Flat-spotted Dinghy Tires.

[Pangaea_Ron]

I'm currently on a trip in the SW (St George, UT) and towing a 2014 Honda CR-V. My Road-Master Even-Brake system locked up the wheels on the CR-V and squared off the tires trying to stop the MH. It continued with the CR-V brakes engaged even after I had released the MH brakes? Lots of smoke from the CR-V tires and a real jerk to the MH.

I quickly got to the shoulder to determine what happened. I have no idea what went wrong? Everything seemed OK with the configuration of the set-up, and it returned a positive System OK when I re-tested the system. I removed the braking system and have been traveling without it. I would be more concerned if I did not have an Allison transmission with a grade brake, but after several 6-7,000 foot high passes, and a few 10,000 passes ahead I would like to have the system perform well. Today I will find a large gravel lot to test the system (without squaring the tires again) to see if I can get it to work again?

In driving the CR-V now, it seems that the tires indeed do have flat spots as noticed by the vibrations while driving. Can tires be shaved or trued to correct this. This used to be done by tire dealers for extra $$$, but it seems that it is only done for race car tires now? The Bridgestone tires only have 1,800 miles on them. Am I damaging the CR-V by towing or diving it? I've read that re-balancing the tires can help, but that seems unlikely to me?

Any thoughts?

[Pangaea_Ron]

Usual

Interesting trials, I'm not sure that I can get enough Pinot Gris into my wife to get her to do similar tests. . . and it's also about saving the marriage thing.

We did lots of ups and downs today, including 10,460 feet to Cedar Breaks NM. We're now in Farmington, NM, arriving at 8pm after a long day, with sand storms and huge winds across most of Northern Arizona. It was exhausting, and we'll need to de-grit tomorrow. (There are not many reasonable RV Park/CG options in this part of the world).

[UsualSuspect]

Pangaea Ron - Something was not right. I did some testing with mine as it was new to me, I am the second owner, and wanted to test a few things to see if it worked as advertised. Here is what mine does under various tests, I would think yours would operate the same.
Note: The tests were all done on a closed private paved roadway, at no time was the speed more than 25 MPH. I would never advocate or recommend you allow anyone to ride in the TOAD, but I did to test it. I had a willing buddy who was interested as he has one, so he rode in the TOAD and I drove the MH.
1 - After 20 seconds of brake application, the EvenBrake released the TOAD brakes on it's own. Interesting thing on this was, the red light on the remote stayed on. I am guessing the brake light relay sends the signal to the box in the TOAD, which sends the signal to the remote.
2 - If my buddy presses the brake pedal while we are in motion, and the MH brakes are not applied, the red light on the remote comes on, it sounds an alarm, and it tells you on the remote display the brakes are applied. I found this only happens if you the brake light switch relay is installed.
3 - If I apply the brakes on the MH, and after I stop, if my buddy pushes down on the brake pedal and holds it there, and I release the MH brakes, the red light will light on the remote, and the alarm will sound on it.
I would have thought if the brakes were still applied you should have had a visual, as well as audible alarm. Since that did not happen, I would think there is a problem with the the brake light relay switch not working, or the box that acts as the transmitter in the TOAD. The remote in the MH is only a receiver. I would be interested in what RoadMaster has to say.

[Pangaea_Ron]

Usual

I can't actually remember if the red light came on, things were happening pretty quickly, and the MH module went completely dark just as the CR-V brakes released?

I did have difficulty aligning the EvenBrake system with the CR-V seat due to lack of adjustment, and the braking system did ride up the seat until properly adjusted. It is important to remove the rubber floor mat.

Honda will install an Active Braking System on the Honda Fit in Japan next year but not on the CR-V. I did check with the dealer, as did the Truck Toys installer of the base plates and braking system (that performed well for many years on my Jeep GC).

