Pulled the Toad for the first time..

[Maddie]

Hooray, DH and I pulled the toad for the first time on a trial run.  I couldn't feel much different with it, just have to be cognizant of another 12' behind.  We have 34' gasser and a Jeep Wrangler that was previously towed.

I do have a question. We don't have a brake system, nor did the prior Jeep owner use one. Everything went well, but I know in some states it's mandatory. The MH manual advises against using a "surge-style" system.  Not  sure what that refers to;  is that like the Brake Buddy that uses hydaulics?

Do the majority of you use a brake system?

Thanks

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Towing without an auxiliary brake system has been debated here ad nauseam. Notwithstanding the requirement in many states to have one, to me it does not make good sense to wag all that weight without helping it out some. Then, for me, there's the implied liability of not having it when you are required to have it and an accident occurs. Lawyers will be lawyers.

In your case, with a gasser, I think you may have even more reason for auxiliary braking system, because you don't have the advantage of a much larger air brake system that a diesel pusher will have. Your coach weight to towed vehicle weight is going to be higher and whatever excess braking capacity you had with just the coach is going to get used up much faster with the towed.

I have used Air Force One systems on both my diesel coaches, and would not tow for any trip distance without an auxiliary braking system, even though I have (on the way to get the new coach fitted).

That's my version of the truth.  8)

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I wholeheartedly agree with skyking4ar2.  You can never have too much braking - there will come a day when you wish you had just a bit more, no matter how careful you are.  Your Jeep probably adds somewhere around 10-15% to the weight of the coach and that weight has no braking, thus increasing the stopping distance proportionally.

Surge brakes use a mechanical mechanism that is built into the tow bar and uses the inertia of the towed vehicle to create a braking action. The mechanical action may operate a hydraulic cylinder, but it is still an inertia-driven, mechanical mechanism. The Brake buddy is NOT a surge brake; the Ready Brake is.

 

[SeilerBird]

I bought a used RV about a year ago and the brakes were pulsing a bit. As time went on the pulsing got worse. So I recently had a brake job done. The rotor on the front right brake was warped and cracked. Clearly from too much heat. The previous owner did tow and there was no electric brake controller on the RV. You don't want to know how expensive it is to do a brake job on a class A. Much cheaper to get the electronic brakes.

 

[NY_Dutch]

X2 on the ReadyBrake system. It's a simple enough installation for pretty much any shade tree mechanic, and it's hard to imagine a much simpler or foolproof system. Once installed, hooking up involves connecting one clip to an eye on the toad. There's an indicator LED installed on the coach dash that tells you when the toad brakes are activated. We've used a ReadyBrute Elite tow bar that has an integrated ReadyBrake system for nearly 40,000 miles with two toads, and couldn't be more pleased with it. That it's significantly less costly than any other auxiliary brake system doesn't hurt either!   

 

[BernieD]

I still have not seen any definitive state supplemental motor home brake towing requirements, but that is not the point. It is just UNSAFE to drive without supplemental brakes. All chassis manufacturers, gas and diesel, have a 0-1,000# limit on towing without supplemental brakes, their systems are not designed to properly stop anything weighing more.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Bernie,

Would this reference change your mind?

http://www.towshop.com/trailer_supplemental_braking_laws.htm

Kim

 

[sluggermike]

Another consideration, and expense, for your toad is a tire pressure monitor.  I just purchase one because of horror stories I've read about people towing cars with flat tires and not knowing it.  I have an Even Brake system which is a proportional braking system.  There always seems to be something else you need when you are RVing.  It's expensive to own and operate, but It does provide a sense of freedom. 

 

[Jeff]

Kim:


Please understand that we believe in tow brakes and use them but what Bernie is referring to is that many of those state laws are specific to trailers, not motorhomes towing cars.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Jeff,

Point taken, but I am doing some research on that because I think the argument is somewhat misleading. From my law enforcement experience, a "trailer" can be anything attached to another vehicle that has wheels, and it can be defined explicitly or implicitly as a towed vehicle behind a motorhome. Even Roadmaster cautions that a towed vehicle behind a motorhome can be classified as a trailer. Case law often establishes the clarification that is not apparent in the regulation as written and that's not something the RV owner wants to overlook.

