Community Forums

stevebxl · 05-26-2012, 06:09 AM

Just had an Airforce One installed. The installer located the LED brake light "on" indicator on my tow bar which seems to be the standard location. My problem is that I can barely see the light in my camera when it's sunny outside. Has anyone put their light inside on the car dash or added a second light somewhere to be better able to see the light when the brakes are being applied?

SVTotem · 05-26-2012, 08:26 AM

The installer placed mine on the dash near the driver side door post.

I have considered a temporary attachment to the back of the rear view mirror for better visibility in camera. That would mean removing it after each use.

Skipper 05MA · 05-26-2012, 04:39 PM

Ours was installed a couple of years ago at the Newmar International Rally by the AF1 crew. They did a velcro pad connection on the back of the rear view mirrow. Works fine but you do have to unplug it when driving normally.

Pigman1 · 05-27-2012, 10:02 AM

I put an LED in the dash, hooked it up to the "trailer brake" wire in the prewired 7 pin connector harness and it works great. An easy Saturday job and the light is right in front of you where you can see it day or night, sun or shade.

FlyingDiver · 05-27-2012, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pigman1

I put an LED in the dash, hooked it up to the "trailer brake" wire in the prewired 7 pin connector harness and it works great. An easy Saturday job and the light is right in front of you where you can see it day or night, sun or shade.

You mean the RV dash, not the toad dash, right?

joe

Pigman1 · 05-27-2012, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDiver

You mean the RV dash, not the toad dash, right?

joe

Yep. A small red 12v LED from radio shack and a small drill hole in the RV dash. One side to the dash ground bar and the other to the electric trailer brake plug. Then wired the indicating system to the brake pole in the 7 pin on the front of the toad.

phays · 05-27-2012, 07:14 PM

Similar to Pigman I have a light on my rv dash board.

The first installs of the SMI Air Force One had a light on the rv dash and you had to run the wire from the rear of the motor home to the dash. The previous owner, had installed an electric brake controller. I just hooked up to one of the connectors on the brake controller and picked up the matching wire under my dash. I installed a small square LED pilot light from Radio Shack in an existing hole. Works great. I tried the LED on the back of the toad mirror but could not see it through my rear view camera.

Pusherman · 05-27-2012, 07:17 PM

I have mine installed on the back of the toad's rear view mirror. I have no problems seeing it in the MH's backup monitor. I also have a switch installed to turn it off when the car is being driven normally.

Wayne M · 05-27-2012, 07:36 PM

When my AF1 was installed the installer asked where I wanted it. He also stated that they are sometimes difficult to see in the rear view camera, and it is also an added distraction to see it through the camera. His words, and I believed him, and presently I do not know what it would look like through the RV camera.

He installed in on the left side of the accessory wall where the radio and other items are mounted and it is about 3-4 inches from the accelerator pedal. I believe it is 4 blue led's and they are bright. He also told me how bright they were. So when I put on my brakes I can see with just a downward glance that the light is on indicating the brakes are on. Mine is wired to the brake switch on the TOAD so when the pedal is being depressed is the only time the light will come on.

tpm64 · 05-29-2012, 12:02 PM

Ours in on the RV dash also. Takes an hour or so to run the wiring, but it works great. My thought is that if I am hitting the brakes hard enough to trigger the toad brakes, I don't want to be looking at my camera, I want to be looking forward.

Dutch Star Don · 06-03-2012, 09:24 PM

I just ran a protected wire along the frame rail of the MH and insatlled the light on the dash right below my B/U camera.

sidewinder2 · 06-04-2012, 08:14 AM

I moved the led light to the back lip of the hood centered by the windshield wipers. It really makes it easy to see with the camera.

Jupiter · 06-04-2012, 07:35 PM

[QUOTE= Mine is wired to the brake switch on the TOAD so when the pedal is being depressed is the only time the light will come on.[/QUOTE]

Wayne,

I agree that the only true way to know that your toad brakes have been activated (regardless of where your indicator light is located) is by powering the indicator light by the toad brake pedal switch. Any other method of powering the indicator light can provide a false sense of security that the toad brakes are actually engaged.

I also have difficulty seeing the LED on my towbar during daylight and would like to find a better location for the LED somewhere on the toad.

Joopster

PS - I found that it helps a little to see the LED on the camera during the day if you turn the "brightness" level darker during the day. Better... not great.

stevebxl · 06-05-2012, 05:11 AM

The small LED that is supplied with the AF1 kit really isn't bright enough for me to see, especially if it's mounted on the tow bar which does add yet another plug to plug in when hooking up the toad.

So I want to Autozone and bought an 8" Alpena flexible LED light strip. It comes in 2ea 4" strips and are green in color because red and blue are illegal - trust me, I know this. Installed one 4" self sticking LED strip on the front bumper of my car above the license plate of my car.

It stays on the car permanently, the green LED's are easily seen in my camera and I don't have to worry about the wires on the tow bar anymore. I would have run a wire to my RV dash, but my Foretravel is sheathed underneath with no exposed framing and THAT would have been a PIA to take off the sheathing and run that one wire!

The purpose of the LED light is not for me to see if my toad's brakes are working in an emergency situation, ( what will be, will be) but to be able to take a casual glance at the camera while going down the road to ensure that my brakes are NOT on ( lights OFF) and I'm not dragging the car!
Cheers!