Anyone using a NSA surge auxillary brake system

[allegro1x]

Had never heard of the NSA surge braking system till I saw one on a MH, when I was in Florida a few weeks ago. I think the company is in Kansas. Seems to be a simple sys to be legal with a brake for a toad. Dave

[CLIFFTALL]

Here's a link to some previous threads on this.

https://www.google.com/search?q=NSA+...com&gws_rd=ssl

[Easyrider]

You'll find lots of fans of NSA's ReadyBrake or in my situation the ReadyBrute Elite which is the ReadyBrake built into NSA's tow bar. We've used ours for a couple years now and like it a lot. There's others who have used it for much longer and wouldn't use anything else.

[ronjhall]

Our Ready Brute Elite tow bar with brake is great system. Last year on our way home from our winter trip. Stopped at the factory and got updates done on our older tow bar. All work and parts done at no charge.

[CampingCajun]

Been using the Elite for 4 years now with no problems.

[stew1]

Have read lots of good post about it paid for one but dont get in a hurry to get one mines backordered.

[exrench]

I am not familiar with that brake system, but beware of anything that extends the effective length of the tow bar at the MH end. I saw one on a motor home on the Alaska Highway that was probably responsible for the hitch being torn off the frame. The frost heaves exerted too much up and down force on the assembly causing this failure. While everyone will not "do" the Alaska Highway most will encounter bad heaves over rail crossings etc.

[Easyrider]

Originally Posted by exrench

I am not familiar with that brake system, but beware of anything that extends the effective length of the tow bar at the MH end. I saw one on a motor home on the Alaska Highway that was probably responsible for the hitch being torn off the frame. The frost heaves exerted too much up and down force on the assembly causing this failure. While everyone will not "do" the Alaska Highway most will encounter bad heaves over rail crossings etc.

Interesting, but since the tow bar arms are hinged and free to move up and down I would question that that was the cause of the hitch being torn off. I wonder how old or rusty the hitch was and what else had been connected to it previously.

[MSHappyCampers]

Highly recommend the NSA ReadyBrake and also the ReadyBrute towbars!

[exrench]

Originally Posted by Easyrider

Interesting, but since the tow bar arms are hinged and free to move up and down I would question that that was the cause of the hitch being torn off. I wonder how old or rusty the hitch was and what else had been connected to it previously.

In a perfect world, the front bumper of the toad and the rear bumper of the MH would move up and down utilizing the hinge effect built into the tow bar assembly. In the real world of math and physics, the toad is constantly made to accelerate and decelerate to achieve the "at rest" relationship of the two vehicles. Think of holding a fishing rod level, with a sinker on the end of the line and the sinker lying on the ground. Raise the rod tip a few inches and the sinker will be seen to move toward you(acceleration mode). This illustrates what happens to the toad when the rear wheels of the MH hit a frost heave or other road hazard. The length of the fishing rod represents the distance between the rear wheels and the rear bumper of the MH. The reverse happens when the rear end of the MH comes back down. These are powerful forces since the acceleration and deceleration has to happen in a very short time span which is exacerbated by high road speed.

I took pictures of the torn steel angle. The hitch was welded to the frame and the angle (2"x2"-1/4") was torn like cardboard. The motorhome was about six years old and about 35 feet in length. The mess underneath prompted me to have a close look at my own rig since we had both experienced the same stretch of Alaska Highway each with a CRV in tow.

[hosenose]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Highly recommend the NSA ReadyBrake and also the ReadyBrute towbars!

X2

[Magumba]

We've towed our Cherokee for five years with a Elite tow bar brake system, works well and was much cheaper they any other option.

[Topflite51]

Originally Posted by exrench

I am not familiar with that brake system, but beware of anything that extends the effective length of the tow bar at the MH end. I saw one on a motor home on the Alaska Highway that was probably responsible for the hitch being torn off the frame. The frost heaves exerted too much up and down force on the assembly causing this failure. While everyone will not "do" the Alaska Highway most will encounter bad heaves over rail crossings etc.

I believe you need to look elsewhere for the cause of the hitch being torn off the frame. I have seen many hitch extensions that have had NO problems. The best example being the hitch extensions that are made for slide in campers that are towing, I have seen extensions that are 4 feet long and those rigs haven't had problems.

[Vinster30]

I tow a Jeep Patriot using the ReadyBrake. The hook up is easy and fast when it comes time to travel. The system does extend the distance about 15 inches between the MH and "toad". In my case, I believe that it may take some of the "wag" out.