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Supplemental braking system for towed

Yahoo Message Number: 87373
We are retiring our 1995 Jeep Wrangler Sahara from its towing duties and replacing it with a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. The Blue Ox supplemental braking system we had was not reliable so we will be going with something else. Any recommendations from the group?

Janie 2002 Intrigue 11342

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87375
We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and have been very pleased with the progressive braking system of the Air Force One.

Roger Harper
2006 Intrigue
#11990

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87377
I recommend the Air Force One by SMI. Very reliable and easy to use. I have had mine for six years.

Jock Vargo

2005 Inspire
51428

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87380
I agree 100% - Air Force One is the way to go. We have ours set up with the Roadmaster All Terrain II. It works flawlessly and takes only a couple minutes to couple and decouple the toad, which in our case is a 2009 Chevy Suburban LTZ 4WD

Joseph Burkle

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

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87381
So far, it is unanimous with the Air Force One. I've towed my Jeep Liberty with the AF One since 2007 with no problems. I like that there is nothing to install prior to towing, just hook up the electrical connection, the break-away cable and the air line.
If you should be going through Evansville, IN, you can even have them install it. That's the method I chose.
About 2 years ago I ran over a tire tread that took out the electrical cable and the air line. I called and they sent me replacements within 3 days.

pete

2000 40' Magna #5892, 2006 Jeep Liberty
Pete
 2000 40'  Magna #5892  CAT C-10

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87384
roger, ever have trouble with battery dying in your jeep, mine did twice on way herejan From:

Roger Harper ;
To:

Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com ; Subject:

Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Supplemental braking system for towed Sent:

Fri, Apr 26, 2013 10:04:28 PM

We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and have been very pleased with the progressive braking system of the Air Force One. Roger Harper2006 Intrigue#11990

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87385
How easily can the Air Force One be moved to a different vehicle? Does that take additional parts or are there parts that are specific to the type or brand of tow vehicle? How long would that change take?
Are any of the portable units like the Brake Buddy even worth considering? The one advantage they seem to have is they are very portable...which can be both a curse and a blessing (longer setup whenever you tow)

Dan

2006 Allure Tag
#31344

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87386
Look at the M & G system as it is very similar to the Air Force One.

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87387
I have the M&G in our coach for five years, we like it very much.

2004 Inspire
Walt

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87388
My M&G runs off the existing air system on the coach, requiring only an additional air fitting connection. As I was told last year the Air Force requires and additional booster of some sort to be added to the coach. TWI 2004 intrigue 11731

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87390
We have had M&G for 7 years and couldn't be happier. It is a very simple system.

Don Krahling

#11238 '01 Intrigue

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87391
I have used the M & G for more than 50,000 miles with a Honda element and am very Impressed Bob 06 intrigue. 12047

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87392
I highly recommend M&G along with the others. We have used it since '06 with no problems. Actually, we were in TX on the way to M&G when our drop hitch broke unleashing our Dodge truck, thank God for the 10000 lb safety cables! I really believe we would have had little to no damage to either vehicle had the M&G already been installed. And its great because you don't have to do anything when you hook up except hook up the air connector.

Tammy T

Affinity 6611

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87393
M&G system here. Over 100,000 miles towing and zero problems.
The only downside is if you trade vehicles often which would require you to move the system to the new vehicle.
The M&G has been installed on our '02 Jeep GC since new so you can see we don't change vehicles often

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87396
I went to M&G's website and a cursory glance thru the site left several unanswered questions. Air Force One uses a very small cylinder which is permanently installed which then actuates the brake pedal from the firewall attachment. Since AF1 taps into the car's vacuum system, it is like applying power brakes and so takes minimal pressure to apply proportional braking.
I had looked at Roadmaster's system which does NOT tap into the car's vacuum system and thus requires a cylinder 5x larger to apply brute force pressure to the brake pedal. This is mounted under the driver's seat and must be removed before you drive the car. Ugh... I found AF1's system infinitely superior.
Also M&G's website states there is a "TOWED VEHICLE "BREAKAWAY KIT" OPTION: We also sell and install an optional kit designed to provide automatic braking action in your towed vehicle should your towed vehicle unexpectedly detach from your RV while traveling."
This is standard with AF1. If you think you can get away with only using the Coach's air system, you are overlooking the almost essential safety of a breakaway system which uses air to apply emergency braking and stop the loose toad before it kills someone.

