By
Mark Penlerick
Engineering Team Leader
Blue Ox Towing Products
Asking
a few pertinent questions will help you decide whether a supplemental
braking system is needed for your tow-behind vehicle.
Do
I need a braking system on my towed vehicle? This is probably the
most common question asked amongst Rver's these days. I've heard
it from Rver's stopping by the plant and also at rallies. Other
Rver's, coach manufacturers, chassis manufacturers and even campsite
rumors seem to prompt this and other questions. There is no simple
all-encompassing answer; however, asking yourself, your dealer or
the manufacturers some additional questions will more than likely
give you the answer to your questions.
To
determine whether or not you need a braking system on your towed
vehicle, consider the following:
1. How concerned about safety am I?
A. I think we all would have the same answer to this - a resounding
VERY concerned! - So, let's move on to the next point.
2. Does my towed vehicle weight exceed the limitations of the braking
capacity of my coach chassis?
A. This might take a little research on your part and each will
be a little different, but you will find that the majority of manufacturers
will limit towed vehicle weight to 1,000 to 1,500 pounds (453.6
to 680.4 kilograms). Again, the question will likely answer itself
knowing that even a small car weighs more than 1,500 pounds (680.4
kilograms). OK, moving along
3. Will I be faced with any liability if I do not have a brake installed
on my towed vehicle?
A. Based on the last question you are certainly leaving yourself
open to possible warranty issues on your coach if you are exceeding
the specifications of your chassis. After answering all these questions
in your head, you are probably leaning toward getting some type
of braking system and, yes, I would recommend everyone towing a
vehicle have some type of supplemental braking system. Forget what
your campground neighbor told you last night; forget everything
you've read or heard; in fact, forget all of the manufacturers who
would love to sell you a braking system and ask yourself this simple
question: What is my peace-of-mind worth to me? To quote the popular
TV commercials
Priceless!
Laws
I do not like talking about laws because, in my opinion, brakes
are a matter of safety and security, not whether governments are
telling me I have to have them or not and I would encourage each
one of you to look at it in the same light. I do have to address
one shining issue about the laws that may or may not be on the books
though.
I did a little research, because I've heard all the rumors, too,
and I found that none of the states that replied to my questions
could absolutely tell me that brakes are required on a towed vehicle
behind a coach. Most referred to their trailer towing laws, but
stated that those are for trailers
hmmm. A couple of years
ago there was substantial controversy over towing vehicles in British
Columbia. BC started ticketing Rver's with cars in tow that weighed
more than 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) if it did not have a supplemental
braking system. After molehills became mountains that limit was
changed as stated below.
BC's regulation now states that
Motorhomes (only) may tow motor
vehicles via a tow bar without brakes hooked up on the towed motor
vehicle, when the towed motor vehicle's laden weight (weight of
towed vehicle and its load) is:
- Less than 4,409 lbs (2,000-kg), and
- less than 40% of the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the
motorhome towing it.
Note: The above is only applicable to tow bar brake requirements
and does not apply to trailer towing, etc.
However, keep in mind that laws can and do change and that each
province has its own regulations regarding brakes required on towed
vehicles - check the regulations and, if you plan on traveling the
country (after, all that's what RVing about), to be on the safe
side, go by the most stringent regulation.
Take
A Look
When researching brakes, or any product for that matter, the first
thing to consider is the company that makes the brake. What kind
of service after the sale is available and what is their reputation
for quality? The next step is to decide what type of brake is best
for you and your towing set up. There are four basic systems to
choose from: Air, surge, hydraulic and vacuum. Depending on your
coach and towed vehicle some of the types may be eliminated right
away making your choice simpler than you think.
