pulsar
Lewisville, NC
Senior Member
Joined: 12/30/2001
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Don & Nancy,
Thank you for your post about Roadmaster's Even Brake system. It is always beneficial to have reports from members who acutally use a system, especially a new system.
Since Even Brake has, at least, a sense of porportionality, it will use more of the toad's battery reserve than would a system like Apollo or BrakeBuddy. Though, it is hard to imagine that it would drain a battery on a 200-mile trip. Since Even Brake sort of shuts itself down when it detects a low batter situation, retaining only the emergency braking features, the toad's battery could have gained a little charge on the remainder of your trip.
Please keep us updated about your remote communications and low battery situations.
Tom
|
CA Traveler
The Western States
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
View Profile
 Offline
|
Don & Nancy wrote:I have a new Roadmaster Even Brake unit and just made my first trip towing a dingy. I do have a couple of concerns with the Even Brake.
One concern has to do with the remote communications from the remote brake to the receiver in the motor home. Several times the remote monitor in the motor home showed the brakes applied, but then did not release right away. I stopped and checked the tow car and the brakes were not on. I power cycled the monitor in the motor home and it returned to normal. I think there are times when the sending unit in the tow car does not link well with the receiver in the motor home.
The tow car had a low battery alarm on the trip back - we were still an hour from home. The Even Brake unit reported the low battery alarm as it said it would. I don't know if I had a weak battery to begin with or not. We drove the toad around a lot the day before we came home and we were only 200 miles away. I don't think the Even Brake should have run down the battery on that short of a trip, the tow car started when we got home - I didn't have to use jumper cables or anything. What a discouraging report, that is if you think Roadmaster can design a good product. I bought a BrakePro and it took them 1 year to get it right. The biggest problem was false braking on small road bumps. To their credit they did finally get the design to match their advertisements after 1 year.
In the meantime I installed a light on the dash connected to the toad brake lights so that I WOULD KNOW when the brake was applied and not when the monitor said it was applied. I was also motivated by posts on other products that had applied the brakes and caused expensive repairs.
Have your battery load tested, you could have a weak battery. My 04 CRV just got weaker and I became aware of it because the BrakePro monitor started flashing indicating a weak battery. ie A plus for BrakePro. Honda replaced the battery under warranty.
The other thing I learned is that using any box brake without a charge circuit from the rig has the potential to run the battery down.
And the third thing I learned is that over time installing a box brake becomes a PITA.
I fell for the proportional braking because I'm an engineer and understand these type of systems. The reality is what's important is stop when you need to stop. Starting over I would not use a box brake nor would I use any system that did not depress the brake petal. Why? Because I require a wire and light from the brake light switch to the rig that indicate when the toad brakes are depressed and that eliminates all systems that tap into the hydraulic system. And if the system did not have a charging circuit I would add one. So for me turn key operation, charging circuit and independent brake circuit light.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Bob
|
Don & Gloria
Bryan
New Member
Joined: 07/02/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Tom & Bob: Thanks for the response. I did not know the unit basically shut down except for emergency braking when given a low battery alarm - that's interesting. I am definately going to look into monitoring the brake light on the toad with a separate wire to a light on the MH dash and I would guess after the first couple of toad batteries go dead on me - I'll get "motivated" on that charging circuit as well. I had forgotten too about "load testing" a battery, so I'll get that done and make sure I keep my jumper cables stored in the toad.
This string of messages doesn't sound like it -- but this is fun -- right? We are having fun aren't we?
Don & Gloria
2011 Phaeton 36 QSH
2005 Isuzu Ascender
|
pulsar
Lewisville, NC
Senior Member
Joined: 12/30/2001
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Don & Nancy,
The Even Brake monitor has two warning messages about low toad battery conditions. The first is a statement similar to "low battery voltage in the towed vehicle." The second one is about shutting down. That message is similar to, "'Power Save' battery protection mode has been applied."
If you didn't get the second one, then the Even Brake system stayed fully functional. As previously stated, if it did go into 'Power Save' mode, you would retain emergency braking for panic stops and breakaway.
A question for you, does the monitor give you a readout of the toad's battery voltage?
Tom
|
Don & Gloria
Bryan
New Member
Joined: 07/02/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Yes, there is a button on the MH monitor that you can press to get a reading of the toads battery voltage. I remember checking it when I first got the unit, but did not look at it later in the week when I had the low battery alarm.
|
|
|
Jeff&Laura
Elk Grove, CA
Full Member
Joined: 10/14/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
In response to the posting of 2/22/06...I went ahead and purchased the US Gear System. It is a permanently mounted system and the write up provided by Pulsar is right on the money. It's a little pricey at around $1800 but well worth it for the peace of mind and the technology involved.
