SWharton Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 I have read a few threads on toad braking systems but this is a brand new world to me and most of the threads have been older by several years. I have read about several systems and ended up being very confused. End goal: Easy system to hitch and unhitch, fast. No additional items to lug in and out of the car, we are trying to simplify our lives. Have read about(and do not have enough knowledge to compare): Brake Buddy(I don't think this one meets my wish list) Brakemaster ReadyBrake any others without muddying the water too much In the end, does it really make much difference which one I use as long as I use one. I am fairly sure we will go with a Blue Ox base plate(seems to be the industry standard). My dealer will install that. I looked at Remco(a name I remember from a past Escapade) but they are not close and there only dealer is Camping World. Though the site did tell me I don't need a tranny pump for my CRV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Joyce Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Readybrake is much like a Brake Buddy, which is a big unit that you lug. Brakemaster requires a cylinder to be installed to the brake pedal every time you drive. It sounds like who ever gave you info was talking price more than your want to not have something to lug in and out of the car. We have the Roadmaster Invisibrake, http://roadmasterinc.com/products/braking/invisibrake/index.html, which matches your wants since it is just an extra cable from the car to motorhome. Air Force One (diesel air brakes)/Stay-in-Play Duo (other brakes) from http://www.smibrake.com/, US Gear's Unified Tow Brake, http://www.usgear.cc/unified_tow_brake.htm, and M&G Engineering's braking system, http://m-gengineering.com/ are all good choices with many people loving them. These four systems can be mostly moved between cars and do not require extra parts to be installed, other than cables or hoses between the toad and motorhome, You already have a cable for lights, so you can store it together. 2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid, Fulltimer July 2003 to October 2018, Parttimer now. Travels through much of 2013 - http://www.sacnoth.com - Bill, Diane and Evita (the cat) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeltoneMagoo Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 What are you towing with and what are you towing? We have a diesel MH and use an SMI Air Force 1. If I had a gas MH I would use an SMI Stay-N-Play. Good luck, good health and safe travels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We are planning on a gas MH 36' towing a CRV. I just looked at the Readybrake website(maybe there are 2 with the similar names?) and it is a surge tow bar(Ready Brute) or the std. Ready Brake which is only a cable to your car brake that is actuated by an add-on between the tow bar and the MH. I think similar to your invisibrake. I guess I didn't ready far enough on Brakemaster, that is now out of the running also. No one was talking price, not even mentioned. I'll go look at invisibrake and the other 2 later today. This is why I created the thread. Hopefully it will help me and others to sort out what is out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaH Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Readybrake is much like a Brake Buddy, Bill, ReadyBrake is a different product altogether: http://www.readybrake.com/ It can be used separately, or as an integral part of NSA's ReadyBrute tow bar. This is the setup we had on a previous toad. LindaH 2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K 2011 Kia Soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We are planning on a gas MH 36' towing a CRV. Like so many things in the RV world, this is one of those things which has many different products that have long histories of satisfied customers. Making things even more complicated is that very few of us have actually used more than on brand of product or type of product design. Like so many things, if you buy one and it works well for you, most of us never buy any of the others to compare. All too often we also the proclaim the one that we used as the best and the only satisfactory product. What really bothers me is when folks attack the competitive products to tell you what is wrong with them, even though they have never used one! I too have only used one brake system and it served us very well for a very long time and so it is the only one that I personally can recommend, but I'll not go to the extend of many and claim it to be the best or the only good one. I will tell you what is good about it and I'll try to dispel some of the myths that users of other products spread. Most of our experience was towing a CR-V behind a 36' gas chassis motorhome. What I used was the Brake Buddy Classic, buying my first one in the fall of 1996 and using that one until I upgraded in 2007 or 8, and sold that one to a member of these forums who was still using it the last time I saw him mention it. The Brake Buddy was the very first company to market an axillary brake system for a vehicle being towed behind a motorhome, to the best of my knowledge. It had been on the market for several years when I bought mine and I chose it based upon a review that I read of it in Motorhome Magazine. I lucked out and found one that was used less than a year so saved a few bucks on it. It is popular for detractors to say that they are heavy and difficult to install, but Pam always set ours in place and connected it up as I was connecting the tow-bar and she also removed it when unhooking, and she never complained about that. It does have more setup than would one of the permanently installed devices, but it is easily portable from one