Dead
Pedal
You have undoubtedly heard this term before when brakes are part
of a conversation. I prefer "unassisted brake" because
it sounds a little more positive, don't you think? "Dead"
has such finality to it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with
using unassisted braking to stop a towed vehicle. Auto manufactures
must adhere to federal guidelines for passenger vehicles that require
their brakes be able to stop the vehicle without power-assist operating
in the event of a power failure while using a limited amount of
pedal pressure. This regulation works in the favor of supplemental
braking because for one, we know the brakes are designed to operate
and stop the vehicle without power; two, we know the force required
to push that brake pedal is going to be consistent between differing
vehicles and three, we know the force required is not huge because
the regulation has limited it so that weaker drivers are able to
depress an unassisted brake pedal enough to stop their vehicle in
the event of a power failure.
Air
Air systems will either get air from an air source on the coach
or will provide their own air supply. Either way they use that air
to actuate an air cylinder; which either pushes or pulls an unassisted
brake pedal down. These air cylinders can either be permanently
installed, removable or part of a removable box that sits in front
of the driver's seat. There is also an air system that contains
an air cylinder that must be installed in the master cylinder of
the towed vehicle. This system is only usable if your coach has
air brakes to supply air to the cylinder. Air systems that supply
their own air source can be used on any coach and any towed vehicle,
while those that rely on the coach's air supply obviously are only
for use on coaches with air brakes. The brakes that are growing
in popularity the most are the self-contained air units such as
Blue Ox's Apollo (photo shown at the beginning of this article).
These units are very versatile, easy to install and easy-to-use.
Surge
The surge brake works based off of the forces that a towed vehicle
pushes on the coach. They are mechanical in nature so there is no
wiring involved except for the installation of an indicator light
in the coach that tells the driver when the brakes are being applied.
When the driver slows using the brakes in the coach, the towed vehicle
pushes the surge brake into the receiver of the hitch. Inside the
surge brake are two sets of pulleys, which act like a block-and-tackle
system running at about a 5 to 1 ratio with a cable around them
that is attached to the brake pedal. The harder the car pushes on
the back of the coach, the more braking you receive from the surge
brake. Pretty simple - huh?
Hydraulic
These brakes also operate on the surge or inertia of the towed vehicle
on the back of the coach. The difference here is that instead of
a mechanical cable running back to the brake pedal it actually comes
with a master cylinder of its own and taps into the brake lines
of the towed vehicle. When the towed vehicle surges forward, the
master cylinder pushes brake fluid directly the front brake calipers
thus applying the towed vehicle's brakes. Based on this explanation
you can tell that this system will also work on any coach and any
towed vehicle with normal hydraulically actuated brakes.
Vacuum
There are several vacuum-assisted supplemental brakes on the market
today. Some models require tapping a vacuum source on a gas-powered
coach to supply vacuum to the towed vehicles master cylinder. While
you are towing, your towed vehicle actually has a "live"
pedal or, in our case for consistency, we'll call it an assisted
pedal. Other brakes actually contain a vacuum pump that supplies
the vacuum needed in the master cylinder. These brakes are actuated
electronically and the pedal is pulled down by the use of a cable
or pushed using a vacuum cylinder. These units come as self-contained
units and also as individual components for those who would like
a permanent installation of the brake.
Feedback
I feel it is essential to have feedback in the driver's cockpit
from the brake in the towed vehicle. Most brakes come with some
sort of hard-wired light or switch that must be installed in the
coach. It is invaluable as it shows when the brake in the towed
vehicle is being applied. For those who do not want to take the
time to install and wire in a light in the coach, Blue Ox will soon
have available a wireless remote indicator light. You simply plug
the receiver into the coach's power outlet, plug the transmitter
into the towed vehicles power outlet and tie into the cold side
of the brake switch in the towed vehicle. By tying into this wire
you get a true indication of when the brake is actually being applied.
The remote unit will work in conjunction with any brake on the market!
Conclusion
OK, I've outlined the basic types of brakes, now all you have to
do is match the features you want with the vehicles you have and
you're set. Keep in mind that most brakes on the market are all
good brakes. They all provide some degree of assistance. It's up
to you to decide how elaborate or how simple you want the system.
Your local dealer or the manufacturer can answer all of your technical
questions. However, only you can answer the big one: "What
is my peace-of-mind worth to me and my family?" You know the
answer will be
priceless!
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