Brake switch making me nuts

[haveaday]

Hello,

I have a 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid that I tow with my 2016 Holiday Rambler Navigator 35E. I’m using a Road Master Even Brake braking system for supplemental brakes. I am using the Road Master universal brake switch to indicate when the brakes are applied. My trouble is the switch has proved highly unreliable. Sometimes it doesn’t turn on when the brakes are applied, more frequently it stays on even when the brakes are released. This causes an alert in the MH that the brakes are stuck on. Then I have to pull over and check, one of these days I’m going to ignore the alert and end up destroying a set of brakes on the toad. Is there a better solution? What are others doing? I’ve added a white sticker to the floor board because RM says that can help. Any other ideas? I’m ready to give up on this whole system.

Ben

[Dutch Star Don]

On my last five toads, I wire an LED to 12 volt power inside the motor home. I then run a wire (ground) the length of the coach and through the umbilical cord. Most of the new brake switches are too small (wiring) to connect to. Instead, I mount a roller switch or plunger switch against the pedal. I make a bracket to hold the switch and attach it to a bolt or metal near the brake pedal. I wire the switch to ground. Once the brake pedal moves, the switch operates. It takes a little more work, but works well and is trustworthy.


https://www.amazon.com/tatoko-XZ-15G...42128425&psc=1

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

On my last five toads, I wire an LED to 12 volt power inside the motor home. I then run a wire (ground) the length of the coach and through the umbilical cord. Most of the new brake switches are too small (wiring) to connect to. Instead, I mount a roller switch or plunger switch against the pedal. I make a bracket to hold the switch and attach it to a bolt or metal near the brake pedal. I wire the switch to ground. Once the brake pedal moves, the switch operates. It takes a little more work, but works well and is trustworthy.


https://www.amazon.com/tatoko-XZ-15G...42128425&psc=1

I knew you had some *MacGyver* in you too Don! I did almost the same exact thing on my last coach and toad. I had a totally independent signal from the Jeep's brake switch ( I could do it on that one but, you're definitely right, on some, IMPOSSIBLE) that sent a signal to an mounted in my Bounder dash. That told me the brake arm was moving.

The one that Ready Brake uses, is mounted on the actuator at the hitch. That to me, is WORTHLESS! It only tells you that the TOAD IS STILL THERE due to the signal being sent by the inertia of the toad against the actuator. It does not tell you the brakes are being applied.

But, that's another story. AS to the OP's issue, not sure what to answer with as I've never dealt with any form of robot to use as auxiliary braking in any of my toads.
Scott

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Ben-

About which component are you talking when you write "Roadmaster universal brake switch?" Do you mean part number 751000 (links here and here)?

The "universal" switch instructions indicate that a "home" position setting process is needed to prepare the switch. I assume you already did that.

Roadmaster sells a "non-universal" switch; it appears to be specific to a particular make/model. Here is one example. (Picked off the Roadmaster "FitMaster" Web page for 2019 Ford Fusion SEL, here. May or may not apply to your Fusion. Confirm for yourself.) That switch uses a plunger instead of the "visual" movement indicator that the "universal" switch uses. It is much like what "Dutch Star Don" wrote.

As near as I can tell (see owner's manual, here), the Roadmaster Even Brake comes with a wireless brake application display for the motorhome dash. They call it the "ICX" transmitter and receiver.

In addition, and for cars that need it, Roadmaster apparently bundles the Brake Light Relay (link here) with the Even Brake.

The Even Brake owner's manual (above) does not include a wiring diagram for the ICX transmitter. The Even Brake installation instructions here tell (on page 5) how to wire the brake light switch or the brake light relay to the input of the ICX transmitter. I assume, if you used the "universal" brake light switch, that you did not install the brake light relay in your Fusion. Let me know if that assumption is incorrect.

[Lt Dan]

I did something similar to what Don did for a warning light. The difference is I used the blue brake wire in the wiring harness that is normally for a trailer brake controller. Wiring it for power on either end and ground on the other makes a circuit then all you have to do is install an led and actuator like Don. In my case, I added an air pressure switch that shows if there is any air pressure applied to the M&G brake since my pedal doesn't move.

[haveaday]

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

Ben-

About which component are you talking when you write "Roadmaster universal brake switch?" Do you mean part number 751000 (links here and here)?

The "universal" switch instructions indicate that a "home" position setting process is needed to prepare the switch. I assume you already did that.

Roadmaster sells a "non-universal" switch; it appears to be specific to a particular make/model. Here is one example. (Picked off the Roadmaster "FitMaster" Web page for 2019 Ford Fusion SEL, here. May or may not apply to your Fusion. Confirm for yourself.) That switch uses a plunger instead of the "visual" movement indicator that the "universal" switch uses. It is much like what "Dutch Star Don" wrote.

As near as I can tell (see owner's manual, here), the Roadmaster Even Brake comes with a wireless brake application display for the motorhome dash. They call it the "ICX" transmitter and receiver.

In addition, and for cars that need it, Roadmaster apparently bundles the Brake Light Relay (link here) with the Even Brake.

The Even Brake owner's manual (above) does not include a wiring diagram for the ICX transmitter. The Even Brake installation instructions here tell (on page 5) how to wire the brake light switch or the brake light relay to the input of the ICX transmitter. I assume, if you used the "universal" brake light switch, that you did not install the brake light relay in your Fusion. Let me know if that assumption is incorrect.

Wow Mark, thanks for the really detailed response. You're correct that I'm using the universal brake switch you linked to and you're also correct that it has a home position training feature. I've done that many times. In fact, it's come to the point that I have to do it nearly every time.

I do have an ICX transmitter and receiver with the display at the MH dash. I didn't use the brake light relay in this install. The hybrid Fusions keep their brake boosters online anytime the battery is connected, so I have a battery disconnect solenoid installed on the car which eliminates any worries about the car's brake lights activating from the pedal.

I did a quick search and can't find the brake switch available anywhere online so I'll call RM tomorrow and see if I can order it from them.

Thanks for your help!
Ben

[Hemi100]

I’m new to this forum but thought that I had some input here perhaps. This was a cheap solution to a serious problem. I threw away the wireless and hardwired an led on the MH dash
Used the same wires that output to the sender on my old brake buddy

[nomad bull]

My even brake does that from time to time. If I unplug for an instant it resets which means that the brake is not actually applied but sending a false signal.