Toad Brake

[John Pacello]

How many RV's have the mandatory toad brake.

If so which one do you recommend.

Do you recommend installing it yourself.


Tks

John

[Mr_D]

We do
BrakeMaster with breakaway
Yes

[TonyDi]

You're looking for trouble if you decide NOT to equip your toad with a braking system. Just look at some of the reports on the differences in stopping distances. We use a Brake Buddy with variable braking, adjustable from the drivers seat on the go.

[Selah]

There are lots of different types of brakinng system out there. I did a lot of research and made a list of things I wanted. For myself, yours might be different, mine were;
I wanted the toad brakes to come on ONLY when the brakes were applied on the coach, not just surge only.
I did not want to have to calibrate the system each time I hooked up.
I wanted a simple of hook up as possible.
I did not want a brake in a box.
I wanted a system that did not simply push on a dead brake peddle, I wanted it to use toads power brake system while towing.
I settled on an SMI Duo, I had a gass coach at the time.
Any system you chose is going to be better than none at all. Just look at the different systems and decide what you want.
Also, what ever system you choose make sure you get, or install your self, a charge line from the coach to keep the toad battery charged while towing.

[Medico]

X2 for Roadmaster Brakemaster. This proportional braking system is pricy, but worth every penny. Our coach, by everyone's estimation, is fully capable of towing and stopping our toad without any problems, except that legally I need it. Any as already mentioned, it includes a break away feature.

[waroland]

I installed the Air Force One myself. I love it because all I do is hook-up air line and break away switch and I am finished. Proportional braking and no set-up.

[Jkmcnelly]

I use a Brake Buddy and am very pleased with it's braking ability, portability and ease of installation. On a previous MH and toad I installed a VIP Tow Brake which worked well but was a pain to install. I am now a Brake Buddy fan.

[fourstar]

+1 on the Brakemaster 9160 with break away. Not a difficult install if you have some general mechanical skill. Once it's in, it's a breeze to connect or disconnect. Very reliable, and trouble free.

[lanerd]

Originally Posted by Selah

There are lots of different types of brakinng system out there. I did a lot of research and made a list of things I wanted. For myself, yours might be different, mine were;
I wanted the toad brakes to come on ONLY when the brakes were applied on the coach, not just surge only.
I did not want to have to calibrate the system each time I hooked up.
I wanted a simple of hook up as possible.
I did not want a brake in a box.
I wanted a system that did not simply push on a dead brake peddle, I wanted it to use toads power brake system while towing.
I settled on an SMI Duo, I had a gass coach at the time.
Any system you chose is going to be better than none at all. Just look at the different systems and decide what you want.
Also, what ever system you choose make sure you get, or install your self, a charge line from the coach to keep the toad battery charged while towing.

Another brand that meets all of the above is the US Gear Unified brake system. It provides a vacuum pump to be mounted under the toad hood and an actuator that attaches to the toad's brake pedal. It is fully proportional and has absolutely no additional wires/cables to hook up each time you connect/disconnect the toad. It can be monitored from the mh's driver's seat via a remote control unit and is also capable of activating the toad's brakes without activating the mh's brakes. I've had mine on three different toads and while it is a job for the install, once there it is invisible and unobtrusive.

Ron

[CountryFit]

rvi brake is simple to install and use.

[Medico]

I had my Brakemaster with brake away installed by a professional. The toad side was not too bad, although somewhat confusing at first. The coach side might take more effort. To install the whole system properly you have to install most in the toad, but have to tap into either an air line or hydraulic line (you do not mention which you have. The hydraulic is a little more work I hear) and run a wire to the dash of the coach to allow installation of a light to show when toad brake is applied. With my physical limitations, I hired it out.

Just FYI my installation was priced at 4 to 5 hours. 7 hours later it was finally finished. The tech had more problems than expected on the coach end. I would have been working 2 to 3 days to do the same. YMMV!

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by John Pacello

How many RV's have the mandatory toad brake.

If so which one do you recommend.

Do you recommend installing it yourself.


