Brakeswitch Installation

[Gaetan Lavoie]

I have read a fair amount about the Brakeswitch mostly in the Winnibago and Monaco Forums and I don't need more testimonies to convince me of its benefits. However, the installation of the Brakeswitch is done on either the Freighliner or the Roadmaster chassis and I have read of a number of problems encountered by some RVers during the installation. The instructions provided on the Brakeswitch website are not as clear or as complete as I wish. Before I make the jump, I would like to hear from RVers who have installed the Brakeswitch on a Spartan chassis. If you could provide some insights into the process (pictures if you took some), it would be more than appreciated.

[Gaetan Lavoie]

I have read a fair amount about the Brakeswitch mostly in the Winnibago and Monaco Forums and I don't need more testimonies to convince me of its benefits. However, the installation of the Brakeswitch is done on either the Freighliner or the Roadmaster chassis and I have read of a number of problems encountered by some RVers during the installation. The instructions provided on the Brakeswitch website are not as clear or as complete as I wish. Before I make the jump, I would like to hear from RVers who have installed the Brakeswitch on a Spartan chassis. If you could provide some insights into the process (pictures if you took some), it would be more than appreciated.

[moisheh]

Bon Jour Gaeton:

Have you tried phoning Brake Switch? The owner is a great guy and will do anything to help you with the installation. Some newer units do not need the switch. You can just modify the computer and it will perform the same function. I am sorry I do not know how or where this is done. I am sure someone will post that info.

Moisheh

[footdoc]

Your engine can be easily reprogrammed to the Latch Mode...works the same as the brakeswitch, but will likely be free when done at Cummins..

[David K]

I have a 2002 Ultimate Advantage on a Spartan Mountain Master Chassis. The install took about 10 minutes. On mine the dash "flips up" so you can see the back of the exhaust brake switch. I have a brake controller already installed on my coach for the tow dolly electric brakes so, the brake lead was easy to access. The power wire was easy to locate. Talking to the man at Brakeswitch, the main wires to hook into are the power wire, the brake wire. The wire to the engine electronics has the wording on it to help identify it. The only words of advice I can give is to be careful should you remove the switch from the dash to work with it -- if you take the switch apart, it has 4 very tiny springs that you have to be careful not to lose -- they close the circuits on the light, etc. I managed to lose the tiny springs and did not find them. I went to a locksmith and bought replacement springs so the switch would work correctly. The install is really very easy. I really like the fact that the exhaust brake does not come on whether I have the cruse control on or off until I actually touch the brake. Then when you touch the throttle, it goes off and will allow you to coast whether the cruse control is on or off. I will try to go out tomorrow and tell you the color of the wires that I spiced into on the chassis and the color of the brakeswitch that I used for the splice. The install is really very easy.

[David K]

OK -- Looked at the wires this AM. The exhaust brake switch on the dash has 4 wires coming and going from it -- Black (ground), yellow (Power), pink (from the ECM) and grey (I have no idea on this one -- maybe to the ECM). I used the red wires on the BrakeSwitch to cut and splice into the pink wire, I used the white wires on the BrakeSwitch to cut and splice into the yellow wire, I scotchlocked the black wire from the BrakeSwitch to the black wire, and I scotchlocked the violet wire from the BrakeSwitch to the blue wire for my brake controller (controls the brakes on my tow dolly) -- I used the wire feeding into my controller not the one coming out of the controller -- it will not get the signal if you use the wire going out of the brake controller -- need the input side. Hope that helps you in the install -- hope the color coding is the same. If the color coding is the same and the # of wires are the same, you will probably not have to take the Brake Switch out of your dash to install.

[Gaetan Lavoie]

Dave,

Thank you for the trouble I gave you. However, I think that Spartan made a number of changes since yours. I took a close look at my Aux Brake switch and noted a large number of wires (12) and of different colors (Brown, black and pink)than those mentioned in your post. So I will go and check if the Cummins shop can program the Latch Mode into the computer.

Once again thank you for your help.