vehicle to another. It is not proportional but I just kept mine set to only apply brakes when I would brake hard, and to apply them hard at that point. It has no extra installation required other than the brake-away switch which is permanently attached to the tow car. If I were buying a new brake system today, I would consider the Brake Buddy but I would also look at some of the other products as well. None of them seem to be cheap and prices seen to be similar with most such products and there are several that I would seriously consider. Probably the thing that I would consider to be it's most attractive feature would be the ease of moving the system from one vehicle to another. I used the BB with two different motorhomes and three different tow vehicles over a period of 15 years. Like most long-term, satisfied users, I could tell several anecdotal stories of it's service if you are interested. Since we not tow a travel trailer, I have not shopped such systems in a couple of years. There are many quality systems with good records out there so what is important is that you use one of them. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Linda, Were you happy with the Ready Brute system????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folivier Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 ReadyBrake is probably the simplest system out there. I use one to tow my Z71 with Rzr in the bed, about 6500#. Works great. 1 clip to snap/unsnap when I hook up the tow bar. Nothing inside to remove or connect to the braking system. Since it's a surge brake system it only activates the toad brake when the coach slows down. Once the toad and coach speeds match it is disengaged. I had mine on a Demco tow bar. Back on the road again in a 2011 Roadtrek 210P 2011 Tahoe 4x4, 2006 Lexus GX470, 2018 Ranger XP1000, 2013 RZR 570LEhttp://finallynewellin.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Alice Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We drive a 36' Gas motor home, pulling a 3300lb, 2008 Honda CR-V. We use a Blue Ox tow bar, and a US Gear Unified Tow Brake, TV-1000K. http://www.usgear.cc/unified_tow_brake.htm Our goals were the same as yours: Easy system to hitch and unhitch, fast. No additional items to lug in and out of the car, we are trying to simplify our lives. It is not necessarily cheap, but it works beautifully. We have had it for two years (14,000 miles), and it takes a few seconds to hitch/unhitch the braking portion of our pulling configuration (Umbilical cord, deadman lanyard) - the other activities being the Honda preparation, and Tow Bar hookup. I would mention, this system is very simple & easy to use, but the installation was complicated enough that I 'quickly' decided to have a dealer install it. All-in-all, we can hitch / unhitch in about 4 - 5 minutes. Jim 2007 Dolphin Safe-T-Plus Steering Bar Our Blog: Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana25k Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We tow our Element with an Air Force One. SMI makes the gas product also. Yes we have several cables but once we used it a few times it only takes a few minutes. While Ron hooks up the tow cables I snap in the air, electric and release cables. Also in a couple times we needed to unhook in a hurry it was just jump in the car without needing to move a unit out of the way. We found it on sale so spent less than $800. We bought it on the recommendation of multiple friends who had switched to it from other types of units Ron & LindaClass of 20072000 Monaco Diplomat 2005 Honda Element"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Theodore Roosevelt"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sail""When man gave up his freedom to roam the earth, he gave up his soul for a conditioned ego that is bound by time and the fear of losing its attachments." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimalberta Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We also use the US Gear Unified braking system. I like the fact that once installed it is so simple to hitch and unhitch the toad. Just unpin the tow bar and unplug the umbilical and breakaway switch, put the toad in gear and away you go. <p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well. IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Joyce Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Bill, ReadyBrake is a different product altogether: http://www.readybrake.com/ It can be used separately, or as an integral part of NSA's ReadyBrute tow bar. This is the setup we had on a previous toad. Sorry, I had it mixed up with a Roadmaster product. I worry about surge brakes with CRVs, since we had lots of problems with Blue Ox's Autostop with our 2002 CRV, which was a similar product to ReadyBrake. We were not the only ones. Blue Ox stopped making that product for some reason, but told us us it was a good product up to when they stopped making it. Maybe the problem was only with 2002 era CRVs, maybe only with the Blue Ox Autostop, but it made me dislike surge brakes. 2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid, Fulltimer July 2003 to October 2018, Parttimer now. Travels through much of 2013 - http://www.sacnoth.com - Bill, Diane and Evita (the cat) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 I worry about surge brakes with CRVs, since we had lots of problems with Blue Ox's Autostop with our 2002 CRV, which was a similar product to ReadyBrake. I am not a fan of surge brake systems either based upon experience with both travel trailers and horse trailers that used one. They are better than no brake, but I would consider them my last choice. