New at flat towing, Help

Well we finally entered the world of the flat tow'rs. We purchased a 2014 Jeep Wrangler and now I would like some help as I know very little about flat towing and I know there is a very large group or rv'ers out there who tow Jeeps and other makes of vehicles who know a great deal about it

I am trying to find out  what is the best and easiest to install tow bars out there ? Also is there one bast plate that is easier to install than the others ? Does the base plates have to be matched with the tow bar or are they interchangeable? I know that they cannot be made to fit different vehicles but can the base plates be paired with different manufacturers tow bars ? ( told you I didn't know much about them ).   

Lastly which is the best and or easiest to use breaking system to buy? I'm not necessarily looking for the cheapest but if the cheapest is the better unit that is good .

I am also looking at ease of installation as I would like to install everything  myself if possible. Thanks for all responses each and every one is appreciated....Alan

Alan


The majority of toads out there are probably connected by either Roadmaster or Blue Ox systems.


We tow a CRV so I will let a Jeep owner compare ease of installation.


There are adapters to use different towbars and baseplates but if you are buying new use the appropriate base plate for your bar.


IMHO the best toad brake 1. provides proportional braking to the amount of brake being applied in the motorhome, 2. Provides a cockpit indication that the toad brake is on, and does not require installation each time you hook up. We have used a M&G brake system on our last m/h and currently have an Air Force One . Both worked well but I do like the features of the AF1.

Look at ReadyBrute Elite. 8,000 lb aluminum tow bar and brake system all in one. Brake system is very simple and all mechanical with no electronics. To hook up the brake, you just connect to a previously install cable that runs from the toad brake pedal to the front of the car.

Easy to use and priced around $1K for the entire system.

I would absolutely recommend an all terrain bar like Jeff says above, I use the RM blackhawk 2. It?s rated for 10k lbs which is what I can tow so I never have to replace it no matter what car or truck I tow.
I would also use the Air Force One system which uses proportional air off the MH to engage the brakes on your toad. Once installed It is very simple to use daily if necessary, nothing to hook up in the cab etc.
I installed all this myself and you should have no problem putting on the hardware whether Jeep or CRV etc, just minor differences IMO.
The issue you might have is with the AF one plumbing. If you don?t know how to identify components in your air system on your MH chassis you might want to have this done. If you?re familiar with push lok fittings and air systems, no problem. It?s just a matter of identifying the service relay valve (R12 not R14) correctly to tap off of etc. You can go here http://www.smibrake.net/Instructions/AF0108.pdf to see the install sheet or climb under and have a look at your chassis and then ask some questions here.
If you decide to go to other systems some use the MH brake light system to engage the toad brakes. I?m not saying this is a bad thing as long as it is what you expected. Consider that your MH exhaust brake will engage the brake lights (and toad brakes) when activated, also when ever you use your flashers the toad brakes will pulse on/off. These systems usually have a built in protection to disengage the toad brakes after a set time period. Some bypass the brake light feature for the exhaust brake but the flashers still engage the brakes. I chose the AFO system so it only engages the toad brakes when I hit the service brake. There are quite a few options for you to consider so good luck with your choices.

The Roadmaster Brakemaster system is another toad brake that is driven from the coach air brake lines rather than the brake pedal or brake lights.

Thanks for all of the info . I am thinking seriously about the ReadyBrute Elete with Ready Brake Anyone have pros and cons about this system. I have pretty much decided that I do not want one of the systems where you sit the controller on the toad floor and attach it to the brake peddle with the claw.It seems as though there a lot better systems out there now for braking...... .Alan

Surge braking systems like the Ready Brute don't enjoy a very good rep in most quarters. In earlier times, surge brakes too often had mechanical difficulties if they weren't well-maintained and most RV owners just drive and forget about the tow bar & brake. Corrosion of cables and levers, that sort of thing, caused the brake to malfunction after a few years. They are particularly susceptible to environments that are dusty & dirty.  I honestly don't know if modern versions have solved those problems, but there seem to be many satisfied owners and the price is very attractive. Other than being permanently installed, a surge brake has no advantages over the portable systems that clamp to the pedal. Both do braking by physically pushing on the toads own brake pedal, with no power assist from the toad brake system.

The top of the line systems today are probably the SMI Air Force One, the US Gear Unified Tow Brake and the M&G Car Brake. All of those are permanent installs as well.Whether they are superior to the Ready Brute is a matter of heated debate with no real evidence to back up the claims.

consider the blue ox system, and brake buddy, been towing the jeep now 4 years, not a problem, the base plate for the jeep will only fit jeeps.

Portable systems like the Brake Buddy have their place, but if you only tow one car and don't replace it often, a permanent installation is a more convenient way to go and less subject to getting out of position inside the car.

I use a system that is actually a hybrid - The Brakemaster. Most of the system is permanently installed but the piston that actually pushes the brake pedal is portable. It's main advantage is that you can wire up  multiple toads and just move around the piston part as needed. If you don't use multiple toads, there is little reason to choose this over a full permanent installation. Mine came with the coach, so I didn't get to choose, but the system is very easy to hook up and works flawlessly.

