oldflyer
Highlands Ranch, CO
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Joined: 12/17/2005
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Spend the $ and time and put on a brake. I recommend a ReadyBrake as simple, reliable, and economical, but do use any reputable system.
The stress on the hitch components in a hard stop is incredible and could cause serious problems. You can be liable if you cause injury or damage to others due to lack of a brake system. Also the law: most locales require supplemental brakes for over 1500 lb.
Don't be foolish.
2005 Dolphin 35' (our 8th RV), Workhorse 8.1L, '07 Chevy HHR Toad
Stowmaster towbar, ReadyBrake
'43 wife (ver. 1.0.837), '94 cat
1/3 time in RV - 1/3 time fixing stuff - 1/3 time looking for my stuff
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boulderado
Colorado
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Joined: 02/11/2004
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oldflyer wrote:...Also the law: most locales require supplemental brakes for over 1500 lb.
Don't be foolish.
?
* This post was
edited 12/28/07 05:33pm by boulderado *
Knut and Susan FMCA-351422
Currently looking for new rig, maybe a short bus
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-speed w/Blue Ox Aventa II
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tallyo
Fort Myers,Florida
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Joined: 06/12/2007
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I have a braking system.
You have to make your own call.
Tallyo
2007 Winnebago Adventurer
W-24, 6 spd Allison
Saturn VUE w/ Brake Buddy Vantage
Drinks-6, Eats-4, Sleeps-2
Semper Fi
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fcooper
Richmond Hill, Georgia
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Joined: 09/23/2003
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IMHO...yes. To have the toad stop if it breaks away from the motorhome is reason enough to have the supplemental brakes.
Fred & Vicki
Richmond Hill, Ga
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor/330 Cat
2000 Honda Odyssey toad w SMI Silent Partner braking system
Tire Sentry monitoring system
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isa
Richmond, B.C. Canada
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Joined: 08/17/2001
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In Canada only British Columbia and Saskatchewan has (or Saskatchewan soon will have) the same law with respect to auxilliary brakes on towed motor vehicles. Here is what Division 5 BRAKES, section (7) of the British Columbia vehicle act states:
(7) Brakes and coordinated brake control are not required on a towed motor vehicle that has a laden gross vehicle weight less than 2000kg (4009lb) and that is less than 40% of the gross vehicle weight rating of a motor home towing it via a tow bar.
There are very few states in the U. S.of A. that spell out the brake regulations for vehicles towing another vehicle. What you will see is the regulations pertaining to trailers or as in California a trailer coach. California specifically states that a towed vehicle is not repeat not a trailer coach. It also does not state the requirements for having auxilliary braking device on a towed vehicle. What it does state as do several other states that a combination of vehicles e.g. motorhome and towed over 10,000 lb. while travelling at a speed of 20 m.p.h. must be able to stop within a distance of 50ft. I believe that this is a general U.S. D.O.T. regulation for braking requirements.
Finally you will find all kinds of web sites with towing regulations. None of them are accurate or even truthful for some when it comes to providing towing regulations for towed vehicles. Many of the manufacturer's of auxilliary braking devices quote the regulations that apply to trailers but not towed vehicles.
There is only one place that you should trust with respect to towing regulations for your towed and that is your own states D.M.V. - Dept.of Motor Vehicles.
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kalynzoo
Los Angeles , California
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Joined: 12/30/2005
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Once again I can only refer to my previous post. I lost my Saturn when the base plate broke free (go figure). The good luck part was that I had just stopped for a light. The car, my tow car, slowly passed me on the right and came to a stop at the curb. I did not have the tow brake attached as it was only a very short trip on flat road. The damage was expensive, but minor. At any speed the lost car could have been major if not fatal to someone. A supplemental brake with a breakaway cord would have stopped the Saturn, reducing the damage. I now use my brake whenever I travel anyplace.
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gouficanuk
quebec city
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Joined: 10/31/2006
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thank you all for your advice
goofycanuk
96 am tradition
saturn in tow blue ox
very soon aux brakes
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DakotaD
Kodak, Tennessee
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Joined: 01/13/2007
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Can you do it? Sure. Will you ever need extra stopping power? Probably. It's like insurance, the cost seems high until you actually need it.
I personally would not do it, especially not wanting to be responsible for hurting someone because I decided to save a little money. JMHO
Good luck.
...by His grace...
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rolnhome
Pacific Northwest Mexico
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Joined: 11/19/2007
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Check what the chassis manufacture says. Workhorse states any toad over 1000 lbs. requires a SBS. No matter what the law says. A good (even a bad) attorney would have a field day in court if you did not have the required braking system and caused injury to thier client.
We're in Arizona
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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Though there is always someone who will say "NO you don't" the fact is this
If you are towing a car, 4-down WITH aux brakes, then when you lock them up you slide, on an ideal road your slide distance is defined by a math formula, something like 5.5*((speed in mph)/10)^2 feet if I recall correctly.
That is 20 mph you slide 22 feet, 40 mph 88 feet. The surface of the road will affect this, the condition of your tires does not, NEITHER DOES THE WEIGHT OF YOUR RIG, distance is the same for a motor cycle as a semi truck provided ALL WHEELS ARE LOCKED.
A wheel that is almost locked may stop you faster, (or not)
but if you have a 2,000 pound car back there with no brakes the math gets a lot more complex Where it used to be basically
MC^2/MGK which becomes C^2/GK (C=velocity, G=Gravity K=Constant, M=Mass)
(I should note the "K" is a combination of things, but will be constant for all vehicles on that stretch of road, You get (M+m)C^2/MGK where M is the mass of the motor home and m is the mass of the towed, And that mass is times C-Squared
There is more to it than this, but it can add 30 percent to your stopping distance, this can make the difference between needing to change undeware, and needing to change motor homes.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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