|
|
06-03-2016, 08:42 PM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 29
|
Toad brakes and the LAW
I keep seeing in various posts mixed info about toad brakes and the law. Depending on what post I'm looking at, its law everywhere, or only if the toad is over 3000 lbs, or if you're in Texas, or ...ect
Does this mean that I need active working brakes or just an emergency brake-away system in place? And any hard evidence of what the rules and regulations or laws are in each state or all states or anything beyond assumptions?
The reason I ask is that my class C has a curb weight of 9200. A gross weight of 12200. and my toad's curb weight is just about 2000.
Add about 1000 lbs of stuff and people, that puts me at right about gross for the motorhome. In theory the brakes should be able to handle that alone right? I searched around pretty hard for a light weight toad just for that reason
Then I started researching hitching the car to the RV. Thats when I started seeing all this about aux brake systems needed. That being said is there such a thing as just a brake-away for a toad?
Aux brake systems are quite expensive. Im new to RVing and toading trying to keep my expenses low.
After all is said and done, between baseplate, towbars, aux brake system, and all the little nickle n' dime stuff that goes with it, I could end up spending over 3x as much on the tow setup than I spent on the toad.
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
06-03-2016, 08:53 PM
|
#2
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 87
|
Here's a quick overview from towing world,not sure how up to date it is, but it gives you an idea:
Towing World Official Website
__________________
Tom and Karen
Las Vegas, NV
2019 Forest River Georgetown 34H5
|
|
|
06-03-2016, 09:01 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
|
That's why I and others elected to go with tow dollys.
Mine came with surge, disk brakes, breakaway funtion and can pull most front wheel drive cars.
It does add 400 lbs to the equation but only cost me $1,600.
There seems to be many who don't use brakes on their towed cars but when close to max capacity, in a Class C, I would recommend them.
|
|
|
06-03-2016, 10:29 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by tominvegas
|
Full of holes all over the place and I certainly wouldn't depend on it. It's totally wrong for WA and OR, for CA they did get it right.
The big thing is that there is NO reciprocity between the states on equipment laws like there is for drivers licenses and insurance. If you travel into a state that requires toad brakes or a breakaway system then you must have them. It doesn't matter what your home state does or doesn't' require.
In WA, OR and CA towing a motorized vehicle behind a motorized vehicle changes them to a "combination vehicle" and you must stop in XX feet from XX mph. WA and CA are the same with OR being stricter. WA also requires a breakaway system that can hold the towed for 15 min on any normal highway grade.
So, basically you must have brakes and a breakaway device if you want to be legal wherever you go.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 10:11 AM
|
#5
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
|
This is a tough question to answer, since state regs vary greatly and toads are NOT subject to the same rules as trailers in most states. The towing tables often are not accurate for toads vs trailers, plus some contain outright errors.
The inescapable law is the law of physics and you can always stop in a shorter distance with towed vehicle brakes (whether dolly, flat bed, or 4-down towing). A shorter minimum is of no importance at all until the day comes when you really need it. Then it is nearly priceless!
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 10:57 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,728
|
The inescapable law is the law of physics and you can always stop in a shorter distance with towed vehicle brakes (whether dolly, flat bed, or 4-down towing). A shorter minimum is of no importance at all until the day comes when you really need it. Then it is nearly priceless![/QUOTE]
So true, it's a no brainer, the more weight you have going down the road, the more distance it will take to stop with the same braking capacity or the more braking capacity it will take to stop in the same distance with more weight. Not to mention I think that without toad brakes there is more stress on the tow bar and you wear out your motorhomes brakes more quickly. In other works, there is no free ride!
__________________
Steve & Nancy
2005 Itasca Sunrise 33', W20 Chassis, Ultrapower, Henderson Trac Bar
2012 Chevy Captiva Sport AWD, ReadyBrute Elite Tow Bar, Blue Ox Base Plate, Protect-A-Tow
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 10:58 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 982
|
Here's our take on this. We live in a litigious society and the "letter of the law" may not trump what a jury sees as personal responsibility. Any time a bigger vehicle such as an RV is involved in an accident you can be sure that someone is going to try and make it the RVs fault even if it clearly wasn't by looking for that " personal responsibility" factor.