The proliferation of RV's and the configurations available easily overwhelm regulators and I would not expect every combination to be itemized in a regulation. That's why they have judges.

Anyway, it's only against the law if you get caught.  8)

 

[kenb1023]

I still have not seen any definitive state supplemental motor home brake towing requirements, but that is not the point. It is just UNSAFE to drive without supplemental brakes. All chassis manufacturers, gas and diesel, have a 0-1,000# limit on towing without supplemental brakes, their systems are not designed to properly stop anything weighing more.

In some States it falls under towing and may or may not specify between a trailer or a vehicle.  It will say a given weight of subject being towed and the suplamental brake requirements. 

 

[driftless shifter]

A trailer has 4 wheels, a semi trailer is anything that puts weight on a tow vehicle. It's a US DOT definition. State law is shady and grey in these areas.

I have a 1993 Bounder, 34'. 16,000 lb gvw, 19,500 gcvw. can tow 3,500 lb toad. Nowhere in my 2 binders full of documentation can I find a recommendation from Fleetwood for toad brakes. With more than half the states calling for brakes, only when over 3,000 lb, and more states when over 2000 lb, I would feel comfortable towing a toad under 3,000 lb without brakes. I still have to find a way for break-away brakes, and brake maintenance is my number 1 priority on mh.


I plan to flat tow a vintage VW, first thing I did when I got the Bounder home was full service brake teardown, inspection, and replace/repack of wheel bearings. Rear brakes were crusty rusty, all new from wheel bearings out now, fronts were fine, replaced 1 inner bearing. I suspect the inner wasn't replaced when the outer smoked on one of the previous owners. Outer part of spindle was a little munged up and inner bearing showed minor pitting

I've got ideas for my own break-away brakes using powerboat and sailboat parts to activate the toad brakes. The parts would include a teleflex type throttle cable, and some type of cam lock device used in sail boat rigging, a cheap carabiner and some cable.

Drive 'em like what they are, a fully laden truck or bus. MH's have a rough life on the road, seems most everybody's goal is to carry as much stuff as the gvw/gcvw will allow. Myself included. Trucks and busses don't work that hard, they often travel with light or no loads.

Posted using DW laptop, hence the capitalization.  :

 

[Odin]

I still have not seen any definitive state supplemental motor home brake towing requirements, but that is not the point. It is just UNSAFE to drive without supplemental brakes. All chassis manufacturers, gas and diesel, have a 0-1,000# limit on towing without supplemental brakes, their systems are not designed to properly stop anything weighing more.

I am all for safety and have an RVibrake for my 2,600# toad. What I don't understand is the need for a breakaway brake. Are there state laws for that as well? The tow bar has several redundant systems for keeping the toad attached, so why the need for a breakaway brake?

 

[teddyu]

I am all for safety and have an RVibrake for my 2,600# toad. What I don't understand is the need for a breakaway brake. Are there state laws for that as well? The tow bar has several redundant systems for keeping the toad attached, so why the need for a breakaway brake?

Think about this.  What if the receiver assembly falls off the MH?  Tow bar would still be attached to the receiver, and the TOAD would still be attached to the tow bar.  I have seen a receiver come detached from missing bolts and tearing metal.  We found only one bolt was holding the receiver in place until it twisted/tore off the MH.  JM2?...

 

[Pierat]

+1 for Air Force One.

 

[BernieD]

I will repeat. The need for a supplemental brake system is safety and the related specific requirements of the chassis manufacturers. Whether the various state laws require them, and most of those that require them for trailers exempt RVs or motorhomes, is irrelevant. Most of the statements linked, such as the one Kim referred to, have a vested interest in your buying their system, but are very vague on the legal specifics. If you can't stop, you have a problem regardless of the state law and if you tow without a supplemental system, you won't be able to stop within a safe distance. 'Nuf said.

 

[bucks2]

Think about this.  What if the receiver assembly falls off the MH?  Tow bar would still be attached to the receiver, and the TOAD would still be attached to the tow bar.  I have seen a receiver come detached from missing bolts and tearing metal.  We found only one bolt was holding the receiver in place until it twisted/tore off the MH.  JM2?...

That sounds like an extreme lack of maintenance. Would the breakaway device be maintained any better? Sometimes you just can't fix stupid.

Ken