Community Forums

R. Francis · 03-19-2007, 07:54 AM

Looking to purchase a SMI Silent Partner Vacuum Assisted Braking Unit and was wondering were the good deals might be out there.

Thanks Roy Francis

R. Francis · 03-19-2007, 07:54 AM

Looking to purchase a SMI Silent Partner Vacuum Assisted Braking Unit and was wondering were the good deals might be out there.

Thanks Roy Francis

ISLAPP · 03-19-2007, 09:06 AM

Look Here

They are a sponsor of the site.
Mike

SteveR · 03-21-2007, 09:53 AM

I agree. I shop around....a lot for good buys from real companies (not Ebay fly-by-night ones)and I have found RVUpgrades to be very very good to work with and they have low prices. My orders all came when they said and they even paid the shipping on my baseplate and towbar which saved me $$ due to bulk and weight.

I bought my SMI from them too.

They actually have the original manufacturer drop ship the stuff to you directly as they carry very little inventory in this kind of stuff so it saves time and you get the stuff from the source.

I can highly recommend them and will continue to do business with them.

Disclaimer. I have no financial interest in this company. I just like to recommend good sites when I find them.

ronboc · 03-24-2007, 05:56 AM

I have one word for you:
"RV-Upgrades"

(or is that two?)

SteveR · 03-25-2007, 08:42 PM

Just a note to anyone getting a SMI system. Mine came with a rattle in the operating system box. I thought it was supposed to be there and completed the installation. When I turned on the pump it did not draw a vacuum. I removed the black hose from the operating unit and covered it with my finger..no vacumm but I can hear it running.

Tech. support (on a Saturday!) asked me to open up the back of the unit. I did and found the check valve had broken off and was no longer attached in-line with the pump tubing so the vacuum was just pulling in air and pushing it back into the box and not out the hose connector. They are sending me a new check valve and I will install it myself.

Otherwise the installation was not all the hard..time consuming but not hard. My biggest problem was with routing wires so they can't easily be seen. I used to install radios and stereos in friends cars so I am no strange to tearing out pilar and door molding or carpet or tunneling through the firewall.

The next step is the Motor home install. I am using the Silent Partner model so the installating is essentiall: brake pedal switch...transmitter...receiver and the controllers.

The system seems to be well designed. Not so sure they are using enough padding for shippment; especially for the components in the operating unit. So if you get one shipped to you be aware that there could be some breakage. The tech. told me they were seeing a lot more shipping damage recently and they are blaming UPS. I think if the unit is designed to be robust shipping won't hurt it most of the time.

Dying to see how it all works together.