Community Forums

Wanabee FTer · 12-17-2010, 10:45 AM

I saw the LED clearance indicator lights at walmart the other day for about $10 each.

MoonchaserTX · 12-17-2010, 03:04 PM

Retired Bob,
I bought mine directly from Ready Brute (actually N.S.A. RV Products) Readybrake RV Tow Bars and RV Surge Braking Systems for Car Towing - Night Shift Auto Give them a call
The customer service is excellent. He was very patient to walk through all the issues and make recommendations. Since I didnt previously have a tow bar I got the combined brake/towbar set up from them as well as the indicator light lines, 2 coil emergency cables, the ready stop emergency break away system..AND I also had them throw in a Protect-A-Tow stone guard (very nice, but saw later you can get them cheaper right from Protect-A-Tow), and I also got the tow bar cover from them..it IS needed to cover all the lines once unhooked.

From Discount Hitch I got Blue Ox base plate mainly because they have two models for the Honda Element..one that comes out the front at 19" and one at 21". By ordering the higher one, I dont have to use a drop bar. I also got the coil cord for the lights from them too.

Discount Hitch talked me into adding a bulb to the rear lights due to avoidance of electrical issues of wiring into the toad harness and besides you still some light action from the Honda rear lights, so it looks great.

Now I'm on to reading up on tire pressure monitoring systems..."if it's not one thing it's another"

danf7 · 12-17-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonchaserTX

Retired Bob,
I bought mine directly from Ready Brute (actually N.S.A. RV Products) Readybrake RV Tow Bars and RV Surge Braking Systems for Car Towing - Night Shift Auto Give them a call
The customer service is excellent. He was very patient to walk through all the issues and make recommendations. Since I didnt previously have a tow bar I got the combined brake/towbar set up from them as well as the indicator light lines, 2 coil emergency cables, the ready stop emergency break away system..AND I also had them throw in a Protect-A-Tow stone guard (very nice, but saw later you can get them cheaper right from Protect-A-Tow), and I also got the tow bar cover from them..it IS needed to cover all the lines once unhooked.

From Discount Hitch I got Blue Ox base plate mainly because they have two models for the Honda Element..one that comes out the front at 19" and one at 21". By ordering the higher one, I dont have to use a drop bar. I also got the coil cord for the lights from them too.

Discount Hitch talked me into adding a bulb to the rear lights due to avoidance of electrical issues of wiring into the toad harness and besides you still some light action from the Honda rear lights, so it looks great.

Now I'm on to reading up on tire pressure monitoring systems..."if it's not one thing it's another"

I have the TST system and I love it. Had it for almost two years. Great peace of mind knowing when things are going south before the tire blows!
Dan

RetiredBob · 12-17-2010, 07:45 PM

Curt,

Thanks for your reply. Actually, I already have the ReadyBrake system on my toad. I was interested in the LED that indicates when your toad brake pedal is actuated. It would be very helpful to know when the brake pedal is depressed by the system, not just when the surge is activated.

Bob

Wanabee FTer · 12-17-2010, 08:29 PM

Bob,
That's what I thought you meant. There is another thread I was reading about someone that bought an LED clearance marker and wired it into the toads brake light switch. When he gets ready to tow he puts the marker on the dash and says it's bright enough to see the toads brake lights from his rear view camera. Once the cable is adjusted properly he doesn't need to watch the surge brake light indicator, he just watches the toad.

MoonchaserTX · 12-17-2010, 11:04 PM

Bob,
Sorry for missing your question...I got both LED's from Ready Brute (NSA). Actually for the $35 it's a kit, not just an LED..it comes with 50' of wire and nice waterproof connectors for unhooking the toad. They sell two different kits...the one that comes with the Ready Brute is the one that senses the surge activating and the extra one for $35 is the one to indicate the toad brake is being depressed. They are very similar in the parts you get, slightly different, but one is free with the surge and the one for the toad brake is an option. You could do like the other thread says and put a side marker light up on the dash of toad to see in the rear camera, but I like the LED on the dash better, and the nice thing is having 2 LED's side by side...the one for the surge and one for the brake pedal...you can really tell what's going on that way.

RetiredBob · 12-18-2010, 04:44 AM

Thanks, guys. Either approach sounds like a good solution. But just knowing when the brake is actually being depressed should give additional peace of mind.

Leonsrocketcar · 12-19-2010, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper

rks very well, and is more than strong enough to handle the CRV.

Adjusting the brake cable for the proper tension is fairily simple-it just takes some playing around with it to get it set properly. I set mine to where it doesn't come on everytime I hit the brakes on the M/H- I prefer it to come on when I apply a little stronger brake pedal rather than a light pedal.

Word to the quote above. I first set up the cable just as the brake lights of the toad came on, but when I took the maiden voyage, I could see them come on at every slightest braking of the MH and then when I got back to the garage, the uneveness of the road caused the cable to pull thus brakes on even though the MH was rolling without brakes. Simple adjustment and done.

MoonchaserTX · 12-19-2010, 09:41 AM

Leonsrocketcar,
Did your adjusting cable come with a plastic covering? Mine did and I understand from Ready Brute that is the newer cable they are providing now. Like you, I had mine just a wee bit too tight and the toad brakes came on when going thru a dip...some of the plastic covering wore off and that was Ready Brute's signal that I had it too tight

Leonsrocketcar · 12-19-2010, 12:24 PM

Curt,

I was referring to the cable from the ready brake to the car, not the one inside the car/brake lever. But it didn't take much for me to realize it was too tight as the brake lights came on as I was driving in the gravel (uneven) parking area at our lot.

There is plenty of play from the loop that sticks out of the car ~ 1/2 inch or so.

MoonchaserTX · 12-20-2010, 05:11 AM

Yes, so was I (referring to the cable that goes from the surge arm to the front bumper of the toad). That cable (3/32 7 x 7) on mine is plastic coated.

Leonsrocketcar · 12-20-2010, 06:37 AM

yes, mine is black plastic coated, however, since I had it too tight, some of the plastic was rubbed off to the bare wire (wire not damaged). Or it came like that from the factory, which I doubt.

LindaH · 12-20-2010, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonchaserTX

Does anyone have these concerns about Ready Brute, or has anyone moved out of a Ready Brute system and switched over to another brand due to problems with Ready Brute?

No and no.

When we got our motorhome and toad (also a 2003 Honda Element), we took it to a dealer listed on the ReadyBrute website to have the entire system installed. During the time we owned the motorhome and toad, we had no problems with either the ReadyBrute or the ReadyBrake.

MoonchaserTX · 12-20-2010, 04:30 PM

Leonsrocketcar,
Ah...same thing..that's two and we know there must be more..I might suggest to Ready Brute that they mill a radius on both sides around the slot in the black guide bracket. (Ready Brute guys....you reading this?)