy a used Brake Buddy. I just sold mine on CL for $250. Probably left a few $ on the table.

[brodon]

Thanks to the replies. Will be traveling in Florida and Mississippi rest if this year. We are planning on going cross-country nest spring. Will see how it pulls and brake this year. Bought 6,000 lbs chain and hooks to put on blue ox tow bar to give an extra edge on tow braking off MH. At least this is better than what came with the blue ox hook up. Blue ox limit is 10,000 lbs.

[Rick_Jay]

mowermech,

Thanks for the link.

Here's the clicky: Stopping Distance.

For those interested, here's a link to the parent site: Random Science Tools.com

It does state that actual stopping distances will vary greatly depending upon the vehicle and condition of the road, etc. Using this calculator, the total stopping distance is 239 feet at 60 mph per that link. The "thinking distance" (time to see hazard and apply the brakes) is given as 59 feet, which would correlate to about 0.67 seconds. That's using the number given by "The Highway Code", again, per the link.

But for someone who wasn't paying attention or wasn't fully alert, that distance grows by 88 feet for every second of delay at 60 mph.

OP, with your tow car, your combination will definitely by over the GVWR of the chassis. Also, I believe the majority (if not all) braking systems have a "break away" feature so that if the toad should detach the brakes on the toad will be applied to bring it to a controlled stop.

As I said, regardless of what the legal requirements may or may not be, I think brakes on the toad is a good idea.

~Rick

[SoCalDesertRid1]

If the weight of the combination is less than the GVWR of the motorhome, then the motorhome can safely stop the combination without toad brakes. All motor vehicles are designed to stop their GVWR weight.

That said, brakes on anything being towed is generally a good idea.

Whether or not the toad legally requires brakes, is a different story. Read your state's motor vehicle codes...

[mowermech]

http://www.random-science-tools.com/physics/stopping-distance.htm

Note that the weight of the vehicle is not entered in the calculation. It appears that the calculation assumes that the brakes are sized to compensate for the weight.
while it is true I was a little off, the total stopping distance from 60 MPH is actually well over 200 ft.
Go ahead and play with changing the numbers. If you enter 80 MPH and 1.5 seconds "Thinking Time", the result is rather frightening!

[Rick_Jay]

mowermech, wrote:
In a panic stop at 60 MPH your motorhome will travel almost 200 feet before your foot hits the brake pedal.

Hi mowermech,

With all do respect, and I really enjoy your informative posts, this line doesn't sound quite right. That would correlate to a response time of over 2.2 seconds. While I guess that's not out of the realm of possibility, I would think most (sorry to use that word again! LOL) of us would do a bit better than that. But, maybe not?

But your point is still valid. At highway speeds, these things cover a lot of ground quickly and in a panic situation you want everything possible on your side to bring things to a safe, controlled stop, perhaps even going beyond what a state might require.

OP, check the owner's manual of your motorhome, if you have it. I know ours had a statement stating something along the lines that anything towed over 2,000 lbs. (it might have been 1,500 lbs....I forget) required brakes. With that statement in the manual, I felt that regardless of what the laws were, a lawyer would have a pretty easy time of making it appear I was negligent if I didn't have brakes on our towed vehicle. By the way, we tow a Honda Odyssey and it weighs in just about 4,480 lbs., give or take. So it is a bit heavier than yours. I definitely CAN tell a difference in braking with and without the TOAD brakes engaged, and am glad that I have the braking system I do. So far, I don't know for sure if I've actually needed that toad brakes, but there was one panic stop incident that was pretty close...and it would've been a lot closer had the Ody's brakes not been applied.

Also, if you haven't had the rig weighed fully loaded and ready to travel, I'd suggest you do that. Then you'll know your actual operating weights.

Safe travels,

~Rick

[mowermech]

"Most"!
OH, how I have come to detest that word!
MANY states have braking performance laws, where a combination of vehicles must be able to stop within a certain distance (often 40 or 45 feet) from a certain speed (often 20 MPH) on a clean, dry, hard, level surface. In fact, the states which have such laws take the text almost verbatim from the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards)!
In many states TRAILER laws do NOT apply to towed motor vehicles.
In a panic stop at 60 MPH your motorhome will travel almost 200 feet before your foot hits the brake pedal.
YES, a toad braking system is a good idea. Is it required by law? Probably not, in many states, IF you can meet the Braking Performance Specifications!

[georgelesley]

No. Most state laws require supplemental braking for that heavy a towed vehicle. Plus in a panic stop you will want all the braking you can get. Many laws also require the towed vehicle be capable of stopping itself in the event of a breakaway.