Best Toad Brake For RV with Air Brakes?

[FIRE UP]

Yep,
Another completely satisfied M & G user here. I've installed it on two different Jeeps and one of our present toads, an '11 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4. The first two Jeeps were not all that hard to install it on nor was the '11 GMC. Now, my other present toad, a '15 Jeep JKUR, well, that's gonna take a bit of work. But, it by far is well worth it.

AS others have stated, there's absolutely NOTHING ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAB, EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's all done under the hood and also as stated, since there's no contact with the brake pedal, there's no triggering of the toads brake lights to interfere with any toad lighting.

Knowing what I know and how many toads I've set up, if you have a coach with air brakes, without a doubt, the M&G system is by far, the top choice for all the important reasons listed. You NEVER have to connect anything to the brake pedal or remove it, ever.
Scott

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Mr.Mark

We have used both the M&G and the Air-Force-One.

The first toad (2007 Honda CR-V), we had the M&G installed. On the second toad (2013 Honda CR-V), the new Honda redesign made the M&G a more expensive install taking 8 hours of labor vs. the 3-4 on the Air-Force-One. So, we went with the Air-Force-One.

On the new toad (in sig), we went with Air-Force-One again along with the Roadmaster base plate and a NEW Roadmaster tow bar. Everything with labor, taxes and all new equipment was a hair over $5K.

Previously, I used the Blue Ox tow bar and base plate on the Honda's. It was time to get a new tow bar anyway and we decided to stay with the same brand of the new equipment (Roadmaster).

Safe travels,
Mark

As a old shade tree mechanic, it sure didn't take me that long on either my 2009 or the 2014 Honda CRV. I installed the base plate, toad lights wiring and the M&G cylinder in two part time days (Sharon wouldn't let me have the car any longer than that). At my age, I never start too early, never get into a rush and always take time for my coffee breaks.

[TMan59]

[



.



Knowing what I know and how many toads I've set up, if you have a coach with air brakes, without a doubt, the M&G system is by far, the top choice for all the important reasons listed. You NEVER have to connect anything to the brake pedal or remove it, ever.

Scott[/QUOTE]



I have to ask how the system is different then the air force one?

[Mr.Mark]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

As a old shade tree mechanic, it sure didn't take me that long on either my 2009 or the 2014 Honda CRV. I installed the base plate, toad lights wiring and the M&G cylinder in two part time days (Sharon wouldn't let me have the car any longer than that). At my age, I never start too early, never get into a rush and always take time for my coffee breaks.

Bigd, I just don't have the knowledge, the tools or a place to do that kind of work nor would want to.

I dropped the car off one morning and it's ready the next day. Easy Peasy. The techs, in my opinion, earned every penny and are responsible if anything were to go wrong.

I do admire your abilities!

Safe travels,
Mark

[Mr.Mark]

Originally Posted by TMan59

[



.



Knowing what I know and how many toads I've set up, if you have a coach with air brakes, without a doubt, the M&G system is by far, the top choice for all the important reasons listed. You NEVER have to connect anything to the brake pedal or remove it, ever.

Scott

TMan, there is a rod or something that is put through the firewall to connect to the arm of the brake pedal. The M&G uses the master cylinder.

Fireup will correct me if I'm wrong. We didn't have one minutes trouble with the first AF1 installation so I was fine with it again.

Safe travels,
Mark



I have to ask how the system is different then the air force one?[/QUOTE]

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Mr.Mark

Bigd, I just don't have the knowledge, the tools or a place to do that kind of work nor would want to.

I dropped the car off one morning and it's ready the next day. Easy Peasy. The techs, in my opinion, earned every penny and are responsible if anything were to go wrong.

I do admire you abilities!

Safe travels,
Mark

I'm just too gosh darn cheap to let someone else do what I can do. Besides, I had my 14 year old granddaughter helping me, and I had a blast teaching her about tools and safety. You should see her on our tractor!

Anyway, I wouldn't do it either if I didn't enjoy doing it. But as I push way past Social Security age, I do find myself letting others do more and more for us. Shoot, just last year I actually paid someone to replace a leaking rear wheel seal and brake shoes on the coach. It about killed me. I wouldn't have done that except Sharon said "I'll pay out of my own money if you will let someone else do it for you". Note: we only have one joint account!

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by TMan59

[
Knowing what I know and how many toads I've set up, if you have a coach with air brakes, without a doubt, the M&G system is by far, the top choice for all the important reasons listed. You NEVER have to connect anything to the brake pedal or remove it, ever.
Scott

I have to ask how the system is different then the air force one?[/QUOTE]


T-man,
The Air Force 1 system uses a small cylinder that's either mounted on cab side of the fire wall or the engine side of the fire wall and, has a line coming from it that is attached to the brake arm of the toad. When the coach brakes are applied, an air signal is sent from the coaches air brakes to the control unit of the Air Force 1, mounted under the hood of the toad. It (the control unit) then creates vacuum for the toads power brakes. At the same time, it sends vacuum to the little cylinder that has the emanating from it, that pulls on the toads brake arm.

Many folks on this and other RV forums are quite happy with the Air Force 1.

