M&G Engineering Toad Braking System

[Bob in Dallas]

Has anyone tried the toad brake by M&G Engineering? The idea is very simple, almost fool-proof and much less expensive than others on the market. The mechanics of the design are bullet proof, and the system works in conjunction with the porportional air brakes of the coach. There is even a system for coaches without air brakes (Costs more). A separate breakaway system is available for $195. This makes the total system cost $195 + $594 = $789 plus installation. Installation should take about three hours max at $85/he for a total of $1044. This is less than the base price of most other systems. It also appears to be a piece of cake to instell yourself and save the $255 installation. I have one friend who swears by his system on a Honda CRV. Info at www.m-gengineering.com

[chasfm11]

Bob, I haven't tried the M&G system. I've been looking at RoadMaster's Brake Master system. It seems that the difference between the two engineering approaches is that the BrakeMaster puts a floor mounted air cylinder under the driver's seat with an arm to push on the toad's brake pedal while the M&G approach is to put a device on the master brake cylinder. The price appears pretty close, too.

[Bob in Dallas]

I worry about the systems which put pressure on the brake pedal of a powewr brake vehicle. It takes a tremendous force for the brake to be effective without vacuum in the booster. The M&G system is effectively a replacement for the vacuum booster when hooked to the coach, and dosen't exist (as far as the toad braking system knows) when not hooked to the coach. I am ordering a system today and I'll post technical details when I get the system. As an engineer, I prefer simple solutions to problems, and I wish I had thought of the M&G design myself. It only has one moving part, and should be maintenance free. If you are interested, when I get it, I'll e-mail you and you can see my installation on a Foretravel Grand Villa and a Acura Integra.

Bob in Dallas

[Gary RVRoamer]

I know several people who have the M&G and all speak very highly off it. It's one of the premier systems on the market.

But there is no call to be concerned about systems that press on the brake pedal. Federal safety regs require that an average driver be able to stop the vehicle after a failure of the normal power assist. Few cars have a back-up assist, so that means they can be stopped by pushing your own foot down on the unassisted pedal. The pedal is designed for it and the pressures aren't all that great (despite the feel), so don't worry.

[Dave Fernandez]

I have an M&G Brake system on my Suburban and it works great. All I do is connect the air line and safety cable for the brake away and the brakes are ready. They also work proportional the brakes on the Coach. The Suburban uses a Hydro-Boost not vacuum assist, so no pushing on the brake pedal. When we bought another Suburban I was also able to but the M&G on with no problems. For me the M&G works great and I do not have anything inside the car or under the seat, it is all under the hood.


Dave

[dapmfp]

We have used the M&G for 3+years (36,000+ miles), and it has been flawless during this period----very easy to hook/unhook----we highly recommend this product.

Mary

[Cruzer]

I just installed an M&G system on my Jeep. I took out my US Gear Unified Tow Brake setup and replaced it with the M&G. I originally had a Brake Buddy, which worked well but was a pain to have to setup, take down, and store all the time. The US Gear system eliminated that but I couldn't use my adjustable pedals on the Jeep because it would affect the cable length that pulled on the pedal.

Now that I have a diesel pusher on order I can use the M&G setup because I'll have air brakes. It installed quite easily (easier than the Unified Tow Brake) and it is really a well built unit. I haven't had a chance to test it yet because the new MH isn't here yet but according to what I've seen and heard, it's definitely the way to go.

[bflem]

Everone I know who has the M&G, myself included is very happy with it. Hooking up one small airline does not compare to setting a box in the floorboard and attaching an arm the the pedal, also less money. I would suggest making up an air line with quick connests on each end. I use a ninety degree rubber spark plug boot to cover the male end when not connected to keep dirt and water out.

[Jerry Wessel KA8MBK]

I have had the M&G on three vehicles and two motorhomes. I have logged 85000 miles using the system with no problems. My first coach was a gas model so I used their 12 volt air compressor. When I bought my new vehicle it needed a different cylinder, so M&G gave me a trade in price. I sould get it again in a heart beat.

[Cruzer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by George Miklas:
Mark, Did you call U.S. Gear to see what they had to say about adjustable pedals? Just Curious. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, I didn't bother. It's a matter of geometry. The solenoid cable from the US Gear unit connects to the brake pedal arm. If you move the arm, the cable get's tight or loose. Nothing you can do about it except move the pedal to a compromise position for both drivers and then adjust the cable freeplay accordingly and live with the pedal position. It wasn't a big deal but now that I have a coach coming with air brakes I had another option so I went with the M&G. Now all I have to do is sell my US Gear unit.

[Kiwi]

I am setting up a new toad now -- Honda Pilot. M&G brake system is my first choice.

Question:
Has anyone seen any warranty issues either from Freightliner or Honda with M&G? A lot of the nay sayers are warning me of this possibility.

Thanks
Walt

[Cruzer]

Manufacturers can't deny warranty coverage to a vehicle just because it was modified. If they can establish that any owner modification caused a premature failure of a given component then they can deny warranty coverage of that particular component but it's not a carte' blanche denial of the whole system. If your brake pads wore out prematurely from the M&G not being adjusted properly they could deny that particular item but that's really about the only thing that the M&G could possible affect. It's such a simple, clean, and fool-proof system.

[Ready2Travel]

Kiwi, read your Freightliner manual. They neither recommend or advise using the coach air for toad braking. Although the warning does not state it will void the warranty they do say doing so (using coach air) could create a serious safety hazard.

Also, call Honda. I called Acura customer service (tow an MDX) and they said warranty voiding issues may occur if the MDX brake system is modified.

I went with a Brake Buddy. Decided that because my MH had an exhaust brake I would only want toad braking if making an unexpected hard stop. Also, because of ease of installation, BB will be easier to use if I tow another vehicle.

[PDB]

I have my nw M&G still in the box waiting for my friendly RV mechanic to install it.