What do I need to tow? (other than a towbar)

Bryan,

Send an email to PPL Motorhomes and ask for a price and availability on a baseplate. They usually have good prices on stuff, and often run specials (discounted prices).

If you buy the Aventa from RVUpgrades.com, it includes a set of Blue Ox 10,000 lb safety cables for USD$581.10. Don't knowe how that compares to your pricing, but RVUpgrades is usually competitive. And they have outstanding customer service as well.

No-one else has mentioned this, so here goes.  Rather than having the toad's lights wired, consider the magnetic style lamps which connect directly to the MH plug and fix to the rear of the toad.  In the US they cost well under $50.  Probably $30 on ebay.  They are very simple to install and portable, just like the BrakeBuddy.  Though I have my toad wired, I carry a set of magnetic lights as a back-up.  They are actually brighter and more visible than my toads rear lighting system.

BT

I've often wondered how the magnetic toad lights are wired if there is a braking system also on the toad.  If you plug the magnetic lights directly to the coach connector, then how is current supplied to the braking system?  Do you need two connectors on the coach?

Marsha~

The brake system isn't powered from the lighting connector, it's powered by the towed battery.

Thanks Ned,

Since we have US Gear and have a "box" by the driver's seat, similar to a trailer braking system, I didn't know how the using the magnetic system incorporated a braking system.  I was thinking 2 connectors on the coach.

If you use the toad's battery for the braking system, would you have to watch the battery on the toad?

Marsha~

The brake lights on the toad are normally powered from the coach, regardless of the type of toad brake in use. So yes, they normally have their own connector, though it could be combined with the brake connector if you like. I've done it both ways.

Many toad brakes have only an air connection to the coach anyway, or an  air connection plus a feedback wire to give a positive acknowledgment that the brakes are being applied.

Ned said:

The bulb and socket kit adds a separate bulb and socket to the tail lights to use for towing without having to connect into the existing light circuits using diodes.  Not all vehicle tail lights have room for an addition socket.

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Thanks, my RV has a UK wiring connector so I'll go the re=wire with diodes route I think.  I don't really understand how the bulb/socket kit works  ???

Send an email to PPL Motorhomes and ask for a price and availability on a baseplate. They usually have good prices on stuff, and often run specials (discounted prices).

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Thanks Tom, did that...but PPL replied that they don't ship to UK and they don't take non-USA credit cards or accept paypal from outside USA  :

If you buy the Aventa from RVUpgrades.com, it includes a set of Blue Ox 10,000 lb safety cables for USD$581.10.

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Hi Gary, mines costing $310 without cables so I'm happy to pay extra...if I need them.

Rather than having the toad's lights wired, consider the magnetic style lamps...

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Hi Buddy, didn't know of them.  Checked them out and not too expensive over here either.  But I think I'll rewire the car.  Costs more but aesthetically more pleasing.  May get a set for emergency use though  :-\

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I have a question re: the safety cables...

If I use a brake buddy with a breakaway cable, and the toad detaches, this system will cause the toad to brake to a stop whilst I drive on my merry way.
If I use safety cable instead, the toad detaches and the RV drags this toad by two bits of wire without any control.
If I attach safety cables and use the brake buddy, and the toad detaches, the brake buddy breakaway system activates; won't the RV drag the toad (with locked wheels) along the road??  ???

So is it a case of safety cables OR brake buddy breakaway system or am I missing something?  What do you lot do?

Thanks
Bryan

.... PPL replied that they don't ship to UK and they don't take non-USA credit cards or accept Paypal from outside USA

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Bryan, I can understand not wanting to ship outside the US, and there are companies here that will do that for you. But not accepting credit cards or Paypal from outside the US makes no sense. One way around it might be to wire the money to their bank account. That's how some folks from the UK pay for their RVs here.

We use BOTH a breakaway connection and safety wires. If the toad truly breaks away, it means the cables or chains have let go, and you really want the toad to stop.

Tom said:

We use BOTH a breakaway connection and safety wires. If the toad truly breaks away, it means the cables or chains have let go, and you really want the toad to stop.

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So, you adopt a method of - If the towbar connection fails, the safety cable/chains tighten and tow the car and the breakaway sytem only activates if the safety cables/chains fail as well?

Doesn't this mean that in the event of a towbar failure and the toad being pulled by the safety cables/chains that you risk the toad crashing into the back of the RV or even worse, swinging out to the side of the RV whilst still being pulled along?

mines costing $310 without cables so I'm happy to pay extra...if I need them.

