Ponderosa
Western US
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Joined: 06/24/2003
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I bought a Ready Brake some time back and got around to using it the first time today. I think something is wrong here, but don't know what right is. When I cam to a stop the first time (a gentle slowdown and stop) the brake mechanism had slid to its forward position and my brake cable was pulled very tight and had applied my toad brakes firmly. The ready brake did not return to the relaxed position after the stop. In fact, I tried to pull back on it with the toad and it did not move. I disconnected the cable and drove on without the brakes. I noticed that the little light showing brake action came on every time I went down the slightest hill or decelerated. The light did go out with application of the gas again. When I go home, I disconnected the toad from the RB and it is STILL in the engaged position.
Anyway, I think this thing is not working right and am afraid it is going to ruin my toad brakes. Any insight would be appreciated.
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Dutch_12078
Great Sacandaga Lake, NY
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The lever should automatically return to the rest position when there is no load pushing against it. Contact NSA technical support ASAP.
Dutch
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bigB42
montana
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my brake was set up to only engage under a hard stop,only steep(very steep)grade ever made the light come on, i used a bungee cord to return the pedal to normal until i was sure it was working correctly,good luck ken
ken
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Big Katuna
Deland, FL
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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I'm confused; are you saying the brake light LED was lighting up AFTER you disconnected the cable?
The brakes are not on if the LED is not lit. If the cable WAS connected and you have some braking action going down a hill, the cable is a little tight. I had that symptom when I first started using Ready Brake. Then I loosened the cable a tad.
You can not pull back on it when it is sitting static. When you are sitting on level ground, it is already back. The lever moves FORWARD when you stop. If you disconnect the toad, you should be able to push the bar forward but it takes a lot of strength.
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Ponderosa
Western US
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Big Katuna wrote:I'm confused; are you saying the brake light LED was lighting up AFTER you disconnected the cable?
The brakes are not on if the LED is not lit. If the cable WAS connected and you have some braking action going down a hill, the cable is a little tight. I had that symptom when I first started using Ready Brake. Then I loosened the cable a tad.
You can not pull back on it when it is sitting static. When you are sitting on level ground, it is already back. The lever moves FORWARD when you stop. If you disconnect the toad, you should be able to push the bar forward but it takes a lot of strength. The LED is indicating that the ready brake actuator is displaced forward, not whether the toad brakes are applied. I was mushing it down in the driveway and it does seem to retract OK after all. So the remaining issue is why does the actuator move forward (as indicated by the LED) on the slightest change in vehicle momentum. I was under the impression that the spring in the unit resisted movement unless the RV brakes were applied with some effort.
I think what I will do is have someone follow me and observe whether the toad brakes are really being pulled or not by observing the brakes lights. BTW, the suggestion on the bungee is one I will do as well.
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Dutch_12078
Great Sacandaga Lake, NY
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Big Katuna wrote:I'm confused; are you saying the brake light LED was lighting up AFTER you disconnected the cable?
The brakes are not on if the LED is not lit. If the cable WAS connected and you have some braking action going down a hill, the cable is a little tight. I had that symptom when I first started using Ready Brake. Then I loosened the cable a tad.
You can not pull back on it when it is sitting static. When you are sitting on level ground, it is already back. The lever moves FORWARD when you stop. If you disconnect the toad, you should be able to push the bar forward but it takes a lot of strength.
The current design ReadyBrake/ReadyBrute system has a switch activated by the lever that lights the dash LED. I'm not sure why they made the change, but I much prefer the setup that you and I have where the dash indicator is controlled by the toad brake light switch.
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Big Katuna
Deland, FL
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I did not know that and would not use it. I want to know when the toad brakes have pressure applied. Not when the surge brake is guessing if they. Are applied. Bad engineering decision if you ask me.
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Ponderosa
Western US
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Big Katuna wrote:I did not know that and would not use it. I want to know when the toad brakes have pressure applied. Not when the surge brake is guessing if they. Are applied. Bad engineering decision if yo uask me. Mine is the newer one where it shows what the actuator is doing and not what the toad brakes are doing. I agree that it is pretty much a waste. Don't know why they would have changed to something so "uncertain".
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erstanfo
Northwest, Olympia WA
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You can always install an LED behind the toad rear view mirror tied to the toad brake peddle. Then you can see in your backup camera when the toad brakes are applied.
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tropical36
Southwest Florida_USA
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Sounds like the cable has a kink and creating a bind. As for where the indicator is connected and why it's on the actuator now (it can be changed to the toad), there's a reason which escapes me at the moment.
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