    Alan I can't remember if your coach is a diesel or gas, or in other words if the brakes are air.  If so, you really want to get one of the direct connect systems.  They are so much easier to connect, and are far superior than any of the surge type, If you have a gas rig, that limits your choices.
    We have a Blue Ox Avanti tow system, and the Blue Ox braking system.  We love it as we can easily connect or disconnect the toad and brake in a couple of minutes.

Ed

There are systems like the Brake Buddy which claim "No installation" and consist of a box that goes in front of the driver's seat when you tow and has to be removed and stored when you drive the towed.

I do not like them for several reasons, One of which is though they say "No Installation:" what they mean is "you have to install them every time you tow".

And since this is way more involved than plugging in a cable.. I wonder how many folks, on a short trip (Say to the dealer) say "Oh, forget it"  And what if you skip a step?

Systems like the US-Gear, M&G, Air force one, Invisible Brake, and even the surge brake systems.. Once installed, they are installed, You do hook them up (Takes about one second) and the odds of saying "Too much trouble" go down to.. Well as a math student I'd have said "Approaches zero".  (The only way I'd not bother is if I was like towing across a parking lot).

I am considering a surge brake system myself.. But then I know how to maintain them.

Gary RV Roamer said:

Surge braking systems like the Ready Brute don't enjoy a very good rep in most quarters. In earlier times, surge brakes too often had mechanical difficulties if they weren't well-maintained and most RV owners just drive and forget about the tow bar & brake. Corrosion of cables and levers, that sort of thing, caused the brake to malfunction after a few years. They are particularly susceptible to environments that are dusty & dirty.  I honestly don't know if modern versions have solved those problems, but there seem to be many satisfied owners and the price is very attractive. Other than being permanently installed, a surge brake has no advantages over the portable systems that clamp to the pedal. Both do braking by physically pushing on the toads own brake pedal, with no power assist from the toad brake system.

The top of the line systems today are probably the SMI Air Force One, the US Gear Unified Tow Brake and the M&G Car Brake. All of those are permanent installs as well.Whether they are superior to the Ready Brute is a matter of heated debate with no real evidence to back up the claims.

Click to expand...

  I have done research in all of the systems that you mentioned above and I like them all as well as a few more including the one that you mentioned in your next post that you have in your coach.The one thing that seems to be different about the Ready Brute is ease of installation. I've watched videos wherever I can and some of them seem to be a quite a bit more labor intensive that the others.

As for the surge brakes our tow dolly has them and they have worked flawlessly now for four trips from Florida to Nova Scotia and this past summer for our west coast trip of almost 11,000 miles. Some people told me that we would not be able to keep linings on the brakes if we used the engine brake on the coach but we have had no problems what so ever with the system.

The one question that I have about your system is where do you have to attach the air line on the coach? It seems to me as though it would have to be attached someplace that had direct contact to the brake pedal rather than just attaching it to the fitting at the rear of the coach. Then again maybe that fitting is for attaching lines for supplemental brake systems.....Alan

John From Detroit said:

There are systems like the Brake Buddy which claim "No installation" and consist of a box that goes in front of the driver's seat when you tow and has to be removed and stored when you drive the towed.

I do not like them for several reasons, One of which is though they say "No Installation:" what they mean is "you have to install them every time you tow".

And since this is way more involved than plugging in a cable.. I wonder how many folks, on a short trip (Say to the dealer) say "Oh, forget it"  And what if you skip a step?

Systems like the US-Gear, M&G, Air force one, Invisible Brake, and even the surge brake systems.. Once installed, they are installed, You do hook them up (Takes about one second) and the odds of saying "Too much trouble" go down to.. Well as a math student I'd have said "Approaches zero".  (The only way I'd not bother is if I was like towing across a parking lot).

I am considering a surge brake system myself.. But then I know how to maintain them.

Click to expand...

I know what you mean about the "no installation " quotes .Watch a video on installing some of them and there are multiple controls to hook up along with in some of them 6 or 8 wires and cables ,all of a sudden the no installation turns into 5 or 6 hours . Also you have to find room under the hood to put some of the controllers and in today's modern vehicles often room under the hood is non existent....Alan

Hfx_Cdn said:

    Alan I can't remember if your coach is a diesel or gas, or in other words if the brakes are air.  If so, you really want to get one of the direct connect systems.  They are so much easier to connect, and are far superior than any of the surge type, If you have a gas rig, that limits your choices.
    We have a Blue Ox Avanti tow system, and the Blue Ox braking system.  We love it as we can easily connect or disconnect the toad and brake in a couple of minutes.

Ed

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Yes our coach does have air brakes ,and I like the Blue Ox tow systems ,but having looked at several installation videos I'm trying to figure out which is the easier of the face plates to install on our jeep. I guess I am still in the research stage and not ready to commit just yet ....Alan

The one thing that seems to be different about the Ready Brute is ease of installation. I've watched videos wherever I can and some of them seem to be a quite a bit more labor intensive that the others.

