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Tow Vehicle Braking System

Yahoo Message Number: 85601
Can anyone give me some suggestion for a braking system that sits on the floor of the tow vehicle. In the past I have had a system that uses the vacuum from the coach or electrical system. We have towed two different vehicle and are now on our third, and each time I have the system removed to be installed on the new tow vehicle it has become very expensive. I am asking because I have a different tow vehicle and do not want the expense again, of removal and installation. I would like to know what you think about the portable systems that changed transferred easily at basically no expense.

Stan

2005 Inspire 51406

Re: Tow Vehicle Braking System

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85603
I used a Brake Buddy for a total of four years before we went full timing. It sets on the floor of the toad in front of the driver's seat and a "jaw" connects to the brake pedal. The unit is powered the 12V plug. It is air cylinder powered and operates when it senses the coach is braking. It served me well. But you are down on your knees getting it installed to the pedal.

Roadmaster and Blue Ox also sell similar units.
When we went full time, we had an Air Force One installed. Now it is just a quick connect of an air line and we are good to go. I would not go back to the Brake Buddy.

Re: Tow Vehicle Braking System

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85622
Stan,

I've used my Brake Buddy since 1998. In that time I have probably had 5 different towed vehicles. No cost to change cars at all.
I set it on low sensitivity/high pedal pressure so it only deploys when hard stop is required.

I recommend it.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298

Tow Vehicle Braking System

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85606
Look up US Gear braking systems, Brake Buddy installed both many times seems it's all about preference.

Regards,
Dave

Dave Rousey Jr. (Owner)
Former CC Technician
Styleworks RV/ Bus
Restoration LLC
4762 Long St.

Sweet Home, OR 97386
(541) 543-7983
daverjr4@...

Re: Tow Vehicle Braking System

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85611
I use the Even Brake system and have been very satisfied with it. Barrie Boas 94 Concept 5111

CC Coaches

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85618
Barrie, I'm the person who emailed you regarding the 1994 Concept I am pursuing. This weekend there is a SE CCI rally here in Orange Beach and I plan on visiting some of the folks regarding their coaches.
We currently have a 39' 5th wheel that we tow with a RAM diesel. The upkeep on the 5th wheel averages about $1000 a year and the truck about $500. As you can see this is pretty economical. I am a bit concerned about what I might expect the average maintenance costs to be on a coach. After seven years and 74,000 miles I replaced the six tires on the truck for less than $1500. I have replaced the house battery on the 5th wheel at a cost of about $70. The two batteries in the truck are the originals. I want to be sure that owning a coach is not a "rich person's game" before I make a move. Some of the posts I have read from the forum are a bit concerning.
Any insight you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Once again, I really like the exterior look of your Concept. It looks like you found a very nice one. One of my concerns is that beauty can sometimes be only skin deep and there might be a can of worms lurking beneath the surface.

Fred Meyers

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85620
I don't think you can operate/maintain a coach for what you're spending on the 5th wheel/truck. If cost is the #1 priority, keep the 5th wheel. JMO...

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85630
I don't think you can maintain and operate a Class A for less than three times what you are are spending now.

Dan 2006 Allure 31348

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85634
Fred

I still have my 03 Alpenlite and Ford truck and it is looking better all the time.(just kidding) It has new batteries, tires, TV looks new. Now we have an 06 Inspire with 17k on it and just paid $4060 for tires and $260 to install went to cat got 2 sets the oil and fuel filters went to Cummins and got Hyd filters and all the filters for the gen set came home went up and got fuel another $200 next week going down to CC to have the wet PTO installed and the dryer filter changed another $1000 have not got to the car yet! Got 4 new house batteries and a new 8D starting battery. You tell me which one cost less, but it rides like a dream.
Floyd 2006 Inspire 51744

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85639
Fred, I would have to agree with Dan... you cannot adequately maintain an expensive Country Coach on anything close to $1000 per year on average. Even if you are handy at fixing certain things yourself, these are complex pieces of machinery and parts and labor can add up in hurry. You say "I replaced the six tires on the truck for less than $1500" - yeah well you can multiply that by a bare minimum of 3 for a modern Class A. Six Michelin XZA2's for my coach cost me closer to $6000 mounted and balanced from Les Schwab in the Pacific NW. If you start with a newer coach in perfect condition, if you put 10,000 miles a year on it as you have on your truck, then I think you would be very lucky to average just $5000/year over a 5 year period.... and that does NOT include depreciation.
We considered choosing the 5th wheel option as a more economical choice... you can have a pickup truck worked on by a local mechanic for a whole lot less than the $100/hour typical of many by RV Repair facilities today. But there is a certain joie d'vivre you get from driving a modern Class A, and certainly Country Coach is one of the best. We LOVE ours. I have towed trailers and driven many miles in a nice truck camper, and while I enjoyed both, the experience of pulling into a nice RV Resort pull-through in your beautiful modern Class A, hitting the air level and plugging into Shore power is something it is difficult to put a price on. Likewise tooling down the open road gazing out of the Cinemascope windshield while the wife is in the back running the microwave to heat a cup of coffee, or making a sandwich and the pups are sitting on their rugs on the large flat dash watching the road unfold before us... if you can afford it, there is just no comparison. But if economy of travel is a top priority then, like Dan, I would say you should stick with the Fiver.

Joseph Burkle

2008 Country Coach Inspire 360 Founders Edition 43' quad slide tag axle 425 HP C9 pusher http://www. Wind-seeker.com/

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85641
That's about right if the coach you choose doesn't have radiator, charge air cooler, refer, obsolete TV's, and entertainment system issues. It was fairly easy to keep up with the coach when the factory was in good form and people like Doug Rutherford and Larry Sherwood were keeping control of things and CC wasn't trying to cut corners. But when the wheels came off the company our maintenance costs went through the roof. The 6 years I owned my 98 Allure repairs consisted of a set of tires, CC paid 1/2, 2 8d batteries and a control board for the Dometic refer. or about $2500, plus $800.00 year for oil changes and chassis lubes twice a year, coolant, etc etc. . Well, the oil and filters haven't changed that much, but between bad radiators, an extra set of tires, refrigerator issues, poor sound systems, the world going digital, Motosat going under, Obama changing fuel standards, creeping window seals, plastic oil pans, and cheap Carefree and A&E awnings, costs have gone thru the ceiling. Oh I for got about an Onan explosion. I would say about $4,000 a year on the average. I asked the head whiz at ACC warranty group one time what it costs to keep a simple CC Prevost running and he said $10,000 a year with the Liberties and Marathons even more.
TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85643
I have a spread sheet that tabulates all the money we've spent on maintaining the 98 Intrigue. I think it's pretty accurate but could go through and "hone it up some" but at first cut it looks like we've spent a little over $36K in 14 1/2 years or about $2500/year average. I may decide to go in and pull out the upgrades and make sure that the parts costs on the stuff that I've fixed are all there, but I would guess the $2500/yr is a good number!!

Judy n Joe

98 Intrigue 10578
 

Re: CC Coaches

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85645
I too keep a spreadsheet, and I think if I backed out the upgrades, my yearly maintenance number would be around $2500 also. I do all the minor repairs myself.

Jim

99' Magna #5629