Readybrake prices

[Queens_Carriage]

Has anybody found the ready brake for less than $400 ?

[d0n1]

Queens Carriage wrote:
I was interested in the ready brake. Bought new toad. Had a GEO tracker 2700lbs now I have a Jeep Liberty 4200lbs. Sow it is time to step up to the plate and do the safe thing.

You towed your tracker 4 down relying on just the RVs brakes? Roughly how many miles did you do that and was it safe? I'm considering NOT getting an auxiliary brake for my tracker. From the info I find on the internet, it only weighs 2400 lbs.

[Silver_Eagle_94]

Just orderd the readybrake from www.hitchsource.com $380 with the dash light kit,and free freight

[wbwood]

427435 wrote:

wbwood wrote:

427435 wrote:

wbwood wrote:
I have no issue with putting magnetic lights on the top of my yaris. It's a 2007 and has nearly 175,000 miles on it. It won't mess up anything. I am having a hard time though deciding on whether or not to go the rout of the 4 down or the tow dolly. I know I won't have this car forever. It could last another few years or it could be gone tomorrow. I hate to spend the money on base plate, wiring, brake wiring, and the labor on it and then have it for only a little while and then have to spend that money all over again for another vehicle. My wife has a new explorer and we would set it up for 4 down, but it's too heavy. The curb weight of it is over 6000lbs and our motorhome is rated to tow 5000lbs. Curb weight of my Yaris is less than 2300lbs.

I think you are mistaking the GVWR with the actual curb weight. If you don't have the Explorer loaded, its curb weight is under 5000 lbs.

http://autos.yahoo.com/ford/explorer/2012/xlt-4wd/specifications.html


We have towed our Explorer (which is probably heavier than the new design) over 40,000 miles. Makes a great toad as you sit a little higher when driving in a new area and you can even do a little trail exploring with one (if it is a 4WD version).

Curb weight is the weight of the vehicle plus the liquids needed for operation.

According to Motortrend he published curb weight is 4697 lbs.

Edmunds lists 4557 lbs. either one is too close to my 5000 max as that is with nothing else in it. More than likely I would want to have stuff in or on it.

You are right, I was going off gross weight when I mentioned the 6000 lb number. Didn't mean to.

Things won't suddenly go to heck if your toad and contents weigh 5010 lbs. We carried a spare MH tire to and from Alaska and a wood carving that weighed a couple of hundred lbs back from Alaska. I do check the MH hitch and the Readybrake towbar is rated for 8000 lbs.

99%of the time you are probably right. But I don't need the chance of that 1% happening and tearing up my new motorhome (and possibly the new explorer) and voiding any warranties I have.

[427435]

wbwood wrote:

427435 wrote:

wbwood wrote:
I have no issue with putting magnetic lights on the top of my yaris. It's a 2007 and has nearly 175,000 miles on it. It won't mess up anything. I am having a hard time though deciding on whether or not to go the rout of the 4 down or the tow dolly. I know I won't have this car forever. It could last another few years or it could be gone tomorrow. I hate to spend the money on base plate, wiring, brake wiring, and the labor on it and then have it for only a little while and then have to spend that money all over again for another vehicle. My wife has a new explorer and we would set it up for 4 down, but it's too heavy. The curb weight of it is over 6000lbs and our motorhome is rated to tow 5000lbs. Curb weight of my Yaris is less than 2300lbs.

I think you are mistaking the GVWR with the actual curb weight. If you don't have the Explorer loaded, its curb weight is under 5000 lbs.

http://autos.yahoo.com/ford/explorer/2012/xlt-4wd/specifications.html


We have towed our Explorer (which is probably heavier than the new design) over 40,000 miles. Makes a great toad as you sit a little higher when driving in a new area and you can even do a little trail exploring with one (if it is a 4WD version).

Curb weight is the weight of the vehicle plus the liquids needed for operation.

According to Motortrend he published curb weight is 4697 lbs.

Edmunds lists 4557 lbs. either one is too close to my 5000 max as that is with nothing else in it. More than likely I would want to have stuff in or on it.

You are right, I was going off gross weight when I mentioned the 6000 lb number. Didn't mean to.

Things won't suddenly go to heck if your toad and contents weigh 5010 lbs. We carried a spare MH tire to and from Alaska and a wood carving that weighed a couple of hundred lbs back from Alaska. I do check the MH hitch and the Readybrake towbar is rated for 8000 lbs.