Click to expand...

Interesting comment, because I think that routing the cable for the Ready Brake through the firewall is often a challenging problem. Of course, an installation video would use a vehicle where that is not a concern.

The one question that I have about your system is where do you have to attach the air line on the coach? It seems to me as though it would have to be attached someplace that had direct contact to the brake pedal rather than just attaching it to the fitting at the rear of the coach. Then again maybe that fitting is for attaching lines for supplemental brake systems...

Click to expand...

Part of the Brakemaster install is creating an air line connection on the coach. Many chassis have a Tee on the rear axle air brake manifold to facilitate that sort of thing, but worse case is that you have to add your own tee. Then you run an air line to a quick-connect on the back of the coach so you can easily plug in when hooking up the toad. The line & connector are part of the install kit.

hpykmpr said:

Yes our coach does have air brakes ,and I like the Blue Ox tow systems ,but having looked at several installation videos I'm trying to figure out which is the easier of the face plates to install on our jeep. I guess I am still in the research stage and not ready to commit just yet ....Alan

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I've made the mistake plenty of times looking at the easiest installation or the lowest initial price. Slowly I'm learning to look at the whole picture of actually using the product and  then making a decision of what I want.

I started towing with a Brake Buddy because it was cheaper initially and could be moved to other vehicles. Well, as it works out it's a pain to put in and take out every time. (drag the thing out, move the seat up, clamp it on the pedal, plug it in so it can pump up it's air supply, plug in the breakaway wires, test pump it to get the vacuum out of the booster, and then drive away) Threading and mounting the breakaway box took an hour or so plus the 5 minutes to set up or take down, each and every time.

The next toad we went with the an air pressure unit mounted right on the brake booster with an air line mounted on the front of the vehicle. It took 6 hours to install and adjust, for the car and the RV, but mere seconds every time I connect the car or disconnect the car for towing. A simple air hose connection is all it is every time I tow. No question of whether to hook it up for a short tow because it's easy. It's easier than plugging in the lights.

Ken

Gary RV Roamer said:

Interesting comment, because I think that routing the cable for the Ready Brake through the firewall is often a challenging problem. Of course, an installation video would use a vehicle where that is not a concern.

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Of course you are right about them using a vehicle that would have an easy installation in their videos,I plan on checking on those things before I purchase. The Jeep Wrangler seems to have more room under the hood than a lot of vehicles but I have not had a chance to check it out yet for ease of access to the areas needed to install a breaking system....Alan



Edit: Moderator added missing end-quote tag

I hope I'm not coming across too negative on the Ready Brake & Ready Brute. I simply want to point out the past history of surge-type brakes that don't get regular use and proper cleaning and lubrication. I can readily conceive that modern materials and engineering may have pretty much eliminated the historical issues, but there isn't much track record (yet) to prove that.

Gary RV Roamer said:

Surge braking systems like the Ready Brute don't enjoy a very good rep in most quarters. In earlier times, surge brakes too often had mechanical difficulties if they weren't well-maintained and most RV owners just drive and forget about the tow bar & brake. Corrosion of cables and levers, that sort of thing, caused the brake to malfunction after a few years. They are particularly susceptible to environments that are dusty & dirty.  I honestly don't know if modern versions have solved those problems, but there seem to be many satisfied owners and the price is very attractive. Other than being permanently installed, a surge brake has no advantages over the portable systems that clamp to the pedal. Both do braking by physically pushing on the toads own brake pedal, with no power assist from the toad brake system.

The top of the line systems today are probably the SMI Air Force One, the US Gear Unified Tow Brake and the M&G Car Brake. All of those are permanent installs as well.Whether they are superior to the Ready Brute is a matter of heated debate with no real evidence to back up the claims.

Click to expand...

Your comments provide a rare insight to the "risk management" perspective on these braking systems.  In the larger perspective, all of these toad braking systems have failure modes that can and will emerge over time.  These failure modes have consequences ranging from benign to severe.  Very few people ever write about the failure modes though.  The lack of evidence and any test data to support the performance claims speaks silent volumes.  Thanks for your insights!

hpykmpr said:

Thanks for all of the info . I am thinking seriously about the ReadyBrute Elete with Ready Brake Anyone have pros and cons about this system. I have pretty much decided that I do not want one of the systems where you sit the controller on the toad floor and attach it to the brake peddle with the claw.It seems as though there a lot better systems out there now for braking...... .Alan

Click to expand...

Just over 2,000 miles using ReadyBrute Elite.  No problems.  I have the warning light on the dash that shows when the toad brakes are applied. You can also get a remote device that does the same.  For all the other posters that are negative on the cable system of the Ready Brake, just remember that with Ready Brake, everything is visible and the cables are available and an easy DIY replacement.  Try and do a DIY repair on any of the electronic or air systems.

Works well and very affordable.