[Pangaea_Ron]

Francesca Knowles wrote:

Pangaea Ron wrote:
i remember when tire dealers tried to sell that as an add-on. Fortunately (or unfortunately for me) that is not done much anymore, and mostly for racing tires now. I think that the manufacturing process has improved so that it is no longer needed. It is not available here in SG or home in Anacortes (I thought about bringing the damaged tires home) but was not sure that I could actually have the process done? There are some youtube videos on-line about the process. Interesting, but old-world. . . it takes a real technician, and also specialized adapters for new tire sizes that not everyone has.

What do you suppose is going to happen to the tires you just discarded? And likely paid a per-tire "disposal fee" for, I might add.

Lots-of-life-left tires do NOT go to the shredder, but to those who know how to repair/reclaim them.

You are probably right, but that option was beyond my capabilities on the road. I did pay $3 per tire disposal fee. I tried to locate a shop that would shave or true the tires, but there was no one available in the area.

[UsualSuspect]

Pangaea Ron wrote:
I'm currently on a trip in the SW (St George, UT) and towing a 2014 Honda CR-V. My Road-Master Even-Brake system locked up the wheels on the CR-V and squared off the tires trying to stop the MH. It continued with the CR-V brakes engaged even after I had released the MH brakes? Lots of smoke from the CR-V tires and a real jerk to the MH.

I quickly got to the shoulder to determine what happened. I have no idea what went wrong? Everything seemed OK with the configuration of the set-up, and it returned a positive System OK when I re-tested the system. I removed the braking system and have been traveling without it. I would be more concerned if I did not have an Allison transmission with a grade brake, but after several 6-7,000 foot high passes, and a few 10,000 passes ahead I would like to have the system perform well. Today I will find a large gravel lot to test the system (without squaring the tires again) to see if I can get it to work again?

In driving the CR-V now, it seems that the tires indeed do have flat spots as noticed by the vibrations while driving. Can tires be shaved or trued to correct this. This used to be done by tire dealers for extra $$$, but it seems that it is only done for race car tires now? The Bridgestone tires only have 1,800 miles on them. Am I damaging the CR-V by towing or diving it? I've read that re-balancing the tires can help, but that seems unlikely to me?

Any thoughts?

Did the red Light on the remote light come on? The brake should also release itself automatically after I use the same brake, sensitivity has always been set as low as it will go, and the force set to medium. One thing I have noticed is, if it climbs up the front of the seat at all, it becomes more sensitive. I noticed it when I forgot to take the floor mat out, but it did not flatten the tires, nor did it lock them up.

I thought the Honda's started coming with BrakeAssist? If so, I think Roadmaster will tell you not to use a EvenBrake on it or you might get flat spots on your tires. I would check with Honda to see if the BrakeAssist feature supplies electric power to the brakes all the time.

[Pop-Pop_C]

Pangaea Ron wrote:
I'm currently on a trip in the SW (St George, UT) and towing a 2014 Honda CR-V. My Road-Master Even-Brake system locked up the wheels on the CR-V and squared off the tires trying to stop the MH. It continued with the CR-V brakes engaged even after I had released the MH brakes? Lots of smoke from the CR-V tires and a real jerk to the MH.

I quickly got to the shoulder to determine what happened. I have no idea what went wrong? Everything seemed OK with the configuration of the set-up, and it returned a positive System OK when I re-tested the system. I removed the braking system and have been traveling without it. I would be more concerned if I did not have an Allison transmission with a grade brake, but after several 6-7,000 foot high passes, and a few 10,000 passes ahead I would like to have the system perform well. Today I will find a large gravel lot to test the system (without squaring the tires again) to see if I can get it to work again?

Yup, happened to me twice,. With the "Brake Buddy"! Learning curve.
Have the "Ready brake " now .

In driving the CR-V now, it seems that the tires indeed do have flat spots as noticed by the vibrations while driving. Can tires be shaved or trued to correct this. This used to be done by tire dealers for extra $$$, but it seems that it is only done for race car tires now? The Bridgestone tires only have 1,800 miles on them. Am I damaging the CR-V by towing or diving it? I've read that re-balancing the tires can help, but that seems unlikely to me?

