driveby
Vancouver BC Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 01/07/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
In the spirit of full information - that state thread omits Canada. If you plan to come up this way be aware BC is one of the few jurisdictions I know about that actually deals with TOADS. - IE over 2000# (if IIRC) and you need 'em. Meaning pretty much any TOAD on the road today will need them to be legal. Now, the odds of you being stopped are practially miniscule, but law wording says so.
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.
|
seraphim
Ohio
Senior Member
Joined: 02/03/2008
View Profile
|
I appreciate the thread. I'm finishing up a 79 VW Super Beetle that I want tow behind my Class B. I'm new to the towing issue, so I've a lot of research to do.
2012 GMC 3500HD Crew Cab LB 4x4 DRW with Duramax 6.6 diesel
2013 Palomino Maverick 2902.
[
Note: Due to invalid formatting, all formatting has been ignored.
|
WTD44
Ca.
Senior Member
Joined: 09/01/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
It seems to me that one can't just say you SHOULD have supplimental brakes without some discussion of the facts. If you have a short wheelbase class C with vacumn brakes and want to tow a 4000 + pound toad, by all means YES, you absolutly do need them.
On the other hand, if you have a Class A with a 10,000 lb hitch and with toad weight included you are under your Class A's GVWR (Not GCWV) than I doubt if you need a system.
Certainly, an assesment of driving style and skill should also come into the discussion. IF you run fast, in the hills, and want to always be first up (and down) the hill, no matter what you are drving and towing, you probably should get yourself all the stopping power you can. On the other hand, if you have lots of driving experience and are willing to take it easy, have lots of brakes, a light toad, IMHO you will be OK 99 % of the time. Sure, you may get caught in a bad situation, but that can happen lots of ways besides stoping fast, none of which you can control. There are many ways to crash, most of them beyond your control. If you can't take some risk, you need to think about staying home.
'07 H.R. Scepter > P A Q
Cummins 400 ISL
Alison 6 speed World
08 CR-V
Wife and,
Sparky the Wonder Dog
|
taoshum
El Prado, NM
New Member
Joined: 05/02/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I know this will perturb the thread but after a great deal of thought, I've decided that the toad aux braking systems have too many failure modes (I can think of at least 100) that will end up with the toad brakes "on" when I don't want them "on". Instead, I'm going to put my trust in good ole steel tow bars (10,000 lb for a 3500lb Jeep) and heavy duty chains (another 10,000 lb each) so that the toad stays with the MH no matter what happens. I have never seen a thorough study of what could happen when the toad brakes go "on" unexpectedly... but there are many situations where it could cause far more trouble than the small increase in braking power is worth, based on my technical experience. In our case the MH + the toad weighs 1000lb less than the GVWR so the MH brakes are within the OEM design margin plus the 2 stage engine braking keeps the brakes cool.
FWIW, thanks, G.
Started with an Itasca 34H in 09
'89 Jeep Wrangler toad
Appreciate all the help we can get
|
CA Traveler
The Western States
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
taoshum wrote:I know this will perturb the thread but after a great deal of thought, I've decided that the toad aux braking systems have too many failure modes (I can think of at least 100) that will end up with the toad brakes "on" when I don't want them "on". Instead, I'm going to put my trust in good ole steel tow bars (10,000 lb for a 3500lb Jeep) and heavy duty chains (another 10,000 lb each) so that the toad stays with the MH no matter what happens. I have never seen a thorough study of what could happen when the toad brakes go "on" unexpectedly... but there are many situations where it could cause far more trouble than the small increase in braking power is worth, based on my technical experience. In our case the MH + the toad weighs 1000lb less than the GVWR so the MH brakes are within the OEM design margin plus the 2 stage engine braking keeps the brakes cool.
FWIW, thanks, G.
Yes they can fail to engage or fail to disengage. There have been posts on the disengage failure and it can be expensive.
I prefer the extra power of toad braking even though I've never needed it for stopping.
Personally I have two different ways to determine when the toad brakes are on.
1. The remote that came with the unit.
2. A light on the toad dash that is connected to the brake light. This light is visible in the camera.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Bob
|
|
|
Londo13
Hammond
New Member
Joined: 09/27/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Ok, now I’m all screwed up by the “Towing Laws By State” posting. We have been preparing to retire to full time and have been shopping for a 40' MH and plan to buy a 30' trailer to haul a car, golf cart and tools. I was under the assumption that with a CDL B license w/air endorsement, I could drive any single with trailer, except Semi’s. This package would be about 75' long and most states, according to that posting, don’t allow that size rig.
I currently have a 34' Pace Arrow MH and often pull a 26' enclosed but this isn’t big enough for us and the “fur kids” to live in/with full time. I’m not concerned about being able to drive the outfit, but is it illegal even if I have the CDL B license?
Bruce & Tam
2 Fur Kids (Labradorables) Troyer & Wiseco
Going Full Time in the Near Future
"Never argue with Idiots. They will just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience."
|
CA Traveler
The Western States
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Londo13 wrote:Ok, now I’m all screwed up by the “Towing Laws By State” posting. We have been preparing to retire to full time and have been shopping for a 40' MH and plan to buy a 30' trailer to haul a car, golf cart and tools. I was under the assumption that with a CDL B license w/air endorsement, I could drive any single with trailer, except Semi’s. This package would be about 75' long and most states, according to that posting, don’t allow that size rig.
I currently have a 34' Pace Arrow MH and often pull a 26' enclosed but this isn’t big enough for us and the “fur kids” to live in/with full time. I’m not concerned about being able to drive the outfit, but is it illegal even if I have the CDL B license? There are many posts on this that you can search for including the archives. Laws change so you could check the states that you plan to travel in.
You need a DL for your size rig in your state and the DL is good in any state. However there is no reciprocity for exceeding the length restrictions of the state that you are driving in.
|
ambyn
New Hampshire
New Member
Joined: 11/07/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
We have just taken our first 600 miles with a supplemental brake in our 1994 Toyota Camry pulled by our Class A Diesel.
Yes we were well within the GVWR of the RV but the air brakes on the diesel are quite different than those on our old gas Bounder. They have a fixed amount of braking pressure that does not change with added pressure on the brake pedal.
I have had to make a few panic stops when towing a 2500 pound Saturn without suppl. brakes and did not like it at all.
The Camry is over 500 pounds more and is loaded with two sea kayaks and now two bikes.
So far I have found the braking to be significantly better with the supplemental brake (roadmaster brakemaster slaved to RV via air line).
It is not that the RV brakes can not handle the load BUT the stopping distance that the additional load imposes if there are no supplemental brakes.
We will be traveling from FL to AZ soon as well as in the mountains of CO. I expect that the brakemaster will payoff big time out west.
Amby N.
|
teebee1
La
Full Member
Joined: 12/30/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Is anyone familiar with the ReadyBrake surge system?
teebee1
2007 Four Winds Hurricane 34B
2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser turbo, convertible
retired and irresponsible
|
kccougar
Utah
New Member
Joined: 07/21/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
I'm interested to hear from those who have towed a Suzuki Samurai. They are very light (~2,100 lb). Do you use supplemental brakes?
I have an older 30-ft Class A that weighs in around 12,000 lbs.
|
|
|
