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Solask · 07-08-2014, 08:18 AM

I had the brake cable installed by a shop in Elkhart IN that was on NSA's list of experienced installers. Handed hi the brake cable and break away cable. Toad has Demco base plate.
The guy routes the brake cable to the front of car and used a scrap piece of metal to mount the end of the cable using a clamp.
He used wire ties to secure the scrap metal to a PLASTIC support post that was centered in the grill.
He forgot to install the break away. (Probably a good thing after seeing his work on the brake cable). I have since changed the design so I don't have pictures.
Does anyone have pictures of their break away cable set up? How bout the brake cable?

Easyrider · 07-08-2014, 04:47 PM

I routed the break away cable to come out near the connection point for the tow bar arm on the driver's side. The break away cable doesn't really need or have any required routing other than coming out somewhere in the front and close to the tow bar arms since the tow bar part of the cable is wire tied to the tow bar arm on the driver's side. And you don't really have to worry about smooth movement of the cable, so tight turns are ok, the only time the cable will ever be used is in an emergency and I'm sure the car will suffer greater damage from rolling down the road without a driver than from the cable being pulled around sharp bends.

As for the braking cable, I did my own and mounted the front connecting end of the cable through a hole I drilled through a frame member that the hood release is also mounted on, using the supplied nylon nut that came with the ReadyBrute Elite.

I would guess your installer either wasn't the brightest light bulb in the box or he pawned it off to someone not very experienced. You have to take the list of installers that ReadyBrute supplies with a grain of salt. I checked with someone on the list and he told me he carried some products sold by NSA, but had never installed a ReadyBrute or the cables on any vehicles but thought he could do it if I wanted him to try. I decided that if someone with no experience was going to be doing it, it might as well be me and not someone else that I would have to pay. I actually thought that installing the mounting base plate onto the front of my toad was harder than the brake cables.

jeffwit · 07-08-2014, 04:49 PM

What he said.

Solask · 07-08-2014, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easyrider

I routed the break away cable to come out near the connection point for the tow bar arm on the driver's side. The break away cable doesn't really need or have any required routing other than coming out somewhere in the front and close to the tow bar arms since the tow bar part of the cable is wire tied to the tow bar arm on the driver's side. And you don't really have to worry about smooth movement of the cable, so tight turns are ok, the only time the cable will ever be used is in an emergency and I'm sure the car will suffer greater damage from rolling down the road without a driver than from the cable being pulled around sharp bends.

As for the braking cable, I did my own and mounted the front connecting end of the cable through a hole I drilled through a frame member that the hood release is also mounted on, using the supplied nylon nut that came with the ReadyBrute Elite.

I would guess your installer either wasn't the brightest light bulb in the box or he pawned it off to someone not very experienced. You have to take the list of installers that ReadyBrute supplies with a grain of salt. I checked with someone on the list and he told me he carried some products sold by NSA, but had never installed a ReadyBrute or the cables on any vehicles but thought he could do it if I wanted him to try. I decided that if someone with no experience was going to be doing it, it might as well be me and not someone else that I would have to pay. I actually thought that installing the mounting base plate onto the front of my toad was harder than the brake cables.

I see you don't have a 2012 ford focus.

jeffwit · 07-08-2014, 07:25 PM

I see you don't have a 2012 ford focus.

And neither do I. But unless there is something about the Focus that is extremely different from my Ram or Easy's Captiva, the principle is the same. The Readybrake works by pulling on a cable that is attached to your toad's brake pedal. Basically, the cable needs to be routed from the front of your vehicle (I drilled a hole in the canter of the bumper and used the nylon sleeve) through the firewall and attached to the arm of the brake pedal. As long as there are no sharp turns in the routing, it will work fine.
The break-away works on the same principle, but, like EasyRider said, you don't have to worry about the sharp turns because it only works once. I just zip-tied mine in several places. My break-away cable comes out next to the driver's side base plate.
Some toads have a double firewall, and I understand that can make the install a little more difficult.
I had a mechanic install the base plates, and I did the Readybrake install myself. And I'm not the most mechanically-inclined person out there.

jeffwit · 07-08-2014, 07:28 PM

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow. I know it's not a Focus, but maybe it'll help out...

Solask · 07-08-2014, 08:37 PM

I can't seem to find a place to anchor the break away cable clamp box. Be nice to see what other 2012 Focus owners did.

Easyrider · 07-09-2014, 05:24 AM

I just attached the break away clamp box upside down on the bottom of a front frame member. Once a year I'll give it a pump of grease from grease gun, the rest of the year it's forgotten about, so super easy access is not really required.