The Physics of Towed-Vehicle Braking

[swamphog]

After reading all the statements in this post, it has answer all my questions, and evan questions that I havn't thought of. And yes, It will have brakes on the dollys.
Thanks, Keith & Val

[Davidej M]

I find this discussion interesting. Thank you all for taking the time to put the physics in reasonable clear terms.

[Rver13]

Up until I purchased my Diesel Pusher I had a HR Endeavor gasser and used the Ready Brake System for my toad, Jeep Wrangler. The ready brake system worked fine, never a problem once you get the cables adjusted to the correct length. I sold the HR with the toad and all went with it so now now I am toadless. Really miss my Jeep. Guess I'll replace all one day along with the ready brake system.
Link is as follows ReadyBrake Supplemental Brake System for Towed Vehicles - Night Shift Auto
never a problem, easy to hook up, easy to use, easy to disconnect.
what more could you ask for...... Best system on the market ...
Best priced system on the market.
No I don't own the company, or work for them.
Wish I did...
Roy

[Stretch]

My kinda guy. Another thing to mention is that because of the height above traffic and a super large windshield we are provided with another measure of safety. We are the safest group on the road. We drive in the right lane at 55mph or 60 and all is well...........

[wa8yxm]

I have said the same many times.. Basically it works out this way

If you are stopping with an AUX brakign system and ALL WHEELS LOCK UP, both motor home and towed your skid distance is the same as any other vehicle on the same stretch of road.. Basically it boils down to this

The mass of the vehicle/the weight of the vehicle times a constant times the SQURAE of your speed.

Now I do admit the motor home has a lot more mass than say a YUGO, but.. it also has a lot more weight and if you divide the mass by the weight, be it a 26,000 pound house on wheels or a yugo empty.. You get the gravitional constant,, same constant.

Now. what happens if you pull a towed w/o brakes

Well.. MASS goes way up.. Weight does not change

Thus. You skid farther.

(Mass is the physical mass of the combined vehicles,, Weight is the downward pressure on the wheels that brake.. any wheel turning free is not helping stop you)

[Nova Joe]

Yep, weight is weight and mass is mass. Put either in motion and you now have kinetic energy to deal with. I don't wish to define what SMI was saying but I interpret as dealing with kinetic energy which might equate to a mass or weight of 9,000 pounds.

I'm a lowly engineer, mechanical, but it seems pretty obvious what is being said.

[Nova Joe]

Cheez! I guess I could've commented on who my response was to. I had read BryanL's discourse on the lecture and felt I needed to comment.

Sorry.