To everybody that did respond........thank you very much
Jeff Grossman
Elk Grove, CA
|
MrMudstud
Lafayette, LA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/23/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Pulsar,
You have done a Superb 2nd to none complete detailed write-up on this much needed information. My hat goes to you, thanks again, Ron.
"No One Cares What You Know, Until They Know That You Care!"......."God Bless America"
2003 Pace Arrow 34W, F-53 V-10 22,000#, Avg 8.2 MPG
ScanGauge II, Voltage Booster, Progressive Industries EMS
Water Softener, Safe-T-Plus, Rear Trac Bar, 4 Koni FSD's
|
Pat-trisha
Minnesota
Senior Member
Joined: 04/17/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Someone mentioned another system early on in this thread, and it has never been mentioned again. It's not been reviewed, and I'm not sure why.
It is Tow Brake International's Mountain Master Brake system.
I just purchased it and had it installed in my new Jeep Liberty. Their website for the Mountain Master is: http://www.towbrake.com/towbrakes.htm
The initial installation is time consuming. However, it is easy to use once it is installed. It takes a bit of fussing to get it properly calibrated for the correct sensitivity. Nearly every part of it is adjustable. There is a Mercury switch in the coach (so it is inertial) and you can adjust the amount that will trigger it.
It has a break away built in.
It is all electric, non invasive. It is a cylinder that attaches with a pin and in the case of the jeep, it is has a bar bolted to the floor in front of the seat that it attaches to. The cylinder is adjustable as to pressure, and throw.It is NOT proportional (which is fine, I don't want to engage my toad brakes EVERY time I use the coach brakes.)
It is controllable from inside the coach via a panel that allows you to manually apply toad brakes, manually disengage them (for long grades, hence the name mountain master, I presume), plus two lights that show whether the brakes have been engaged, if there are any problems, and an alarm.
If you can apply the brakes manually, you can avoid potential jacknife situations (presumably...yhou must understand the causes of such manuevers and know when and how).
The system does require quite a bit of "getting to know you" to understand how it works and adjustments, so it assumes some proactivity on the part of the owner/driver. However, for the control it offers as a trade off, I'll take it. I'd rather know and understand and learn, and in turn, have the ability to override the brake on a long downhill grade, or conversely, apply the brake when I have a potential jackknife situation.
It is comparably priced, by the time you have it installed. and one should really have it installed by someone who is conscientious and thorough, not just trying to get the job done. You don't want to miss any of the calibration steps.
I thought I'd write this up because I hadn't seen anything like it except another user who also liked his wrote about it.
Any chace we can add this to the review?
I had a brake buddy (still do) for my other toad, and it discharged the battery (and doesn't warn you). I just ended up with a dead toad at a reset area in Janesville WI. couldn't start the car for it's 5 minutes "on time" (it was a Honda civic). I had problems with that toad battery being run down frequently with the brake buddy, although other than that, and having to kneel down into the mud on a rainy day setting it up a few times, it worked as advertised. I don't care for the wahy the brake buddy attaches to the brake pedal with that claw foot. It can come off if the latch works its way loose, or if the spring comes off the claw mechanism.
After my experience with the brake buddy, I decided to get something more interactive and less dependant on little claw feet with tiny springs that can come loose.
I will touch base after some considerable experience with the Mountain Master brake (I am going through the colorado mountains next...) and let you know how that goes.
I'd be happy to share information from my documentation with the moderator if you want to add it to your review.
Thanks.
Patricia
2005 26' Born Free
Jeep Liberty Toad
|
Belgique
Hickory, NC
Senior Member
Joined: 09/17/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Jackjagt wrote:The key advantage is that it uses a vacuum pump so that the existing brake vacuum booster is a key part of the system. The brake system is actuated by a vacuum cylinder controlled by the same vacuum pump, in response to the brake light signal and braking/deceleration forces acting on a pendulum in the system unit.
Reliable, out-of-the-way, works seamlessly.
I self installed, a fair bit of work, but minimal fuss now. Turn it on at the start of a trip, off at the end.
Re the SMI system...
How involved is the hook up to the TOAD's vacumn system? I get scared when it comes to tapping into brakes.
Thanks for this thread!!!! Steve
* This post was
edited 04/21/06 12:15pm by Belgique *
Hickory, NC
2007 Fleetwood Discovery 40X
|
Jeff&Laura
Elk Grove, CA
Full Member
Joined: 10/14/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
As mentioned earlier, I installed the US gear unit. It, too, has a vacuum pump. One of the features that I like most is that it charges the battery when we are going down the road. That takes a lot of concern out of worrying about that problem. It does require a 6 prong plug though.
|
|
|
|
