US Gear Unified Tow Brake

[For Wheelin]

Greetings. I have a question and observation about Toad Brake Systems.  This application is a Super C motorhome weighing in at 20k lbs.  the jeep being towed is 5k lbs.  I chose the US Gear Unified Tow Brake because it uses the power brakes on the TOAD.

Does anyone here use the US Gear UTB?  And if so, any thoughts on correct settings and use?

After first use of the system, the front wheels of the TOAD were really hot and I realized the system was probably set up such that the brake system was too harsh, so after talking to the installer I adjusted it for less braking.  A few more more trips and the brakes on the TAOD were ruined.  I had to replace both rotors and drums and pads/shoes.  The RV shop was puzzled and advised the system must have been set to strong.  I don't blame the RV shop or installer but as a result I have backed off the cable to a point where it barely works, which then leaves me with the thought, why have it if it is set to barely operate.

Then I pondered the following thought.  Prior to purchasing a motor home,we have pulled travel trailers for nearly 20 years.  The trailers have alway been equal to or greater than the weight of the truck pulling the trailer, and I typically had the trailer brake to operate at the same time as the application of the trucks brakes.  So the trailer is assisting the truck to slow.

Now that I am driving a motor home at 20k lbs and pulling a 5k lb jeep, how can I expect the brakes to work in unison with such a drastic difference in weights between the tow vehicle and the TOAD?  It seams that if I am lightly applying the MH brakes, and the TOAD's brakes are also then being applied, the TOAD is trying to stop the MH.

I am in process of selling this jeep and purchased another and am now contemplating moving the brake system to the new (2003) jeep I just bought.  The jeep I just bought incidentally is taller, larger tires and a little heavier...I don't want to ruin another set of brakes!

I haven't talked to US Gear yet as I wanted to see what others are experiencing.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

thanks,

Steve

 

[zmotorsports]

I have had the U.S. Gear Unified Tow Brake setup for about 15 years now, three coaches and four Jeeps.  Love the system.  I have not had any negative affects such as increased brake wear and/or heat.  For our first coach, a gas one weiging around 16k pounds I adjusted to where I could barely feel the Jeep tug when I applied the coach brakes.

For the other two coaches which were quite a bit heavier and DP's, I backed the settings off further to where I cannot feel the toad brakes being applied. 

One thing to check for that I have seen on other installations of this system is that if the pulley setup under the dash/carpet is not 100% completely smooth and free from resistance then the brakes can drag as the linear actuator does not have enough spring pressure to pull it back if there is even the slightest bit of resistance.  I would check this first.

Mike.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The weight differential is not relevant - you are trying to brake the toads own weight. If, when the toad brakes are applied, you can actually feel any "pull back", the toad brake is set far to strong. It should never be helping to slow the coach - just slowing itself at the same time as the coach slows. If it does not brake itself, it is actually pushing the coach.

It seems clear that something is set up incorrectly on your Unified Tow Brake. I suggest calling US Gear for tech support.

I don't have a Unified Tow Brake, but my Roadmaster Brakemaster system works fine towing a 5000 lb toad behind a 33,000 lb coach.

 

[zmotorsports]

I agree the weight differential is not a factor in stopping and the auxiliary braking setup is to stop the weight of the toad only.  However, on our first coach, an older GM P30 chassis, the brakes were adequate at best to stop the weight of the coach, let alone the toad.  This is why I set the auxiliary system up a little more aggressive to assist with stopping the anemic equiped P30 chassis brakes.  This is why I set them up to be able to "feel" the toad braking.

The only reason I mentioned the weight is because on a 16k pound coach you can feel a 5k pound toad braking fairly easily.  Not so on a 36K pound coach which I agree with you Gary, is too aggressive if you can feel them.

Mike.

 

[Marsha/CA]

We have US Gear on our DP and are pulling a Hyundai Tucson weighting about 3600#; before that we pulled a Toyota Tacoma.  In the 10 years we have had the system, we have not had any problem such as you are having.  Like Gary mentioned we have ours set so that you can not feel it pulling the coach when we stop.  I believe the setting is on #4 or #5.  I feel that it should be stopping the toad so that you are not pushed into a stop; especially a emergency fast stop.

I too have pulled various trailers although they were horse trailers so am used to feeling the trailer brakes come on.  I don't think the weight difference makes any change on how the US gear system works.