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 We've been very satisfied with the performance of our ReadyBrute Elite tow bar with an integrated ReadyBrake system. As said, hooking up is literally a snap, and the proportional braking unloads all but a hundred pounds or so of the toad's weight from the coach when stopping. That last hundred pounds is due to the preload spring that minimizes problems with steep downhill braking, etc. that used to be a concern with the older hydraulic surge brake systems used on boat, horse, and some travel trailers. The ReadyBrake system is virtually maintenance free, and being purely mechanical, has no electronics, compressors, or vacuum lines, to potentially fail. Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaH Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Linda, Were you happy with the Ready Brute system????? We had the ReadyBrute tow bar with the integrated ReadyBrake. We liked it and would consider it again if we ever decide to tow our Soul. LindaH 2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K 2011 Kia Soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 After doing a lot of reading yesterday and comparing everything we will be going with the Ready Brute Elite. Our reasoning is there is that it is simple to use, mostly mechanical, nothing to really stop functioning. Thank you all for your help and I hope the discussion will help someone else with their decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooneDocks Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 We have the AF1. Sure is nice not to be down on our knees on the ground installing the brake buddy we used to have. Two air line connections and a break away cable between the motor home and toad and this is it for brake connection Presently MotorHomeLessFollow Our Full-Time Travels Through Our Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 After doing a lot of reading yesterday and comparing everything we will be going with the Ready Brute Elite. Our reasoning is there is that it is simple to use, mostly mechanical, nothing to really stop functioning. Thank you all for your help and I hope the discussion will help someone else with their decision. A good choice! I highly recommend also getting NSA's "ReadyStop" breakaway kit as well. Installing it at the same time as the ReadyBrake cable setup doesn't take much additional labor. Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 I wouldn't consider towing anything without a breakaway system. To me that would be so irresponsible...........................Thanks for the reminder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 In getting my pricing ducks in a row I read about a dashboard light DL-300. What does this light indicate? Do I need one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 The DL-300 is included with the ReadyBrake or ReadyBrute Elite. It's a simple LED indicator that's installed on the coach dash and lights up to indicate when the ReadyBrake is activated. I prefer the previous DL-100 setup myself. The DL-300 uses a switch built in to the ReadyBrake/ReadyBrute unit to turn the LED on. The older DL-100 used a direct wire from the toad brake light switch to light the LED, giving what I feel is a more positive indication of toad braking. I believe they made the change to simplify the installation and avoid issues with isolating the toad brake switch from the coach brake light wiring. A simple 12-volt relay takes care of that though. Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmBoy1938 Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 l think the brake system depends on the towing vehicle. I have had Brake Buddies but were not thrilled with them. My unit is now a 40' diesel pusher and after extensive research and conferring with other owners settled on the M&G brake system as it ties into the coach air brakes and brake pressure is directly proportional to the brake pressure in the coach. I personally know 14 people that have this system and have never heard a complaint. Can't say that about most of the rest of the products out there. Easy hook up and unhook. Plug in the air from the coach and clip the break away cable and go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mariner Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I have an inertial braking system. Easy to install, because it stays installed. Nothing to really go wrong, since it has no moving parts to speak of. Step on the brakes of the RV, the forward motion of the towed applies the cars brakes. Fulltiming since 2010 2000 Dutch Star 2009 Saturn Vue Myrtle Beach, SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-n-Dennis Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I know its not on your wish list but I do have to mention the RViBrake2 system which you do have to put in and out of the car - takes a whopping 2 minutes tops. The smaller, flatter design mostly mitigates, what some would term, the hassle of setting up and a good shopper can usually find a brand new one for about a quarter of the list price. The company is aces when is comes to customer support. Berkshire XL 40QL Camphosting and touring Our blog: cndtravels.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robt65 Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Are all these systems suggested also to be considered for a car hauler two axel (brakes to all four wheels on the trailer and 7500 lbs each axel) with a Chevy 2500 HD Crew Cab as the load on the trailer? Are the electric over hydraulic brakes on the car hauler sufficient for towing the loaded trailer. What do you all suggest? I am new to this towing with a motor home. Or is this really a different subject. I leave that to the moderator, as I do not intend to hijack a thread or posting. Thanks regards, robt65 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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