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Wow! That's an incredible price for an Aventa LX. $475 is about the lowest I've ever seen.  Please mention where - there are no doubt others who would love to get this fine towbar at such a bargain price!

TBH Gary the dealer said he will let me have it at this price as he is overstocked.  If he can do anymore at this price, once I have mine I will gladly reveal who the dealer is  ;D

I hope you understand my reluctance to say more at this stage?

Regards
Bryan

Bryan,

Be careful not to get into analysis paralysis.

I tow an 8,000 lbs (4,000 kg) vehicle, and I seriously doubt that the safety cables or the equivalent chains wouldn't break in the event of a breakaway. In that situation, I prefer not to have a toad freewheeling and possibly hitting another car or causing a more serious accident. I haven't heard of a tow bar breaking in normal driving/towing; The Blue Ox or Roadmaster tow bars are far stronger than the cables or chains.

Safety chains or cables are a legal requirement here, but the breakaway is not. I have no idea what the requirements are in the UK, but anything you decide to do over and above being legal is for your own peace of mind and the safety of others on the road.

I had one breakaway happen, but I was going very slow and towing a boat trailer, not an all 4 down car. In that case, the tongue of the trailer dropped, skidded a short distance on the road, and the trailer came to a halt without hitting anything or anyone. This "breakaway" was the hitch coming off the ball, because I hadn't correctly hooked it up &/or didn't lock it down. I checked to see that the neighbours weren't looking, reversed the tow vehicle, hooked up correctly, and drove off.

Tom said:

... will probably also need diodes, either like these, or you can buy and solder in separate diodes for far less money.

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As I'll be going the diode route I have been investigating them.  NOTE:  I don't really know much about the electrickery side of things  ;D

The camping world ones linked to appear to be a twin diode setup in a single module - am I correct?  It also appears to be rated at 85amp.  Why is this so high?  Surely a tail light etc. will draw no more thatn an amp or so?

A friend of mine has pointed me alond the DIY route that Tom hinted at.  He found this diode over here. http://cpc.farnell.com/on-semiconductor/mbr20100ctg/diode-schottky-2x10a-100v/dp/SC07394

Rated at 2x10amp I think.  Would these do the job?  If so, why is the roadmaster one rated so highly?

By my understanding, if the ones I have linked to would do the job, then I need 6 (2x tail lights, 2x amber turn signals and 2x brake lights)  Is that right?

Thanks all

Bryan

Bryan,

The camping world ones linked to appear to be a twin diode setup in a single module - am I correct?

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Essentially, that's all they are, but they're mounted on a heatsink.

It also appears to be rated at 85amp.  Why is this so high?

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It's a safety factor. You could have something close to a short circuit develop (or at least a very high current flow) if a light fixture leaks, and a lower rated diode could be wiped out. (They don't self-limit.) There's probably a good deal of specsmanship thrown in for good measure; The heatsink allows a much higher current (amps) rating on the same diode.

When I've used my own diodes on a prior toad, IIRC I used 10A diodes without heatsinks, and got out my soldering iron. Farnell will have them. (It's been over 35 years since I did business with them. Didn't realize they were still around.) I suppose those Schottky diodes are OK because of their low forward voltage drop, and they have a built-in heatsink of sorts. I can't tell if they provide access to all 4 nodes (i.e. 3 pins and the case) or if the 2 diodes have a common node connected. The fact that they say "2 diodes" with no further explanation suggests the former.

I have just noticed your post. I have a brand new  Blue Ox Acclaim Tow Bar and a adjustable tow ball hitch (fits into a 2" receiver) I'm also in the UK so if you are still in the market let me know as I'll save you a fortune on carriage

regards

Glenn

Hi,

Right, time for an update.

Towbar and baseplate ordered  ;D and now awaiting delivery. 

Fitting of the baseplate has been organised and so I just have the electrics to sort.  I have some-one to do the work but they are after as much info as possible about the Jeep Commanders wiring.
He's asking me if it is a 'canbus' whatever that is...

I have already been told that I don't need blocking diodes as the Jeeps have simple wiring that go through switches so nothin gto block...But I suspect that this is wrong.

Anyone know about Jeep Commander wiring?  ??? :

Bryan,

Did you look at the wiring diagrams on the Roadmaster web site I linked to earlier in this topic?

I did Tom, thanks again.  The link will prove invaluable I'm sure.  I was hoping someone might have a link to info' specific to the Jeep Commander