[wbwood]

427435 wrote:

wbwood wrote:
I have no issue with putting magnetic lights on the top of my yaris. It's a 2007 and has nearly 175,000 miles on it. It won't mess up anything. I am having a hard time though deciding on whether or not to go the rout of the 4 down or the tow dolly. I know I won't have this car forever. It could last another few years or it could be gone tomorrow. I hate to spend the money on base plate, wiring, brake wiring, and the labor on it and then have it for only a little while and then have to spend that money all over again for another vehicle. My wife has a new explorer and we would set it up for 4 down, but it's too heavy. The curb weight of it is over 6000lbs and our motorhome is rated to tow 5000lbs. Curb weight of my Yaris is less than 2300lbs.

I think you are mistaking the GVWR with the actual curb weight. If you don't have the Explorer loaded, its curb weight is under 5000 lbs.

http://autos.yahoo.com/ford/explorer/2012/xlt-4wd/specifications.html


We have towed our Explorer (which is probably heavier than the new design) over 40,000 miles. Makes a great toad as you sit a little higher when driving in a new area and you can even do a little trail exploring with one (if it is a 4WD version).

Curb weight is the weight of the vehicle plus the liquids needed for operation.

According to Motortrend he published curb weight is 4697 lbs.

Edmunds lists 4557 lbs. either one is too close to my 5000 max as that is with nothing else in it. More than likely I would want to have stuff in or on it.

You are right, I was going off gross weight when I mentioned the 6000 lb number. Didn't mean to.

[427435]

wbwood wrote:
I have no issue with putting magnetic lights on the top of my yaris. It's a 2007 and has nearly 175,000 miles on it. It won't mess up anything. I am having a hard time though deciding on whether or not to go the rout of the 4 down or the tow dolly. I know I won't have this car forever. It could last another few years or it could be gone tomorrow. I hate to spend the money on base plate, wiring, brake wiring, and the labor on it and then have it for only a little while and then have to spend that money all over again for another vehicle. My wife has a new explorer and we would set it up for 4 down, but it's too heavy. The curb weight of it is over 6000lbs and our motorhome is rated to tow 5000lbs. Curb weight of my Yaris is less than 2300lbs.

I think you are mistaking the GVWR with the actual curb weight. If you don't have the Explorer loaded, its curb weight is under 5000 lbs.

http://autos.yahoo.com/ford/explorer/2012/xlt-4wd/specifications.html


We have towed our Explorer (which is probably heavier than the new design) over 40,000 miles. Makes a great toad as you sit a little higher when driving in a new area and you can even do a little trail exploring with one (if it is a 4WD version).

[Bobbo]

I had that same decision when I bought my MH. My car was old and wouldn't last forever. I bought a tow dolly and towed that car for 3 years. After 3 years, the car had to be replaced due to mechanical reasons. It was spending more time in the shop than on the road. At that point, I sold the tow dolly on Craig's List and put a baseplate on the new car. I plan to tow the new car for 10 to 15 years, hopefully.

[willald]

wbwood wrote:
I have no issue with putting magnetic lights on the top of my yaris. It's a 2007 and has nearly 175,000 miles on it. It won't mess up anything. I am having a hard time though deciding on whether or not to go the rout of the 4 down or the tow dolly. I know I won't have this car forever. It could last another few years or it could be gone tomorrow. I hate to spend the money on base plate, wiring, brake wiring, and the labor on it and then have it for only a little while and then have to spend that money all over again for another vehicle.

Yep, wbwood, tough decision there. I too would hate to spend a bunch of $$ setting up a vehicle for flat towing, when the vehicle is that old and you may not have it much longer. Then again, kinda stinks also to spend a bunch of $$ on a dolly, when reality is that when you trade the vehicle, you will probably want to get a flat towable vehicle and go that route, and then have to sell the dolly.

If you do chose to set the Yaris up for flat towing, I'd definitely try to do it as cheaply as possible, given how old the vehicle is and the fact you may not keep it much longer. Magnetic lights are definitely the way to go in that case, as it'd allow you to take care of all the wiring you'd need for the Yaris for very little $$. If you get the right tow bar and braking system (highly, highly recommend ReadyBrute Elite package!), all of that could be used on the next vehicle, so no $$ would be lost there. Only $$ you'd lose on the trade that there'd be no way around, is what you'd spend on installing base plates. That'd be about $400 + installation (unless you do the install yourself).

Sooo, which would cost you more - the depreciation on a dolly you use for a few years and then sell, or the cost of installing base plates on your Yaris? Hard to say, but I think its close enough, that you might as well set the Yaris up for flat towing and skip the dolly thing altogether. Knowing what I know now, thats probably what I'd do in your situation.

