Towed vehicle braking survey.

scanzel · June 18, 2007, 09:55:23 AM

What is everyone using for suplimental braking on your towed vehicle?

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · June 18, 2007, 10:35:12 AM

Hi scanzel,

No toad brake on board here.... The bus don't even know the Yukon is back there!

Nick-

DrivingMissLazy · June 18, 2007, 10:48:10 AM

Quote from: Nick Badame Refrig. Co. on June 18, 2007, 10:35:12 AM
Hi scanzel,

No toad brake on board here.... The bus don't even know the Yukon is back there!

Nick-

Doesn't really matter what the bus thinks. A lot of states are starting to require brakes on anything over a specific weight regardless of whether it is a motor vehicle or trailer being towed. As I recall, it is now a requirement in Canada also.
Richard

BTW, the fine for towing a trailer in California without brakes is/was $186. Please do not ask me how I know.

jjrbus · June 18, 2007, 11:00:08 AM

The bus may not know it is back there, but if you have an accident the attorneys will know it was back there. There are also some rumors on the RV boards that some areas are doing checks and making people without supplimental brakes unhook on the spot. These are rumors I have no personal knowledge of it happening.

http://www.brakebuddy.com/Towing-Laws

After reasearching this i decided the Brake Buddy was best for my needs. If you have a jake, best not to use the towbar mounted system.

JackConrad · June 18, 2007, 06:42:58 PM

We just installed an M&G brake unit on our Grand Cherokee before leaving on this trip. We also added a break-away solenoid and tank to stop the car in case of a disconnect. We tested the break away by driving the car about 45 MPH, slip transmission in neutral and activate the solenoid. Results were a smooth, straight stop. We also added a flashing red LED on the bus dash that lights anytime the M&G is activated by air pressure (from bus brakes or break away system0 This will let me know if the break away should get activated while towing as well as let me know it is functioning properly. Although we never noticed any difference in braking before adding the M&G, we do notice better braking with the M&G.
As was mentioned many states are now requiring this (including break away function) and in case of an accident, I am sure the liars for hire will make sure you know this. Jack
PS: I have no affiliation with and receive no compensation from M&G, just a pleased user of their product.

Sean · June 18, 2007, 10:13:06 PM

Nick,

I'm not sure I'd be bragging about that....

NJ does not require toad "service" brakes, per se, but a break-away stopping system is *mandatory* in NJ. You can be stopped, cited, and forced to disconnect your toad. Even someone reading your claim here on the board could, potentially, turn you in to the state troopers.

Plus, you can't legally travel through any of your neighboring states without a toad brake system for a vehicle as heavy as a Yukon. The law doesn't stipulate or care anything about how inconsequential a Yukon is (or you think it is) relative to the weight of your bus.

FWIW.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

Jerry32 · June 19, 2007, 01:33:03 AM

I have a 4000 lb toad and air brakes. Jerry

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · June 19, 2007, 03:57:23 AM

Quote from: Sean on June 18, 2007, 10:13:06 PM
Nick,

I'm not sure I'd be bragging about that....

NJ does not require toad "service" brakes, per se, but a break-away stopping system is *mandatory* in NJ. You can be stopped, cited, and forced to disconnect your toad. Even someone reading your claim here on the board could, potentially, turn you in to the state troopers.

Plus, you can't legally travel through any of your neighboring states without a toad brake system for a vehicle as heavy as a Yukon. The law doesn't stipulate or care anything about how inconsequential a Yukon is (or you think it is) relative to the weight of your bus.

FWIW.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

Hi Sean,

Any reccomendations on a breaking system for my setup?
I guess I'm nieve about this because of pulling a toad for 25 years without a brake system.
Nick-

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · June 19, 2007, 04:19:56 AM

Does anybody have any comments or expierence on this system?

http://www.roadmasterinc.com/products/braking/even_brake.html

Thanks
Nick-

DrivingMissLazy · June 19, 2007, 05:08:37 AM

In the older days, brakes were generally only required on a trailer you were towing, and then only above 3,000 pounds. For some reason motor vehicles being towed were exempt from this requirement to have auxiliary brakes actuated by the tow vehicle.
Although I have not read the actual state laws, I believe that Sean is correct in that many states, within the past few years, have added this requirement to their towing laws.
I have not seen any published lists, by state, for many years detailing this.
Richard

wrench · June 19, 2007, 05:34:49 AM

That would be a safe equipment to add, & the cie is well knowed.
wrench

jjrbus · June 19, 2007, 06:08:52 AM

cie?

I have a similar system, the Brake Buddy. Becuse of the metal in the bus the dash monitor does not recieve a good signal. I need to find a place where it will receive the signal and mount it there.

Sean · June 19, 2007, 10:21:16 AM

Quote from: Nick Badame Refrig. Co. on June 19, 2007, 03:57:23 AM
Any reccomendations on a breaking system for my setup?

I'm probably the wrong person to be giving advice on this, because we don't tow (we keep our two motorcycles in one of our bays).

That said, I know that all the major brands of towed-vehicle braking systems, such as the Brake Buddy mentioned here earlier, include a break-away safety as part of the package. I also know that there are break-away systems for conventional trailers as well. I have, personally, never heard of a break-away system for towed motor vehicles that is not part of an overall package including service brakes.

Designing a break-away-only system would be straightforward -- all you'd need is a clevis pin attached to a wire, which released either a mechanical spring, or perhaps an air piston connected to a dedicated bottle, which then would press the brake pedal. But again, your Yukon definitely requires a towed-vehicle service brake system in most other states -- I think you'd only be under the limit in Massachusetts and Texas, and then there are, IIRC, only five other states with no explicit requirement other than braking distance. So, if I were in your shoes, I'd bite the bullet and buy a system.

I think choosing among the major players out there is really a matter of personal preference, but I am sure others here with more experience than I can weigh in (so to speak) on the matter.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · June 19, 2007, 11:23:36 AM

Thanks guy's,

I inquireing about 2 systems.

Here is a hair brainer.......

The Badame Brake...Lol
Tie a cable around the emergency brake peddle, route it through the fire wall and out the engine compartment.
Then use a fuseable link to conjoin it to a larger cable that is connected to the bus hitch. "Wala"
The car brakes free and the cable pulls the EM brake peddle then snaps the fuseable link... Car stops!
Wile E Cyote
Funny, but it may even work! I'm not cheap,.. it's just a brain fart!
Nick-

jjrbus · June 19, 2007, 01:19:02 PM

There is a system like the Wile E Coyote, don't ask me where, I don't remember. dIt utilizes a tube that has something in it that is one directional. Ya run a cable from RV to toad brake through this tube. If ya have a brake away it puts the brake on and it stays on until released.
Downside to this is it applies full braking force all at once. The toad is probably not running so ABS is not functioning, toad is all over road. Maybe even flips.
The braking systems apply the bakes more gradually, bringing the toad to a quick controlled stop. Of course if you stop bus quickly toad smashes into bus.
If you have Bubba in the toad with a flashlight, why cant he just step on the brakes?