BrakeBuddy Vantage Select

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Is anybody using this system?

I am having some issues that BB has not resolved as of yet.  [5 times on the phone with them so far]

1- The remote only works the first time I brake and then nothing... BB has sent me a replacement but, the same problem is happening.

    it seems to me that the remote does Not work 40+ feet away from the unit.

2- This system is advertised as proportional but, the toad brakes never come on?? I even have sat in my Yukon while testing.

Before I go crazy, have any of our folks here have any problems like I'm having?

Thanks
Nick-

[Frank @ TX]

Hi Nick,
I have a Brake Buddy and it works great.  I've used it with two different cars,  great with both.
I hang the tranmitter up over the sunvisor.  I hang the receiver at the bus drivers side extreme left against the window frame.
It's true the signal must go all the way thru the bus metal to reach the receiver but it works great.
I set the sensitivity to 5 when pulling the Jeep Liberity and the presure at 45 psi.
That Jeep it about 3800#.  I can see the receiver glow red when the B Buddy operates.

As a test :
Plug the Buddy into a power port.
Wait until the compressor builds up and shuts off.
Watch your hands !!!!
With the Buddy on the ground outside the car slowly tilt the Buddy froward  ( to act as deceleration would ).
The cylinder end should shoot out and light the receiver.
The receiver is built to be plugged into a lighter on the dash.
So the indicator lights shines away from the plug end.
But that's not how I have it mounted.   
So I had a hard time seeing the red lights.
I disassembled the receiver , saw where the red leds were mounted and
    reassembled the unit with the internal board so the lights faced me.

Before starting off every morning we do a test for turn signals and brake lights and Brake Buddy receiver too.
I go back into the Jeep push and hold the TEST button on the Buddy and my wife give me the high sign that the receiver glowed red.
So that's another way to have the unit and receiver work for you without actually putting it into the car.
Hope this helps

Frank

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Frank,

Yea, I have been through the sequence many many times and as you discribe, all works fine before a trip. The problem arrises

after the first brakeing. The next brakeing event, "nothing" BB people keep telling me my battery in the reciever is low....

I have been through umpteen different battery's and brands... Sorry BB, not it! If they don't want to own up to a bad unit,

then I'm gonna buy me a Roadmaster brand and throw the BB out!.

How many times am I suppose to wait on the phone [45 min minimun each time] to get this thing replaced?  My loss I guess!

Nick-

[jjrbus]

Hi Nick. I bought a Brake Buddy last year. It did not work right, they stood behind thier product and were great to deal with.
Have you tried setting the brake buddy on the passenger side of the vehicle and carefully driving with it plugged in?
One thing I have discovered is that while the bb is working the signal is not reaching my reciever (35 ft bus) very understandable when looking at where power outlet is. I hang the sender over the sunvisor, but still does not always work. I utilized some Red Neck tecnology. Making an extension cord for the reciever and mount it at the side window, works for me.

[redbus]

Nick

I have a Roadmaster, the transmitter and receiver work fine but the brakes on the toad do not apply all the time just when you stop fairly hard.

[Gary LaBombard]

Nick,
I am not sure if you BB connects up the same way mine does but the connection cable I have between my RV / bus and my toad has a expandable corrugated cable that has I believe a female connector on both ends.  But, this cable if not connected up in the right direction will not let my brake buddy work.  If you have one like this, turn your cable around, (swap the ends as they are connected.  I believe my cable must have a diode in it that allows current only to flow in one direction.  Now I am not positive it has a diode but I do know I had to match mark the cable to connect up only in one direction. It absolutely will not work in the opposite direction??

I hope this helps.  Mine drove me crazy until I experimented with it, if you do have this type of cable that is removeable with two female ends try turning it around to connect up.  Then if it works use colored tie raps to mark the cable to what ever connection you wish it to always connect up to.

Gary

[jjrbus]

Red's right, it takes a pre set amount of deceleration to set the brakes. they do not function under light brakeing.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Jim,

This unit was advertized as being able to transmit to a 45ft. coach..??

Gary,

This unit is wireless and no connection to my coach.

Red,

As long as it works when you need it, I'll try it. Thanks for the info on RM.

Nick-

PS here is the link to my unit
http://www.brakebuddy.com/Products/BrakeBuddy-Vantage-Select

[Frank @ TX]

The sinitivity IS adjustable.
The push button can adjust it.
I keep mine at 5,  a mid to hard braking will activate it.
Frank

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

The sinitivity IS adjustable.
The push button can adjust it.
I keep mine at 5,  a mid to hard braking will activate it.
Frank

Hi Frank,
It's all the way up on 7 and I have been up and down the scale many times.
I have even heald the reciever out the drivers window with no luck.
My conclusion, It just won't transmit as far as they claim and I need to do something about it.

Nick-

[jjrbus]

 My power outlet is located where there is steel, aluminum lots of wireing and gauges a CB radio and backup monitor and computer monitor for streets and trips. I can see where a signal could be distracted. But if you have held it out the window and its not working something is wrong! Can you have the wife hold it out the back window?
If you would like to fly some of us over we would be happy to troubleshoot it for you! No charge of course just room and board

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Jim,



Nick-

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Nick,  you might also want to check out the braking system made by U.S. Gear.  I have one and like it a lot.