Will

[wbwood]

I have no issue with putting magnetic lights on the top of my yaris. It's a 2007 and has nearly 175,000 miles on it. It won't mess up anything. I am having a hard time though deciding on whether or not to go the rout of the 4 down or the tow dolly. I know I won't have this car forever. It could last another few years or it could be gone tomorrow. I hate to spend the money on base plate, wiring, brake wiring, and the labor on it and then have it for only a little while and then have to spend that money all over again for another vehicle. My wife has a new explorer and we would set it up for 4 down, but it's too heavy. The curb weight of it is over 6000lbs and our motorhome is rated to tow 5000lbs. Curb weight of my Yaris is less than 2300lbs.

[willald]

Bobbo wrote:
...While you CAN use magnetic lights, it will soon become more trouble than it is worth. You will be far happier with permanently wired tail lights.

Yes, in most cases, people only use magnetic lights temporarily, and eventually get tired of them for various reasons and end up permanently wiring tail lights.

However, I have found a way to use them, that eliminates almost all the issues folks have with them, sort of a 'best of both worlds' approach: Instead of putting them on the outside where they are prone to scratch paint and have to be put on, taken off each trip, I put them on the INSIDE of the vehicle, on the 'shelf' right behind the rear seats of the vehicle (Ford Fusion).

One piece of velcro on the bottom of the magnetic lights makes them stay put perfectly on the shelf back there. They sit behind the rear seat headrests where they do not block your view at all when driving the vehicle. You barely notice they're even there. That being the case, they pretty much stay there permanently, I never take them out. Sooo, same convenience of a permanently wired setup, without having to tap into hardly any of the vehicle's wiring. With how complicated the wiring is for our hybrid Ford Fusion, I decided early on that I did NOT want to tap into any of its wiring if that could possibly be avoided.

The other really cool thing about magnetic lights that I like: Years down the road when I trade this vehicle, I can remove the magnetic lights and their wiring in 5 seconds, and easily use it on the next vehicle we purchase to tow. No need to buy a new wiring kit and pay labor costs to wire taillights each time a vehicle is traded.

[Bobbo]

Bobbo wrote:

wbwood wrote:
Can you use the magnetic lights that plugs into the 4 pin plug? Rather than having the car plugged in , thus running down the battery and having to get something else for that?

You don't understand how the lights are wired.

You don't use the car's battery to run the lights, except for a brief time when the car's brake pedal is pressed.

You either add new bulbs not wired to the car at all, OR put diodes in the car's wiring to prevent back powering the car's wiring. Then you run a wire to the front of the car where it plugs into the MH wiring. The power for the tail lights, brake lights, and marker lights comes from the MH battery/alternator. Like I said, the car's battery won't be used except when the car's brake pedal is pressed. That will be such a short time it won't cause any problems.

While you CAN use magnetic lights, it will soon become more trouble than it is worth. You will be far happier with permanently wired tail lights.

I hope I didn't sound condescending in this answer. I didn't mean to be. The last thing I would want is to make someone hesitate to ask questions. Heaven knows I have asked my share on here.

[wbwood]

Bobbo wrote:

wbwood wrote:
You are right and why I am asking. I've seen it mentioned on here and seen that they sell things because apparently car batteries get depleted.

There are 2 reasons for battery depletion, one of which doesn't apply to the Ready Brake.

Reason 1 is a Brake Buddy, or similar, plugged into the car's electrical system draining the battery. The Ready Brake doesn't do this.

Reason 2 is the fact that some cars require the key to be turned out of the LOCK position to unlock the steering. Of those cars, some activate the ACC and some don't. If your car activates the ACC whenever you unlock the steering, the various drains can drain your battery. The only solutions for this problem are to pull a fuse to prevent the ACC from pulling power, or running a charge line from the MH to the car's battery to keep it charged despite the draw.

Neither of those is related to the brake lights in any way.

Thanks. Makes sense.

[Queens_Carriage]

I did buy one bought it from the manufacturer.

[Bobbo]

wbwood wrote:
You are right and why I am asking. I've seen it mentioned on here and seen that they sell things because apparently car batteries get depleted.

There are 2 reasons for battery depletion, one of which doesn't apply to the Ready Brake.

Reason 1 is a Brake Buddy, or similar, plugged into the car's electrical system draining the battery. The Ready Brake doesn't do this.

Reason 2 is the fact that some cars require the key to be turned out of the LOCK position to unlock the steering. Of those cars, some activate the ACC and some don't. If your car activates the ACC whenever you unlock the steering, the various drains can drain your battery. The only solutions for this problem are to pull a fuse to prevent the ACC from pulling power, or running a charge line from the MH to the car's battery to keep it charged despite the draw.

Neither of those is related to the brake lights in any way.