I really don't think that I need my Brake Buddy. Hardly ever comes on, I have it set that way. Is it necessary for insurance enforcement??? Who really knows, I don't. Will a cop ever have cause to see if I have one? Probably not, hasn't happened in the last 6 or 7 years.
But, I like the feeling of having a means of stopping the toad if it breaks away from my MH. That alone is enough reason for me.
hershey - albuquerque, nm Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
I can tell when my toad brakes are applied but doubt if you could tell with a heavy DP.
I think as many others, when paying lots of "$$$$" for an RV and then hold back on something like a supplemental brake because of cost sounds penny wise and pound foolish.
I think it's better to be safe than sorry but you can also take that to the extreme.
Garry1p
1990 Holiday Rambler Aluma Lite XL
454 on P-30 Chassis
1999 Jeep Cherokee sport
Thanks for all the input. I bought the Islander a year ago, and it has a Remco braking system installed. I am close to trading the Jeep, but have been putting off installing the toad system part until I get make a trade. Not that I relish spending money, that hasn't really been the issue. I've just been putting it off until I get the next vehicle. Again, I appreciate all the response.
2003 National Islander
Country Coach Chassis, 400 hp Cummins, drives and rides like a dream
Starting retirement this year.
Most states require aux braking on a toad depending on the weight, and each state has its own limit. Some are 1,500# and others range up to 4,500#. Regardless of the liability or moral issues it boils down to safety. Period!
Aux brakes do in fact make a difference in the distance it takes you to stop. That 30 to 50 foot difference in stopping ability can make all the difference in the world to the people in front of you and you after the incident.
Has mine saved me from hitting someone? You bet!
Our 30' Beaver Monterey is very light for a DP at 21,000 wet. Last year our auxiliary toad brake became inoperative on the return leg of our trip. Even with the exhaust brake our stopping distance increased which required significantly more peddle pressure on the service brakes. The long down hill grades were also more problematic and required much more attention not to experience brake fade. With the auxiliary toad brake we can descend the steep grades with only the exhaust brake and an occasional stab on the service brakes to cause a down shift.
Was it ever unsafe, no. Was it less safe, in my opinion yes. If I had never experienced the auxiliary toad brake I would have just considered it normal braking. I just feel much safer and more in control with the auxiliary brake.
O yes, our auxiliary brake system is a Remco surge brake.
The Beave
30' 1997 Beaver Monterey
(The shortest DP we could find)
2005 Honda CR-V
Remco surge brake
I'm not going to get into this again but I will tell you that when I was in Texas and the semi in front of me locked up his brakes doing about 65 I sure was happy when I did not hit him. When I stopped believe I had about a foot and a half between him and me and all my tires were smoking. I believe without the additional braking I would have hit him and DW was in the front seat. This has been talked about so much and an opion is your a fool if you don't have them. Or just don't care
I don't care if the law says have the auxiliary brakes or not.... I WANT TO STOP AS FAST AS I CAN if needed. I had my coach air brakes attached to the brakes on my Honda CR-V. When I apply the brakes on the coach, the Honda brakes are applied at the same pressure.
If I need to stop right quick, I don't want my toad pushing me (every inch counts).
MM.
Mr.Mark
2008 Monaco Dynasty, 42ft., 4 slides, 425 hp clean-air Cummins diesel
2007 Honda CR-V EXL, AWD, w/Nav and the M&G braking system
hottubkid wrote: I'm not going to get into this again but I will tell you that when I was in Texas and the semi in front of me locked up his brakes doing about 65 I sure was happy when I did not hit him. When I stopped believe I had about a foot and a half between him and me and all my tires were smoking. I believe without the additional braking I would have hit him and DW was in the front seat. This has been talked about so much and an opion is your a fool if you don't have them. Or just don't care
Think about this (I have). If you aren't set up EXACTLY right on your toad brakes, you are actually trying to stop a 20 to 50K lb coach w/ the brakes on your toad. This, in fact, will try to pull your hitch system right off of the coach. Yes, yes yes, I have a US Gear on my Saturn Vue, and I pull w/ a 42' DP (if it weren't for the camera, I wouldn't even know it was back there), BUT, I believe everything has to be exactly right to not break something. I'm really started to get annoyed by the guys that say you're stupid, or cheap if you don't have a supplemental braking system. I've towed w/ and w/o, and have not noticed a difference. And believe me , last week on 95, in NC, we had an accident right in front of us, and we stopped better than some of the cars in front of us.(I hadn't yet set up the US gear, to the new DP, 'cause I'm waiting for the adapter/connector from US gear, for the pre-wired Freightliner chassis). These are facts, NOT speculations.
08 Fleetwood Providence 40X
FL-XC
US Gear Braking system
Blue OX towing system
06 Saturn Vue AWD toad
Wife and best friend Martha Baby
SweetPea - 15 year old "Maine coon cat" still mean as ever
Beware of those who point their finger the LOUDEST !
Self Installed the Unified Tow Brake over a weekend. Adjusted it so that I lock the Jeeps wheels on gravel when manually applying the full braking capacity.
Now when braking I can feel the effects of the Jeep brakes by adjusting the gain - from when they only apply on heavy braking to when they apply everytime I start to slow - I balance them so that they have an effect under moderate to heavy braking although DW starts shouting if things start sliding out of cupboards
About $650 and 6 hours work.
RV Park Finder
Fulltimers
2002 Beaver Santiam 38DST + Banks + 99 Jeep GC
DH,DW,Jake and Indie
run down a hill and stop as fast as you can at the bottom. Repeat exact trip except put a 25# backpack on. Which was more work to stop, which hurt your knees more? nuf said.
however, you need the right brake setup and you need it setup right. bad setup = false confidence = accident (you hit someone or something or you burn up the brakes of the TOAD)
2008 Itasca Sunova 35J Class A
1997 TJ Sahara, hard and soft tops and AC
Held together via Roadmaster Falcon 2 tow bar and stopped by US Gear Unified Brake system.
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