What do the 4 down brake systems do?

[thebignewt]

Do they apply the toad's brakes when slowing the coach down like the coach brakes do, or are they for emergencies in case the toad comes loose from the hitch?

[2 Stroker]

Originally Posted by thebignewt

Do they apply the toad's brakes when slowing the coach down like the coach brakes do, or are they for emergencies in case the toad comes loose from the hitch?

It does both. The harder you apply your brakes the the more it applies your tow brakes. If your tow gets unhooked then they are applied.
2 stroker

[August West]

Heres a very informative youtube page for your review.

https://www.youtube.com/user/SMIBrake

[thebignewt]

Thanks. I'll skip the technical installation video stuff though, like watching paint dry lol! I remember towing a 1976 Ford Maverick behind a UHaul years ago. I think they took the driveshaft out and put it in the trunk!

[wildtoad]

A lot depends on what aux braking system you have. All of them are designed to help braking when being towed by applying the brakes on the towed vehicle. Some but not all have a breakaway feature that applies the brakes of the towed vehicle in the rare event that the hitch/tow bar and safety chains fail.

[MSHappyCampers]

I agree with Tom! We use the NSA ReadyBrute Elite towbars with built in ReadyBrake. That is the least expensive combination you will find on the market for a towbar rated at 8000 lbs.

This is a "surge" type braking system. When the brakes are applied on the MH the toad pushes against the towbars, applying the ReadyBrake that has a cable to the toad brake pedal. Very simple, yet effective!

That type braking system requires a separate break-away system, which NSA also supplies.

Check it out!

[Gary RVRoamer]

The breakaway function is indeed an optional feature on some toad brakes, standard on others, and not available on a few. The primary function, though, is to apply the toads own brakes to help slow the car.

The main protection if the toad hitch fails is the physical safety cables that connect between toad and coach. All states require these. If provided, an additional cable between the two activates the toad brakes in the event the toad comes completely loose from the tow bar, sort of a third level safety device.