Community Forums

Rich n Mary · 02-23-2011, 08:35 PM

HELP!!! I have been a class A owner for about four years now and have been towing my Chevy HHR on a dolly with surge brakes.
I have just bought a new Jeep Liberty and am toying with the idea of towing 4 down. Looking at about a $1,000 for tow bar, tow plate, light kit etc.

Now the question is the brake system?????
There is the brake buddy and the Blue Ox Patriot system that set on the floor of the toad and press on the brake pedal.
OR
There is the Ready Brake system that has a cable that hooks to the brake pedal and runs up to a arm on the receiver.
Looking for the pros and cons OR am I better off just staying with the dolly???????

Wayne M · 02-23-2011, 09:36 PM

"Air Force One" breaking system, or M & G would be my choices. I use AF1.

Finhawk · 02-23-2011, 10:39 PM

The Unified Tow Brake from US Gear is my choice. It costs about $1000 to 1200. Very simple. All I do is plug in the power cable and go. It uses the power brake on the Toad instead of a lever pushing on a dead pedal. Check it out on their website.

**NLOVNIT** · 02-23-2011, 10:45 PM

We have an original BB & have been very happy w/it. Once you get the procedures down, it's easy to set up.

Lori-

hooverbill · 02-24-2011, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich n Mary

. Looking at about a $1,000 for tow bar, tow plate, light kit etc.

If you can get all the 'stuff' necessary for towing four down for $1,000 you are doing good. Getting my Honda CRV ready to tow cost $2,100. Is that a good number??

Rich n Mary · 02-24-2011, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finhawk

The Unified Tow Brake from US Gear is my choice. It costs about $1000 to 1200. Very simple. All I do is plug in the power cable and go. It uses the power brake on the Toad instead of a lever pushing on a dead pedal. Check it out on their website.

Thanks, I wnet and looked at it and i like what i saw except the price

Rich n Mary · 02-24-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooverbill

If you can get all the 'stuff' necessary for towing four down for $1,000 you are doing good. Getting my Honda CRV ready to tow cost $2,100. Is that a good number??

that is the tow bar and base plate - NO brake system

Rich n Mary · 02-24-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

"Air Force One" breaking system, or M & G would be my choices. I use AF1.

the AF1 is for diesel and I have a 2004 Winnebago Brave with a Workhorse. What is the M & G????

SSteve · 02-24-2011, 06:04 PM

I'm 100% with Wayne M on the brake system, but...

If I already had a dolly, and I was VERY comfortable with it in terms of strength and safety, and it had a brake system on it, I'd probably put up with the small amount of pain a dolly provides. If it didn't have a brake system, I'd check into adding one.

On our 08 Liberty, it cost about $900 for the tow bar/baseplate/lighting/assorted unexpected extras and about the same for the Air Force one (very few unexpected extras). So, not including installation costs (I did mine) the reality is that 2 grand is about the best you can do and cover all of the bases. Both installations are easily done by anyone with average tinkering skills and a bit of common sense. Both Blue Ox and SMI were most helpful on the installs.

Steve

P.S. SMI makes a system for non-diesel Motorhomes too. Nope, I don't work for 'em.

Finhawk · 02-24-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich n Mary

Thanks, I wnet and looked at it and i like what i saw except the price

All I can say is you get what you pay for. Just think of hooking up in a rain storm. I have! And just imagine ------you can either plug in your power cord and be finished with your brakes. Or you can be out there for a few more minutes getting your butt and everything else soaked. For me there was no question. Too old for that stuff---had enough in the Army.

Thudman · 02-26-2011, 10:38 AM

Re 2011 Dinghy Towing Guide, Jeep Liberty 4 WD, it says to disconnect the battery. Why? Will damage occur if battery is not disconnected? Does the Owners Manual say to disconnect the battery?

I currently have a Brake Buddy, which requires 12V DC, and do not disconnect the battery on my 2000 Cherokee.

Thudman

trouble&rose · 02-26-2011, 10:50 AM

We were just looking at new jeeps and the manual and the Toad book from Motor home magazine say to disconect the battery.
Also have other things to set-up in the jeep itself

I am convinced that keeping our 2001 jeep is the way to go

Trouble

SSteve · 02-26-2011, 07:40 PM

Thudman,

I think the requirement to disconnect the battery is a leftover from Liberty model years that had a steering lock. Since you'd want the key in the ignition to unlock the steering, there was a good argument to disable the electrical system for any number of reasons.

Our '08 Liberty has no steering lock. The Liberty manual still says to disconnect the negative battery terminal when towing.

I decided on Air Force One for our aux brake. To provide an indication the brakes are applied, SMI provides an LED array intended to be viewed via the rear view camera. It is powered by TOAD 12V and is connected to the TOAD brake pedal switch. Also, the breakaway system required 12V. Disconnecting the battery makes this not impossible, but difficult.

I don't disconnect the battery. 20K miles later, no muss, fuss or issues of any kind.

Steve

SideRoads · 02-27-2011, 06:19 AM

January 2009 costs associated with setting up the 2008 Jeep Liberty with a Blue Ox towing system:

BX1976 Base Plate: 431.00
Coiled Elect. Cord 70.19
Vehicle Bypass Bulb
Socket Kit 56.09
7 way to 6 way
Adapter 11.29

TOTAL 568.57

Blue Ox Aventa 477.49
LX Tow Bar
Blue Ox Tow Bar 44.00
Cover
PPL Shipping 22.83

Total 544.32

Kerrville RV 237.50
Base Plate Install
Bypass Wiring 95.00
Install

Total 332.50

Grand Total 1445.39

I went with the Brake Buddy braking system.

Safe Roads!