Community Forums

smithbill · 09-01-2021, 02:55 PM

I recently picked up a 'toad' with everything but the braking system. I towed it back from CA behind my 2004 Dolphin 35' with no trouble. The previous owner pulled it with a DP and of course 'never knew it was behind me'. Frankly - I didn't really as well. BUT!!

The law clearly states that towed vehicles over 3000# (1500# in some states) need to have supplemental brakes. There are times when I tend to look at 'laws' as 'guiding principles' (eg. stop signs in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night... but I digress). I'm just not interested in something unexpected happening and suddenly finding myself in a race down a hill with my toad overtaking me.

I've done some research and there seems to be about 4 different systems available:
1) specialized for air brake systems (Air Force 1 maybe?) - definitely not me
2) integrated into the vehicle - never to be removed - not really interested
3) cable system that works on an 'extension' between hitch and tow bar and is activated like a 'surge' brake - I already had to use a hitch drop which adds enough extension so... definitely not for me
4) portable system that appears to sit on the floor butted up to the driver's seat with a 'push' arm that attaches to the brake pedal and applies the brakes manually - this one seems like 'the one'

Now the questions...
1) am I missing anything in my evaluations above?
2) I have discovered 'Brake Buddy', 'RVI 2/3', and 'Patriot' systems - are there others as well?
3) Can someone provide a high-level overview of how these systems work? My questions are;
- how are they activated? electrically from the coach or accelerometer based (like the average cell phone)
- if electrically - I assume I have to have a controller in the coach - I have a little back box tucked under my dash with a 'rotational control' that seems to (memory here) be some kind of brake controller - but it's just a black box - no connectors I can use
- where does the 'breakaway' connection get invoked? I would guess it's yet another cable between the car and the coach indicating a connection
- I keep reading about 'battery disconnects' and discharging. I'm towing a PT Cruiser and it seems that I can unlock my steering without engaging any ignition so there is no battery drain that I found.

Learning learning learning... you guys are always the best and most affordable education a (relatively) new coach owner can get.

Thanks!
Arden

davidceder · 09-01-2021, 03:19 PM

You can have one integrated into the vehicle and remove it to re-use when you get ride of the toad. I have the Demco Stay and Play and really like it. Just throw a switch on/off and away you go. I didn't want to hassle with another thing to do every time we hooked up the toad. Cost a grand with installation but as the DW say "anything that makes it easier"

Isaac-1 · 09-01-2021, 03:50 PM

There are others, we have a Roadmaster Evenbrake 9400 which is a drop in unit. For the rest of the reply I am going to assume you have decided to go with a drop in unit, and not integrated, inertial, air driven, etc.

For the most part these drop in units can be divided into 2 camps, progressive, and proportional. Progressive units look at the brake light signal coming from the coach, and press down progressively harder on the brake pedal the longer the brake light wire from the trailer connector is being powered, they tend to have a time out function so they release the brake pedal after X number of seconds.

The proportinoal units by contrast use an internal accelerator to detect then you are braking then apply the brakes to the TOAD car, in theory most of these proportional systems require no wiring or data link to the coach to work, though some have such connections, most importantly is a charge line to keep the TOAD battery powered. These Proportional units tend to have settings for sensitivity and pedal force (mine has 3 levels for each, others have more)

These drop in units have a varying level of installation difficulty, most require a brake away switch wire be ran and that they be plugged into a full time higher amp draw 12V power socket, though I think RVA has recently introduced an optional wireless break away switch option. Others like my Roadmaster Even Brake have a bit more complicated wiring as it uses a separate transmitter that is about the size of a pack of playing cards which the break away switch and the brake pedal stop switch along with 12V power, must be wired to, this transmitter must be located near the drivers floor as the braking unit itself has a data cable that plugs into the transmitter. The big advantage of this is that the transmitter sends data to the in cab display which include battery voltage, various fault modes for the unit, as well as warning of break away switch being activated, and if the brake pedal is being pressed when the unit is not activated (often caused by the unit shifting on the floor). Other brands of units have no way to sense this as they don't have connections for the brake stop switch. A few units out there have 2 way in cab control systems so that you can set the braking sensitivity and force from the cab of the coach, some don't have in in cab displays. Regarding my Roadmaster 9400 the 3 things I don't like about it are that it is bulkier than some newer designs, does not have a top mounted handle so can be awkward to lift, and that wiring the transmitter makes it more difficult to move from car to car.

Rockwood27 · 09-01-2021, 03:52 PM

I had a Winnebago 36 ft Class A gasser and it probably has one of the largest hitch drops made. That being said, I used the Ready Brake (i.e. cable system) for many thousands of miles with absolutely no issues. I wouldn't discount its use. They are very simple to use once installed and don't require an external power source.

A secondary part of any auxiliary braking system is the break-a-way portion of it. If your toad breaks free from your motorhome, it needs to stop on its own without killing oncoming traffic.