Knowing
When To Stop
(36-2)
When
Are Auxiliary Brakes Required?
Will your
motorhome stop when your car tries to push you through
an intersection especially if you have just descended
a steep hill? The brakes are designed to stop the motorhome
only, not the towed vehicle connected behind it.
When you’re towing a car with either four wheels
down on the ground or with a dolly, this is the same
as towing an un-braked trailer. The motorhome chassis
manufacturer generally only certifies the braking system
of the motorhome to stop the actual weight of the motorhome.
You need an auxiliary braking system that is capable
of stopping the additional weight that you are towing.
Several states and provinces feel that the added weight
of towing a car can cause greater stopping distances
as the motorhome brakes overheat, potentially causing
brake failure and accidents. Rules about auxiliary braking
systems came into effect in 1996. You wouldn’t
think of towing a heavy boat trailer behind your motorhome
unless the trailer was equipped with a braking system
designed to stop the additional weight. Many states
and provinces require you to be able to stop any combination
of vehicles within 40 feet if you are traveling at 20
miles per hour. In many of our tests we have found that
it is almost impossible to stop an RV alone in less
than 285 feet from a speed of 55 miles per hour. With
an un-braked car being towed behind, it will take even
greater distances to stop.
Over the years we have tested many different auxiliary
braking systems. Many of the auxiliary braking systems
require a bracket to be fastened to the floor in front
of the driver’s seat, or a permanent installation
by a technician. We personally use the BrakeBuddy by
Hopkins Manufacturing since we tow several different
cars, provided for us by the automotive manufacturers,
over the year in our testing program. All we have to
do is place the unit in front of the driver’s
seat in any car, hook up the Clevis clamp to the brake
pedal, and connect the 12-volt power cable. We set the
air pressure for the weight of the car then set the
sensitivity control to mid range so that the tires on
the car do not lock up in panic stops. We then depress
the test button three times to eliminate the vacuum
assist in the car’s brake system. This prevents
uneven tire wear on the front wheels. The 12-volt electric
compressor controls the amount of air that is used to
push the brake pedal when needed. We have used the BrakeBuddy
Classic for several years with a remote sender in the
car that lets us know when the brakes of the car have
been energized.
...
Province/State Limits
(Read the full article in the magazine) |
