Community Forums

Vegascpl · 12-01-2007, 10:50 AM

Does anyone have any experience with this system? http://www.readybrake.com/

Vegascpl · 12-01-2007, 10:50 AM

Does anyone have any experience with this system? http://www.readybrake.com/

billyb · 12-02-2007, 02:29 AM

i've had one for about 10 years. its been on 2 mhs and i am about to put it on a 3rd. it seems to work fine and is a simple setup. i just bought a vacuum pump and installed it on the toad, because i never really liked how much pressure it puts on the firewall of the car. it should give me a lot quicker action with it.

HarveyP · 12-02-2007, 04:08 PM

I have one and am convinced it is a good system. I wired a dash-light indicator so I know when it is applying the Suzuki's brakes. It does make a difference in stopping distance, as far as I can tell. Good luck, HarveyP

two2go · 12-04-2007, 01:03 PM

I installed a ReadyBrake and ReadyStop on our Chevy HHR at the same time I was installing the tow baseplate. It helped to have the front fascia off for the job, but it wasn't absolutely necessary. The installation was not so difficult, but I spent a lot of time under the car planning and deciding where to drill, mount the cables, and attach the fittings, since no specific instructions are provided.
Getting the cable tension set right took a few trial runs, but once it was set, the system has performed very well. I installed the indicator light on the coach dash. The one thing I have learned is not to leave the ReadyBrake cable connected if I am leveling the coach with the tow'd still hooked on, since raising the rear of the coach can activate the car brake lights.

SargeW · 12-05-2007, 04:58 AM

I have used the Ready Brake for over a year and towed over 15K miles. It works flawlessly, and only when it is needed. The hook up is simple, there is nothing electrical to fail. Gravity always works, and won't short out and lock your brakes going down the road!

Seriously, it is a good simple reliable system. I recommend it highly.

Sarge

Vegascpl · 12-17-2007, 05:56 AM

Thanks so much for the advice. I'm going to purchase one. It's so simple and inexpensive that I keep thinking there must be a catch!

Michael

2005 Dutch Star 40' 4 slide
2005 BMW K1200LT motorcycle on lift
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

jhanan · 06-02-2008, 09:03 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by two2go:
I installed a ReadyBrake and ReadyStop on our Chevy HHR at the same time I was installing the tow baseplate. It helped to have the front fascia off for the job, but it wasn't absolutely necessary. The installation was not so difficult, but I spent a lot of time under the car planning and deciding where to drill, mount the cables, and attach the fittings, since no specific instructions are provided.
Getting the cable tension set right took a few trial runs, but once it was set, the system has performed very well. I installed the indicator light on the coach dash. The one thing I have learned is not to leave the ReadyBrake cable connected if I am leveling the coach with the tow'd still hooked on, since raising the rear of the coach can activate the car brake lights. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Any other tips before I get into the install this weekend on the Ford Exp? (or from Sarge) How easy to adjust for breaking on the toad only in heavy-ish breaking situations.

SargeW · 06-03-2008, 06:54 AM

two2go pretty much nailed it. Figuring out where you want to run the sheath for the cable will take most of the time as there is no set pattern to follow. Just some tips would be to avoid really sharp turns with the sheath, but the cable will still pull easily when inserted. Try to keep 4-6 inches from really hot surfaces like manifolds unless there is a good heat shield there. On my Jeep I still wound up wrapping the sheath with a heat resistent material where it passed by the exhaust manifold. Not much room under my hood!

When you secure the cable, use as many secure points as you reasonably can. I used several heavy cable ties to attatch to various points that the sheath passed by.

When I got to the front of the Jeep I didn't want to drill the bumper so I fashioned a flat piece of 1/2" with iron stock into an "L" shape. I attached it to the screw that secures the license plate frame, then drilled the appropriate size hole in it to hold the nylon termination fitting for the sheath. A little black spray paint afterwards and it blended into the bumper without too much effort.

When deciding how long the cable should be, make sure that the coach is at travel ready height, and the tow bar arms are fully extended and locked out. Hook the cable on one end, then leave the other end slightly loose with the clamps in place on the cable. I started with about a 1" droop in the cable from end to end. That works for me and keeps the brakes from grabbing too hard on minor stops.

Also if you hook up the dash board diode that signals when your toad brake lights activate, you will be able to gauge how much braking you have set it for.

Its a truely simple system so take your time and it goes pretty easily. Good luck!