What I'm wondering is if it's not releasing quickly enough so it's dragging just enough to be causing a problem.

Marsha~

 

[Jeff]

A must for me after going through two sets of toad brakes while using our M&G system is a brake light indicator for the toad. Our Air Force One comes with one but it would be very simple to tap into the brake light switch on the brake pedal and wire a LED up on the windshield. I ran the hot wire through the wiring harness to the m/h and up to a small LED on the m/h dash.

You would then know what is going on.

 

[John From Detroit]

I used to use the US gear system on my Lumina, I was very impressed with it, This system gives the motor home driver FULL control over the towed brakes, you can adjust them Set or disable them all from the driver's seat in the motor home.  The system is nearly invisible to the car driver when not towing.  Easy to hook up and provides a charge lead for the towed's battery (A very useful thing).

The only warning I will give.. On my system the breake leads got under the hitch and when the drop hitch bottomed out they got cut.. The system was ruined.

Make sure you protect those leads from damage.  A short on the control line is not a good thing.

 

[Bob Buchanan]

    As with others here, I have had the UTB system for a dozen years or so. Have also had it moved from one MH to another when I went from a Class C to an A. The initial installer made a huge point as others have here that the system is to stop the toad, and not to help the MH in any way. If you feel the toad, he said, you can say goodbye to the brakes on the toad over time. OTOH, with the cockpit control in an emergency such as losing the MH brakes, one "can" use the full force of the toad to assist in a stop.

Now that I am driving a motor home at 20k lbs and pulling a 5k lb jeep, how can I expect the brakes to work in unison with such a drastic difference in weights between the tow vehicle and the TOAD?  It seams that if I am lightly applying the MH brakes, and the TOAD's brakes are also then being applied, the TOAD is trying to stop the MH.

That's the advantage of US Gear over many other systems. It's both Proportional and Progressive. The braking is in direct proportion to the weight of each vehicles. From their website, "Our unit provides proportional braking via a signal adjustment (or gain) to the towed vehicle's brakes from the Remote Control unit".

It is also progressive in that vs. an average each time the MH brake pedal is pushed, the harder the MH brake push, the harder the toad brake push. (Actually, it is a pull of the toad pedal).

I mess around with my system occasionally just as I did when pulling a TT as to the correct gain. I will adjust until I feel the toad on a gravel road just as with the TT - then back off until I don't feel it anymore. That's about a 4 or 5 on the gain control.

Also, there are times when I don't need toad braking  - such when in an RV park or on level ground in traffic, so I just turn the gain down to zero. This was also recommended by the initial installer.

BTW, initially my toad lights cable was 4 pole - and the US Gear added another hookup. So I changed to a 6 pole and included the US Gear hookup. So now there is no extra for the US Gear. When the Jeep is plugged in, the US Gear is ready to go - other than the break away plug.

Anyway, my 3500# Jeep Cherokee has no warming of brakes over the many years it has been towed.

 

[Ned]

Blue Ox made a wireless brake alert, BX-88180, that works with any towed brake that uses the brake pedal.  Lights a lamp whenever the brake pedal is depressed, no wires needed other than a tap into the brake pedal switch and a 12VDC power outlet.

 

[Bob Buchanan]

    As to what is going on back there - the cockpit control with US Gear has a series of lights that will not only indicate braking is happening, but also how much. Plus a control lever to apply the toad brakes manually if needed. I use this each time I hook up to make sure it is working OK before take off.

 

[For Wheelin]

Thanks all for the quick replies.  I cant imagine that this unit is anything less than superior, which is why I chose it in the first place.

This jeep is for sale as I bought another one.  I will definitely check as Marsha suggests how quickly it releases, that seams like a logical cause.  The pump does continue to run for about 30 seconds after the MH brakes are released, but I was told by the installer that is normal, and that while the pump continues to run, the TOAD brake is not activated, it is just the brake system staying pumped up. 

When adjusting the cable on a sloped portion of our driveway, I plugged in to the MH and had my wife hit the brakes while I placed the jeep in neutral to see how much braking was occurring.   

I suppose I better have the installer verify once again the correct settings.  I guess it is possible that the brakes were on their way out (unknown to me), and maybe I mistakenly thought the brake system caused the damage.

I am having the system removed from this jeep and re-installed on my new one this week. I will also talk to the mfr. for guidance.

thanks again all, will update when I learn if it was an installation problem or user error!