Supplimental Braking Recomendations

[tpwelker]

I have recently purchased a Chevy Colorado pick-up to tow behind my 2002 Damon Intruder. It came with the road master base plate installed, sweet! and I was able to pick up a road master Falcon All-terrain bar the other week. The next pieces of the puzzle is wiring and the brake system. The previous owner must have removed these items to use on another vehicle, no evidence of anything remaining except two tiny passthru holes in the spoiler and looks like something was mounter under the bumper. My question is, what is the next best piece of the puzzle? Any recommendations on wiring for lights? And as far as braking systems ... Patriot I or II, Brake Buddy, the Stealth type ...????? Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank You.

Todd

[DryCreek]

lanerd wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Another vote for the ReadyBrake. It's usable with any tow bar, and as said, it's a simple mechanical device with very few parts to fail. Installation is well within the capabilities of pretty much any shade tree mechanic, and hooking up is literally a "snap".

Granted the Readybrute Elite is a good system. However, as I mentioned previous, the OP already has a tow bar....

Hence the reason he recommended the NSA Ready Brake. It is simply the surge braking portion of the Ready Brute Elite tow bar system. It can be used with any tow bar you happen to already have - even the el-cheapo A-Frame style I used for years on my YJ. They are two different products - and for some reason I cannot for the life of me get the manufacturer link to the two products to post here. I blame the antiquated site software and not my limited interwebz skillset.

And yes, it will add some length to the overall hitch setup, so make sure that your approach and exit angles will support that extra length.

Anyway, here is a LINK to the manufacturer website.

[Hank85713]

We also have the SMI unit, and we got it from the guy who removed it from his towd when we bought the rv. Fairly easy to install and nothing to move once in place as it is mounted to kick panel to turn on adjust sensitivity. Pretty good unit.

[Islandman]

We're happy with our StayNPlay system from SMI, as enblethen pointed out above, it's simple and only one little switch to turn on to activate it. The best thing is that there is nothing on the floor board of the dinghy that needs to be moved when you disconnect and want to drive it.

[j-d]

lanerd wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Another vote for the ReadyBrake.

Granted the Readybrute Elite is a good system. However, as I mentioned previous, the OP already has a tow bar....

I find this confusing, myself. Night Shift Auto (NSA) offers ReadyBrake, which looks like a 2-inch square hitch extender, but contains a mechanical braking system that applies the toad's brakes by pulling a cable threaded through the firewall. They ALSO offer the ReadyBrute Elite tow bar with that system built in. Their ReadyBrute tow bar doesn't include the braking system. Elite does.

So... A Roadmaster tow bar should work with a ReadyBrake.

I'd consider ReadyBrake, but I think it would extend my tow bar to the point that it'd drag getting into and especially out of my storage pad. I was looking for a spec, how far it extends the hitch.

I like BlueOx with their version of the same idea, that replaces the front portion of the tow bar with a front portion that adds braking.

[lanerd]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Another vote for the ReadyBrake. It's usable with any tow bar, and as said, it's a simple mechanical device with very few parts to fail. Installation is well within the capabilities of pretty much any shade tree mechanic, and hooking up is literally a "snap".

Granted the Readybrute Elite is a good system. However, as I mentioned previous, the OP already has a tow bar....

[Dutch_12078]

Another vote for the ReadyBrake. It's usable with any tow bar, and as said, it's a simple mechanical device with very few parts to fail. Installation is well within the capabilities of pretty much any shade tree mechanic, and hooking up is literally a "snap".

[lanerd]

Guys... he already has a tow bar.

Todd... the the two holes are for the 7 (6) pin electrical connection and also for the breakaway switch. Both need to be replaced (obviously).

I would assume that the previous owner had something like a Brake Buddy (or equivalent) or maybe nothing at all. In any case, since you already have Roadmaster equipment, why not stay with them and get the Invisabrake from them.

http://roadmasterinc.com/pdf/25-5040-00.pdf

good luck in whatever you decide.

Ron

[j-d]

I like the Ready Brute tow bar with built-in braking. Blue Ox has something similar but I don't know about Roadmaster. We use Brake Buddy. Makes sense since we have two toads, but the install/remove gets wearing. So to start with one toad... Something Out of the Way

[mowermech]

Ready Brake from NSA. Simple, mechanical, no electronics to fail, relatively simple to install, easy to connect when hooking up, and(from what I have read) excellent customer service. Edit: The Ready Brake unit can be used with nearly any towbar.

As for lights, there are many methods: Install diodes in the wiring; cut the wiring to the brake light and tail lights and install a switch to select between normal use and towing (I have done that, it worked great!)or install a 4-pin trailer connector to switch between the towing harness and the normal harness (I have done that, too); drill a hole in the tail light and install a bulb for the tow lights; use magnetic towing lights (available from Harbor Freight and Northern Tool and many others) on the towed vehicle (I have also done that; they worked.)

[Nutinelse2do]

We are very happy with our RVI Brake. It's about 1/3 the size of a BB, so it's much lighter, and easier to store. It is not hard wired like and Air Force, so if you change motorhome or toad, transferring is easy.

[enblethen]

I have and like my SMI Stay n Play. Unit is mounted in toad. All I need to do is turn on a switch.
No extra wiring to MH. Uses very little power from toad.