Brake Light Question
I have a 96 Tracker all set up to tow and I have a question. My brake lights on the Tracker work even with the key off. I have the Ready Brake braking system installed. The Tracker gets power to...
Forum Discussion
Just Lee,
This is one of those things that never is realized when wiring things a certain way and, the use of an auxiliary braking system like Ready Brake is used. By a certain way I mean, using the stock tail lights as toad lights. I've been doing it that way for decades without any issues. Let's say you wired your toad so that the original tail light bulbs are also used when towing it. Now, this is also assuming that you "DON'T" have amber turn signals on the toad. That's a whole other set of circumstances.
But, here's the deal. You wire your toad so the original tail light bulbs are activated when using the motorhome brakes. And, when you put a turn signal on in the coach, your toad will display the same signal, correct? Ok, all is fine. But, here comes the "Ready Brake" into the picture.
So, you're approaching a turn, and, putting on the brakes of the coach. Your brake lights come on in the coach, and so do the toads and, you put your turn signal on. Now, normally this is not an issue and all will work fine. But, the Ready Brake is applying the brakes in the toad. As you have noticed, the key is off and, when the brakes are applied in the toad, the brake lights will come on. So now, you've got two sets of signals heading to those toad lights. Brake lights,(from the coach and the toad) and turn signals from the coach.
But, you've got another set of signals coming from the brake light switch on the toad, also heading to those toad lights. Hmmmmm
So, what happens? Well, you can't have two conflicting signals going to the same filament, in the same bulb. Only one is going to take priority. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure which one will be the winner because I've not followed myself or anyone else that has this issue. I will tell you what I did to remedy it. My solution is plain and simple.
I cut the brake light wire from the brake switch in the toad and sent it up to very close to the door jamb. There I installed a tiny, double throw toggle switch. I then put that wire in the center position on the switch. On one leg of the switch, I sent it right back to the connection on the brake switch on the toad. On the other leg, I sent that wire all the way up to the front of the toad, and through the pig tail, all the way to the dash on the coach.
I then installed an "LED" in the dash of the coach. Now, when the toad is hooked up and ready to be towed, I flip that switch, so that when the Ready Brake is applied, the signal from the brake pedal in the toad is sent to the dash on the coach. That way, I can tell if the brakes are being applied in the toad.
But, when it comes time to drive the toad, then all I do is flip that switch to the other side and the signal from the brake light switch on the toad, goes to the brake lights on the toad, as is does normally.
Yes, the diodes are installed in the system, down stream from the intersection where I tied into the factory wiring. That's so the signal from the coach doesn't go down stream all the way to the steering column and the front set of lights on the toad. Incidentally, I don't get those high dollar diodes from all the specialty places, I use the $3.00 pack from Radio Shack and it has worked absolutely flawless for well over 30 years. Good luck.
Scott
This is one of those things that never is realized when wiring things a certain way and, the use of an auxiliary braking system like Ready Brake is used. By a certain way I mean, using the stock tail lights as toad lights. I've been doing it that way for decades without any issues. Let's say you wired your toad so that the original tail light bulbs are also used when towing it. Now, this is also assuming that you "DON'T" have amber turn signals on the toad. That's a whole other set of circumstances.
But, here's the deal. You wire your toad so the original tail light bulbs are activated when using the motorhome brakes. And, when you put a turn signal on in the coach, your toad will display the same signal, correct? Ok, all is fine. But, here comes the "Ready Brake" into the picture.
So, you're approaching a turn, and, putting on the brakes of the coach. Your brake lights come on in the coach, and so do the toads and, you put your turn signal on. Now, normally this is not an issue and all will work fine. But, the Ready Brake is applying the brakes in the toad. As you have noticed, the key is off and, when the brakes are applied in the toad, the brake lights will come on. So now, you've got two sets of signals heading to those toad lights. Brake lights,(from the coach and the toad) and turn signals from the coach.
But, you've got another set of signals coming from the brake light switch on the toad, also heading to those toad lights. Hmmmmm
So, what happens? Well, you can't have two conflicting signals going to the same filament, in the same bulb. Only one is going to take priority. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure which one will be the winner because I've not followed myself or anyone else that has this issue. I will tell you what I did to remedy it. My solution is plain and simple.
I cut the brake light wire from the brake switch in the toad and sent it up to very close to the door jamb. There I installed a tiny, double throw toggle switch. I then put that wire in the center position on the switch. On one leg of the switch, I sent it right back to the connection on the brake switch on the toad. On the other leg, I sent that wire all the way up to the front of the toad, and through the pig tail, all the way to the dash on the coach.
I then installed an "LED" in the dash of the coach. Now, when the toad is hooked up and ready to be towed, I flip that switch, so that when the Ready Brake is applied, the signal from the brake pedal in the toad is sent to the dash on the coach. That way, I can tell if the brakes are being applied in the toad.
But, when it comes time to drive the toad, then all I do is flip that switch to the other side and the signal from the brake light switch on the toad, goes to the brake lights on the toad, as is does normally.
Yes, the diodes are installed in the system, down stream from the intersection where I tied into the factory wiring. That's so the signal from the coach doesn't go down stream all the way to the steering column and the front set of lights on the toad. Incidentally, I don't get those high dollar diodes from all the specialty places, I use the $3.00 pack from Radio Shack and it has worked absolutely flawless for well over 30 years. Good luck.
Scott