Any thoughts?

[Francesca_Knowl]

Pangaea Ron wrote:
i remember when tire dealers tried to sell that as an add-on. Fortunately (or unfortunately for me) that is not done much anymore, and mostly for racing tires now. I think that the manufacturing process has improved so that it is no longer needed. It is not available here in SG or home in Anacortes (I thought about bringing the damaged tires home) but was not sure that I could actually have the process done? There are some youtube videos on-line about the process. Interesting, but old-world. . . it takes a real technician, and also specialized adapters for new tire sizes that not everyone has.

What do you suppose is going to happen to the tires you just discarded? And likely paid a per-tire "disposal fee" for, I might add.

Lots-of-life-left tires do NOT go to the shredder, but to those who know how to repair/reclaim them.

[Pangaea_Ron]

i remember when tire dealers tried to sell that as an add-on. Fortunately (or unfortunately for me) that is not done much anymore, and mostly for racing tires now. I think that the manufacturing process has improved so that it is no longer needed. It is not available here in SG or home in Anacortes (I thought about bringing the damaged tires home) but was not sure that I could actually have the process done? There are some youtube videos on-line about the process. Interesting, but old-world. . . it takes a real technician, and also specialized adapters for new tire sizes that not everyone has.

[Ductape]

There are still shops that will true tires. Two in this area. Just had the coach done.

[Pangaea_Ron]

As Siggy suggests, I do travel with the supplemental braking system set to LOW. I look at the braking system as a legal requirement, for an emergency, and not for normal usage.

I called my Honda Service Department this morning, and my home Les Schwab tire dealer, and they both suggested to replace the tires (even though LS knew that there was no LS outlet in St George).

I took the CR-V to Gene's OK Tires in St George and asked him to drive it to see what he thought. As he walked up to the car, he felt the tire tread and said, I bet the other front tire is the same, and it was, as were the 2 rear tires. He was amazed, it's usually just the fronts that are really bad? He said that it looked like it certainly stopped straight.

I feel better about replacing the tires, and the cost was $40 cheaper per tire than LS at home. If you are ever in St George and need tires. . . See Gene. The expensive part was the shopping we did while waiting for the tires to be changed.

I'll probably test the braking system in a gravel lot near here tomorrow morning, but will most likely deal with the braking system when I get home.

Thanks for all your responses.

[willald]

I can't really offer much advice on how to fix the damage to the tires, as shaving or fixing out-of-round tires is not something I've ever had any experience with. However, I will offer this:

What happened to you here highlights perfectly the biggest reason why I will not trust ANY electronic supplemental braking system. Potential is always there for it to malfunction and over-brake your toad. And, in many cases, by the time you realize its happening, major damage has already been done to either your tires and/or your toad brakes.

Once you resolve the tire issue, my suggestion is that you dump that braking system you have and get you a Readybrake. Simple, very cost effective cable operated braking system, that is just about impossible for it to ever over-brake your toad (once installed and set up properly).

[Francesca_Knowl]

My brother used to do competition driving and sometimes had new tires "shaved" at a Les Schwab in the Portland area. Purpose in that case was to improve traction by removing some of the new tread, but if you can find a shop that does it I'd think results would be the same. I s'pose it really depends on how much tread is gone in the flat spots- there must be some limit to what they'll take off.

Anyway, since it sounds like you're in Les Schwab country you might stop at one of their shops and ask.

[siggyd777]

You need to set the sensitivity way down LOW on the brake controller,
so that the car brakes only come on in an emergency stop,Not going down a mountain.

[shutdown]

I doubt you are going to find anywhere to shave out the flat spots. Balancing may help. The good news is it won't hurt the CRV. If it is an unacceptable about of noise/vibration then you are likely going to need to replace them.