Sarge

jhanan · 06-08-2008, 07:00 PM

I installed the ready break today on my 2005 Ford Explorer. Here is how it went:

Steps 1, 2 and 3: The hole through the fire wall. You have to pull back the carpet and drill a hole through the foam installation. I used a 2 inch hole drill to cut out an installation plug behind the carpet. Then I put a hole through the fire wall after looking back and forth several times on where to put it. On the Ford, the steering column provides a good reference point. One thing that helps with this hole is a drill bit extension or a very long bit (12") – you really can't get a drill behind the break pedal. I used both. While not in the instructions, I used lock tight to secure the conduit fitting nuts on both sides of the fire wall.

On steps 4 and 5 you run the conduit from the fire wall to the front of the vehicle. Here is the routing that I took. From the firewall you go straight back to over the driver side shock mount. Here is there is a heavy metal bar about 5/8" dia holding the top of the shock mount. It is very solid and there are other wires running near it. Here I attached the conduit with 4 zip ties. Next continuing toward the front of the car the next good spot was a meal bracket the holds the break line manifold. It is a solid connection point, and I secured the line with 2 more zip ties. Next is just to the left of the radiator there is a spot on the front metal wall with some through holes. Here I was able to loop around 2 more zip ties and secure before sending the conduit in front of the radiator. Now you need a spot to secure a nylon fitting for the front end of the conduit. The blue ox base plate has a great location for this. I drilled hole through the toad electric cable connection on the base plate, and secured the nylon fitting to this. Now this 5th step was the 1st challenging step. You have to cut the conduit to size. The conduit is a triple layer affair with a black outer coating, and metal inner sheath, and then a plastic lining for the aircraft cable. This conduit is not easy to cut. I used a sawsall with metal blade and had to do it twice to get clean cut – I was glad on the 1st cut I left a little extra to work with. Then it was difficult to get the conduit into the nylon fitting. Also, the damage caused by the sawsall require that you drill a pilot hole back into the conduit for the cable (same dia as the cable). Here I cut back the black outer protector, coated it with silicon and then slid it into the fitting and sealed it with silicon on the outside.

On step 6 I installed the cable to the break pedal straight in line with the fitting in the firewall. I used lock tight on the clamp. I left about a foot of cable free on the front side.

Next I connected the ready break to my truck (for the test drive) and connected the Xpl to the ready break with my Falcon 2 tow bar. I connected up the tow lights and the safety cables. I took the car for a short test tow to make sure the arms on the tow bar where fully extended. I then adjusted the connection cable from the ready break to the conduit cable leaving about 2 inch of slack. I could test it by pulling by hand on the cable and seeing the break lights come on and feeling the break pedal come to a stop.

Next I took the Ford for another test tow (pulling it with F150 truck). I put the car through a number of break tests. What I noticed is that when I accelerate the assembling pulls on the break slightly just enough for me to see the break light come on momentarily and then shut off if accelerating less or just driving and towing. But this was a surprise to me that the release of the preload on the ready break was enough to tug on the pedal enough to engage the light sometimes. I might try the bungee cord suggestion given in the guide to keep the pedal back under non-breaking conditions. (Note I'm using external LED tow light which are nice and very bright).

I then proceeded to break test the Ford. For this I believe I was only getting the break to really engage on hard breaking. I was keeping an eye on the break lights of the Ford to see if they were engage and only looks like when ready stomped on the breaks would I get some breaking, but not enough. So I think the 2 inch of slack is too much. But with the ready break pulling slightly on acceleration, I do not want break drag either.

I'd like to hear your adjustment recommendations.

Overall, the simplicity is great, and the installation, while not a super easy job, was not difficult as well. The instructions were quite good.

SargeW · 06-08-2008, 07:48 PM

It sounds like you did a good clean install. The Ready Brake should not be pulling at all under acceleration. If the pedal in the vehicle is a little loose, then by all means use a bungy to keep it from dragging.

Two inches is probably a bit too much slack. I have just a slight belly in mine and it activates under medimum braking, and then releases. A slight bit of slack is all you need.

abelow · 04-23-2009, 07:00 PM

I my put it on 3 Geo Trackers and now will be puting it on my 2001
Chevy Tracker. I too use the dash diode to let me know when the taod is pushing the RV and puting on the toads brakes. I run the diode wire through my 7 pin connector so it also tells me I have continuity for the taods lights. I don't leave any slack in the cable as there is slack in the brake pedal befor brakes are acutally doing the job they are there for. I have only one RV and one taod but have upgraded them both over the years.