Tks

John

John,
First off, there really is NO RV MANDATORY TOAD BRAKE. what is MANDATORY is, certain states require it in order to be legal for towing your toad in their state. Now, there's all kinds of web sites with all the states that require it and the ones that don't. But, the ones that don't are few and far between. So, if you're going to travel, especially in multiple states, you're going to be in way more states that require it than ones that don't so, that's what really governs the need.

As for which one, make, model, etc. well, that's up to you to do a few miles of research and come up with one that pleases you and applies to your basic requirements. As I've stated in other threads, I'm not a fan of "Robot" or, Brake in a box type systems. It's just my preference. I like and have been using, the Ready Brake. It's surge brake systems that's full proof, easy to install, easy to hook up, NO STORAGE IS NEEDED when not in use and, no electrical and, for the most part, is seriously cheaper than just about any other auxiliary braking system there is on the market. So, hope this info helps some.
Scott

[Hikerdogs]

Originally Posted by Medico

I had my Brakemaster with brake away installed by a professional. The toad side was not too bad, although somewhat confusing at first. The coach side might take more effort. To install the whole system properly you have to install most in the toad, but have to tap into either an air line or hydraulic line (you do not mention which you have. The hydraulic is a little more work I hear) and run a wire to the dash of the coach to allow installation of a light to show when toad brake is applied. With my physical limitations, I hired it out.

Just FYI my installation was priced at 4 to 5 hours. 7 hours later it was finally finished. The tech had more problems than expected on the coach end. I would have been working 2 to 3 days to do the same. YMMV!

We used the Roadmaster 9060 (version for gas motorhomes) on our 2001 Adventurer and in our current 2013 Adventurer. It took a couple days to do the coach install on each, but I wnted a professional job. I ran all the wires through the existing harnesses and made new harnesses for the air hoses. The gas version is a little more time consuming in that you have to install an air compressor, and a proportioning valve in a brake line. It's an excellent system. I like the fact that it's proportional, and there's only an air cylinder to store when driving the toad.

One note of caution if you're installing it on a newer Ford F53 chassis. The brake lines on the Ford chassis are now metric. Roadmaster claims they have an adaptor, but it didn't work on our 2013 model. Ford uses metric threads, but not the standard ball end found on the standard metric brake line. The end of the lines have double inverted flares, just like the older fractional sizes. In fact the fractional and metric sizes are within a couple thousandths of each other.

To make the installation you'll neet an adaptor available from:

www.belmetric.com.

The adaptor has metric threads and a double inverted flare to match the Ford fitting. You can use the 5/16" brake line that comes with the Brakemaster kit, but you have to cut off 1 end and replace it with the Belmetric fitting. Once you slide the new fitting on the tube you'll have to reflare the end. Not a tough job but it requires you either have (and know how to use) a flaring tool, or you can take it to any NAPA store and ask them to reflare the line.

[wa8yxm]

I will cover several.

Ready brake (And Blue Ox Auto Stop) these are surge brakes, they are purportional and progressive (The harder you brake the harder they brake) by their nature, they are also 100% self adjusting and compensate automatically for vacuum in the booster.

They are also the simplistic systems out there.. HOWEVER as with all "Systems" things can go wrong. (Things can go wrong with any and all systems)

US-gear, unified brake decelerator, Electric over hydraulic, this system gives the motor home driver full control of the "Trailer" (Towed vehicle) brakes, roughly equivlent of the control my brother (Professional semi driver) had over his trailer brakes.. Of course you have to know how to USE that control.. Like the above porportional (You adjust it however) and progressive.

This system EATS battery power. but the full install provides power from the motor home to the towed to replace it. very nice. It provides vacuum to the booster if needed.

M&G, air/hydraulic bolts between the booster and the master cylinder, Ignores the booster.

Air-Force One.. I will let others describe it as they know it better than I.

Brake Buddy, Even brake and a host of other "Box in the driver's seat" systems.

They claim "NO installation needed"
BUT.. You have to install it EVERY TIME YOU HOOK UP, and find a place to store it when you unhook, Odds of an error rather high over time, Odds even greater that for a short trip you will say "Oh the heck with it". It eats battery power and no way to replenish it.

IF you have multiple towed cars and you pick a different one each trip. Well.. these are good for that. Or if you trade towed's often.. But otherwise I'd avoid.