Joseph Burkle

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

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87399
The M&G system has an auxiliary reservoir near the master cylinder of the car, that applies the brakes if the emergency cable pulls an actuator that applies the brakes when the hitch fails. That part of the system, emergency disconnect, is required in Texas, not the braking system itself, if that makes since. TWI 204 Intrigue 11731

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87401
We had the M&G braking system installed on our 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and are very happy with it. I wouldn't want to install it myself but I did do the brake light installation and wiring myself. There is an excellent installer of this system in Long Beach California if that would help. The guy is a brake expert and did a first class job on the installation.

Steve - 2002 Intrigue 11382

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We are retiring our 1995 Jeep Wrangler Sahara from its towing duties and replacing it with a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. The Blue Ox supplemental braking system we had was not reliable so we will be going with something else. Any recommendations from the group?

Janie 2002 Intrigue 11342

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87405
I looked at M&G and SMI Air Force One, and decided on Air Force One for two reasons: It is fairly easy to move if you get a new toad, and it comes with breakaway standard. Note that not only is the M&G system more difficult to move to a new vehicle, it will not even work on certain vehicles. Air Force One works on everything.

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979 (2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad)

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87406
I don't use the Jeep electrical for lights, turn signals, etc. I wired in another bulb to, the rear tai lights that runs from the coach, so I don't have to use the Jeep's lighting. Makes everything so much easier. Roger Harper2006 Intrigue#11990

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #20 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87408
roger...as many places as i have been to resolve jeep issues, car still dies on me.....so i bought a battery charger, and hopefully i wont curl my hair with it first time i use it From:

Roger Harper ;
To:

Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com ; Subject:

Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Supplemental braking system for towed Sent:

Sat, Apr 27, 2013 2:52:49 PM

I don't use the Jeep electrical for lights, turn signals, etc. I wired in another bulb to, the rear tai lights that runs from the coach, so I don't have to use the Jeep's lighting. Makes everything so much easier. Roger Harper2006 Intrigue#11990

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #21 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87409
You'll see by the many posts, that a few good units keep being mentioned
I'll share what I concluded, this was about 9 years ago, so more current generations from the braking system suppliers may have caused me to go a different way.
- Our first used coach came with the controller from 1998 of the SMI Silent Partner. The previous owner bought a new coach, and went with a new controller instead of moving the installed unit to his new coach.
- During my research, I determined I wanted: Stay in toad braking system; A power feed to keep the toad battery charged; In cab adjustable braking control; Proportional braking of toad, based upon severity of coach braking.
These wants lead me to the US Gear system. It has worked flawlessly for us. I moved the control over the CC when we sold the older coach. One other feature on the US Gear that I have found valuable, is a manual lever on the side of the cockpit control, for me to manually apply the toad brakes. We have the Sterling All Terrain towing hitch. When I hook up the toad, I usually roll the toad back enough to lock the hitches in the fully extended direction. Quite often due to angles, only one arm will hitch. When first starting out, if I need to say brake some to pull out away from the curb, the 'unlocked' arm will allow the toad to drift more in this direction. The first time this happened the toad drifted over and the tire brushed the curb as I was cutting out to get around a parked car up in front of me. I mention all of this, because I fund that manual cockpit control of the toad braking, allows me to put enough drag on the toad until the coach gets straight enough for the second arm to lock on the hitch. Especially important if going down even a slight incline when first stating off. This was a feature I had never come across in my research, and I find it invaluable for our full setup.
All that being said, I do not think you can go wrong with either the US Gear of SMI braking systems. I do not have any personal input on the M & G, but you are hearing here that many have had good luck with it too.
Best you can do is check the features that important to you, and the anti up to the lowest sales point you can find it at:)!

Have fun, and good luck,
Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #22 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87410
Been using the US Gear Unified Tow Brake for over 10 years now in my 1999 Chevy Tahoe with no problems. System uses 2 axis accelerometer and the vacuum boost system to apply proportional braking as if vehicle was being driven. Once installed, nothing to attach except control cable and break-away safety lanyard. Control cable also provides 12vdc charge to vehicle battery.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #23 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87412
We've been using the SMI Air Force 1 since 2008 and really like it. I helped a friend install his a couple years ago and he is very happy with it. As stated, it comes standard with an emergency break-away fits any vehicle.

Larry, 03 Allure 30856

Re: Supplemental braking system for towed

Reply #24 –
Yahoo Message Number: 87421
Had a M&G installed on my jeep in 2006, HitchPro and Tow in Eugene Oregon, and it has performed flawlessly. Recently, I called them for a replacement airline and expressed my satisfaction with their work and the M&G system.
They told me that they don't install many of the M&G systems anymore because many of the newer cars don't have room in the engine compartment for the system. I believe they said they were recommending air force One. They are a very good source of information 541-434-2403. Someone who installs and has to warranty a system should be a good place to ask.

Dan 2006 Allure 31348