We may not like this but it is, in our opinion, how it is. Our choice would to never travel without one
So make your own decision.
Also, are you willing to avoid those states which require you to have it?
__________________
Ron & Linda
2000 Dynasty 38PBS
Full time since 2007
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 11:33 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,790
|
What I've always wondered about is why an axle lift wrecker is not required to add a braking system in a vehicle that is being towed. Rented a dolly from U-Haul when I first drove the coach home from South Carolina to Virginia. No brakes on the dolly or even a brake away device. Are wreckers and dolly's exempt? Most of the state laws use "trailer" in the various laws and make little or no mention concerning towing a motor vehicle. As such legally speaking since a motor vehicle, as titled, is not a trailer and as such the towing brake laws might or might not apply.
Beyond what I think the law might be I am fully in the "get a braking system for your toad" side of any discussion concerning if it is needed/required or not. If I can safely add 4000 pounds to my coach and not increase the stopping distance that would be a good thing.
Also unlike operators licensing reciprocity, when safe operation of a vehicle is concerning, what might be legal in your home state might not be legal when you are listing other states. Canada included.
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 12:20 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Keeseville ny
Posts: 648
|
Buy a ready brute elite tow bar for about 1400 dollars . It has every thing you need to tow. It is one great surge brake system.
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 12:28 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sweetbriar
What I've always wondered about is why an axle lift wrecker is not required to add a braking system in a vehicle that is being towed.
|
That is already covered by the laws in WA, OR and CA by changing the designation to a combination vehicle, see post #4 for more info.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 02:30 PM
|
#11
|
Moderator Emeritus
Monaco Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 13,426
|
Towing a trailer is different than towing a vehicle with a tow bar and pulling with a tow bar is different than pulling with a dolly. All three are covered in the Texas transportation code. Generally, if it weighs more than 4000 lbs and travels at highway speed it has to have brakes.
__________________
Dennis and Katherine
2000 Monaco Dynasty
|
|
|
06-05-2016, 06:32 PM
|
#12
|
"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 23,922
|
We've been towing a 6000 pound Chevrolet Silverado for almost 5 years and have a proportional brake system that works with the air brakes on my coach. It also has a break away system that will stop the truck if the hitch fails. The size and weight of the truck really dictated a need for this system.
Last month, I bought a second toad, a 2013 Honda CRV. We're heading out on a long trip and I didn't want to tow the truck. The CRV weighs about 3500 pounds and my coach, with front disc brakes, tag axle with brakes and a two speed engine brake, are plenty to stop the CRV without any help. The law in California requires that I be able to stop the entire rig in 50' from 20 mph. Not an issue, but there was no break away system. I decided to spend the money and buy a second unit for the CRV so that I would have the break away system.
RVing is expensive and sometimes you have to bite the bullet on certain items to have a safe experience for both you and others on the road.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
|
|
|
06-09-2016, 09:10 AM
|
#13
|
Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 23
|
I towed a 2700 lb 1989 Honda Civic behind a 12,000 lb motor home for 23,000 miles without a toad braking system. I never felt like there was a problem braking. I am now towing a 3700 2003 Jeep Wrangler behind a 22,000 motor home. It didn't seem like the toad affected my braking but I decided to install a toad braking system just to be legal. A motor home is the most expensive way to travel.
|
|
|
06-09-2016, 12:13 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: FT on the Road
Posts: 3,831
|
Bill n Karen, since you bring up the law please look into the actual weights on your coach. Just looking at the 2 weights you mention is not really enough. One presumes you mention GVWR and GCWR. There is also axle weights. While on the subject, 1000 lbs. for people and "stuff" is next to nothing. This may be listed on your rig as CCC, OCCC or some other variant.
Read up on the physics of towing. It is a sticky on the site under:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/the-p...ing-19087.html
Best of luck and please be safe out there. Lives are at stake
__________________
I don't subscribe to threads I reply to so will not see your reply to my comment. Drop me a direct message if you want a reply from me.
Cheers!
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|