With the M&G system, there is an actuation cylinder that is placed between the power brake unit and the master cylinder of the toad. Inside that actuation cylinder is a piston that's air driven. When the coaches air brakes are applied, air is sent to that actuation cylinder and, the piston moves which, presses on the master cylinder piston. The toads brake arm and, the power brake unit, are not effected by this type of system. So, there is no conflict of toad brake light actuation and, coach brake light/turn signal actuation.

Each system is appealing to individual folks.

Based on it's simplicity and, all the benefits that I determine are of value to me, i.e. nothing on the inside of the toad, no activation of the toad brake lights, nothing to install and remove at the beginning and end of a days towing, no consuming of toad 12V for its operation and no cables and actuation systems for those cables, to wear out. To me, it's the perfect system.

It does have one pitfall, if you want to call it that. It's not easily transferable to other toads. I write that off. I'll just get another M&G cylinder for the next toad and be done with it.
Scott

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I'm just too gosh darn cheap to let someone else do what I can do. Besides, I had my 14 year old granddaughter helping me, and I had a blast teaching her about tools and safety. You should see her on our tractor!

Anyway, I wouldn't do it either if I didn't enjoy doing it. But as I push way past Social Security age, I do find myself letting others do more and more for us. Shoot, just last year I actually paid someone to replace a leaking rear wheel seal and brake shoes on the coach. It about killed me. I wouldn't have done that except Sharon said "I'll pay out of my own money if you will let someone else do it for you". Note: we only have one joint account!

Hey Big D,
Yep, I sure know how you feel. As you well know, I've done a few zillion things on all of my own equipment as reported on here. But, just a short while ago, I called on a local RV service center here in town, to install new slide blocks for my living room slide. They know what their doing in this kind of situation. I don't. That's pretty much never stopped me before but, this slide, is a monster and, if you DON'T know what you're doing, you can screw things up royally.

So, for almost a $1,000, I had them install the slide blocks and, a perimeter Slide seal. DONE!

But, you and I (and quite a few others on here) have saved countless thousands and thousands of hard earned dollars over our years of toiling in the garage, back, front and side yards, getting things done ourselves. I still (and so do you) take command of many maintenance/repair/alterations and modifications scenarios which, is in many cases, still fun to do, even at our age, and your case, you got to be close to your granddaughter at the same time. It don't get any better than that. We just had our first grand baby a couple of weeks ago.

It's gonna be a while 'till I can have him working alongside me, like you did with your granddaughter.
Scott

[TMan59]

Thank you Scott for the info!
In the event I need brakes again I will look into this mg system further for sure!

[Lt Dan]

Originally Posted by TMan59

I have to ask how the system is different then the air force one?

The Air Force one has an air cylinder that mounts to the brake pedal and has a vacuum booster pump that goes under the hood. When activated, the brake pedal is pressed in the toad by the air cylinder.

The M&G has an air cylinder that mounts between the master cylinder and the vacuum booster under the hood. There is no need for a vacuum booster pump since the brake pressure is applied directly to the master cylinder without the brake pedal moving. There is an optional breakaway kit that includes a small air reservoir and an air solenoid switch. I also have a pressure switch wired to an LED in the coach that shows me any time there is any air pressure applied to the brake.

Just for info, M&G is now making a system similar to the AF1 for those vehicles without enough room for the larger cylinder between the booster and master cylinder. The cylinder on that one mounts under the hood and ties to the brake pedal with a cable.

Below is a photo of the installation in my Jeep JK.

[Air Conditioned Gypsy]

I have the M&G system on our 2014 CRV toad. Works great and there is no extra stuff connected to the brake pedal or hanging inside the car. As an earlier poster stated, there ain't a lot of room under the hood on a CRV. Once the extra cylinder gets jammed in there, it sure is a pain to change the air filter! I cracked the air box last time I did it. Engine was sucking air through the crack instead of through the filter. Had to glue the crack.....

So, except for changing air filters, the M&G works great!

Regards.

Chuck

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

But, you and I (and quite a few others on here) have saved countless thousands and thousands of hard earned dollars over our years of toiling in the garage, back, front and side yards, getting things done ourselves. I still (and so do you) take command of many maintenance/repair/alterations and modifications scenarios which, is in many cases, still fun to do, even at our age, and your case, you got to be close to your granddaughter at the same time. It don't get any better than that. We just had our first grand baby a couple of weeks ago.

It's gonna be a while 'till I can have him working alongside me, like you did with your granddaughter.
Scott

Congratulations Scott! If I knew how much fun grandkids were, we would have had them first!

[37driver]

Air Force One

[DD788Snipe]

I have had the AF-1 on 2 different toads. I did both installs myself. I love the simplicity of the system. There is a slave cylinder that attaches to the brake peddle arm with a cable that attaches to the firewall and a 1/4" air line that attaches to it from the controller in the engine compartment. It comes with the emergency breakaway switch. I also installed a pressure switch for my telltale light on my MH dash so I know it's working.
I looked at the M&G. It wouldn't fit on my 2010 Colorado.
Good luck & Safe travels

[hardy1000]

Very happy with the M&G system. Did the Install myself.