2gypsies Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 I just saw this blog of their towed car coming loose and a big plus for having an auxiliary braking system. Check your towing gear constantly folks. http://wheelingit.us/2016/10/28/our-first-rv-accident-tow-comes-loose-in-nc/ Full-timed for 16 YearsTraveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 Great info. Thanks for posting. Al & Sharon 2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 2020 Chevy Colorado Toad San Antonio, TX http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docj Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 The same sort of thing happened to us in Grants Pass OR a few years ago. Fortunately, we were on city streets and a Sheriff saw that one "arm" of the tow bar had become detached from the toad as we made a turn. He used his lights to get us to stop and, as a result, our damage was much less than was reported here. In our case, we were using locking Blue Ox hitch pins rather than Cotter pins inserted through a hole in the hitch pin. But the older style of locking Blue Ox pin used a spring-loaded latch which most likely didn't properly catch. The newer version, which we now have, uses a cylindrical lock and a much more secure latching concept. I know that some people are opposed to using locking hitch pins because they increase the time it takes to unhook the toad in an emergency. OTOH with a live key in the toad's ignition they do reduce the chance that someone will unhook the toad either for purely for mischief or to steal it. Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 I noticed some years back that the connecting pins in our ReadyBrute towbar always moved to the same side while underway, resulting in the pin retainer clip wearing if it was on the side that moved it up against the "knuckle". To eliminate the wear, I marked the tow bar knuckles so that I always insert the pins in the direction that causes them to work towards the handle and away from the clip. In many thousands of towing miles since, the clips have shown no signs of wear at all, and watching them from our lower rear camera leads me to believe that even if the clips were removed, the pins would still stay in place. I have no intentions of testing that theory 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...
Kirk W Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 The best way to prepare for this is to adjust the cable for the breakaway switch length so that the extra distance between the vehicles with only one arm in place of two, will pull the switch and set the auxiliary brake. The same as making the cable shorter than the safety chains on a travel trailer. On our motorhome/CR-V having one arm pulled straight away increased the distance from the motorhome hitch by about a foot. 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...
docj Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 The best way to prepare for this is to adjust the cable for the breakaway switch length so that the extra distance between the vehicles with only one arm in place of two, will pull the switch and set the auxiliary brake. I'm not sure this is a good approach. If you fail to notice in your camera that something has happened, you will end up dragging your toad with its brake on. Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 I'm not sure this is a good approach. If you fail to notice in your camera that something has happened, you will end up dragging your toad with its brake on. I believe that most people driving a motorhome would notice if the brake on the car being towed were to suddenly lock it's brakes. In my opinion that should be pretty obvious to an alert driver and much preferable to stopping the towed car by having it slam into the rear of the motorhome, damaging both vehicles. There was one occasion when we were towing and something caught the cable to our breakaway and pulled the switch as we were turning a corner. It was very apparent to me that something was dramatically changed when that happened and I stopped very quickly. I expect that at highway speeds the change would be far more noticeable. 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...
Darryl&Rita Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 I believe that most people driving a motorhome would notice if the brake on the car being towed were to suddenly lock it's brakes. In my opinion that should be pretty obvious to an alert driver and much preferable to stopping the towed car by having it slam into the rear of the motorhome, damaging both vehicles. There was one occasion when we were towing and something caught the cable to our breakaway and pulled the switch as we were turning a corner. It was very apparent to me that something was dramatically changed when that happened and I stopped very quickly. I expect that at highway speeds the change would be far more noticeable. Don't bet on it. As the video title says: I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Worst part about that video; the man videoing plus talking on phone while driving. 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Dad Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 You have to admit, the Fleetwood Southwind driver still pulling off with it in park was pretty stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted November 11, 2016 Report Share Posted November 11, 2016 You have to admit, the Fleetwood Southwind driver still pulling off with it in park was pretty stupid. Ah, NO. I would not say that the driver was stupid. I would say or write about the driver making a serious mistake, but I wouldn't criticize the driver by calling him/her stupid. On the other hand, if I would make such a mistake, I would certainly say to myself, what a stupid idiot I was to make that mistake. But not call someone else stupid. Al & Sharon 2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 2020 Chevy Colorado Toad San Antonio, TX http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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