| Author | Message | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
I have a friend who was trying to tow a ford ranger p/u truck behind his camper. He ran the four wire plug from the tow hitch of the camper to the back of his pickup and tied into his tail lights with a t harness that he purchased from the local parts store. he has tail lights but no stop or turn. Is there a box or something special that he need??? I thought he would be back feeding through the p/u truck and it wouldn't work that way. -- Bill | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 532 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.229 Rating: N/A |
yes...special adapter...availible at dealer | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 15 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
Hey Bob can I call you or you call me at 770-387-1688? | ||
| Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Registered Member Username: Kristinsgrandpa Post Number: 283 Registered: 2-2003 Posted From: 4.224.243.108 Rating: N/A |
Also see what wiring is needed for the auxiliary braking system. See: http://www.brakebuddy.com/towing_laws.html I'd hate to see that Ranger come loose at 60 and hit a school bus. Ed | ||
| Bobofthenorth (Bobofthenorth)
Registered Member Username: Bobofthenorth Post Number: 143 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 204.83.31.130 Rating: N/A |
I pulled a '92 Nissan for a year with a similar setup - just plugged into a Bargman female connector on the back of the micro-truck with a cable with two male Bargman ends on it. I had the same problem your friend is having at first. Stop & turn is actually only one problem - same filaments for both. All I did was run a wire directly from the female Bargman plug on the truck to the left & right rear signal wires inside the light housing. Not the most elegant solution but it worked for me. Evidently there are some diodes in there somewhere that prevent backfeeding from the trailer but I couldn't see any reason for them so I just bypassed them. YMMV | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 16 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the info. I have passed the info. to my friend. He has asked if this site is just for bus owners. I told him that I think its for anyone who has a coach. A coach could be any type of conversion. I'm not sure but you guys have been a great knowledge base for me, and i'm just getting started. -- BILL | ||
| sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Registered Member Username: Sylverstone_pd4501864 Post Number: 247 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 216.173.223.253 Rating: N/A |
i think all that is required is an interest in buses  -dd | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 17 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
Thank you...I'll pass it on!!! -- BILL | ||
| david anderson (Davidanderson)
Registered Member Username: Davidanderson Post Number: 193 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 66.90.199.240 Rating: N/A |
Bill, I towed a ranger for a couple of years. I found out you need a dinghy brake in most states anyway, so I bought a Fitzall air brake and piggybacked it onto my bus air brake system. It is a very good system and proportional with your foot pressure. This will give him the brake lamp he wants by using the ranger's brake lamp OEM system. I highly recommend a dinghy brake. My Nissan broke loose last summer. Luckily I was going less than 20 and it bonked into the back of the bus at a stop sign. I was very fortunate. David (Message edited by davidanderson on January 09, 2007) | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 25 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
Thanks David, he dont have air brakes...and I haven't a clue what a dinghybrake system is!!! -- BILL | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1157 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.195.127.101 Rating: N/A |
Bill - IIRC, Mr Greenwood should be able to tell you all about what happens when a dinghy/toad breaks away w/o a braking system. . . | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 539 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
It destroys a nice 280zx datsun | ||
| david anderson (Davidanderson)
Registered Member Username: Davidanderson Post Number: 194 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 66.90.203.182 Rating: N/A |
Bill, A dinghy brake system is the term RV'ers use to descibe their towed vehicle braking system. Most states require a brake system on a towed vehicle behind a motorhome. It's common sense safety. I've read many posts on here and Woodall's, and Escappees websites about towed vehicles breaking loose. Some are more frightening than others. The air brake system I refered to is on my Eagle 10. I tapped the system to supply air to the Fitzall brake I installed in my Nissan pickup. The brake is an air ram that pushes the brake pedal in the Nissan. Do a Google search for "Fitzall brake" and you can see the system. There are many others out there for sale, but I liked this the best. I assume by your post your friend has hydrolic brakes. If so, an air system would have to be installed to use a Fitzall. I'm sure there are other systems that would work. An internet search would show you. I know this is a bit off your original "brake light" topic, but knowing the towing regulations are important, too. David | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 27 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
David I really appreciate the info. I am going to relay this to my friend. I'm also going to intriduce him to you guys as soon as I get back!!! -- BILL | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 28 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.164.197.32 Rating: N/A |
Bob, I'm glad the Datsun was mine!!! -- BILL | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Registered Member Username: Sffess Post Number: 678 Registered: 1-2002 Posted From: 199.44.214.2 Rating: |
If the truck or car has a foot operated parking brake that releases with a separate hand pull to release parking brake then the following will work for a breakaway brake system. Route a 1/8" stranded cable to the parking brake pedal and and secure a loop to the pedal. Route the cable forward to the front bumper and form anoather loop using nicopress or cable clamps at each loop. The cable can come through a piece of 3/8" tubing fastened in the wheel well or other location. The tubing is to keep the cable routed away from moving components and wheels. When you hook up your towbar, hook up another length of 1/8" cable to a point on the tow vehicle, preferably not the hitch. (Whole hitches can come loose!!! I use a small aluminum clip like people carry keys on to attach at both ends. Some have rated breaking strength on a tag. I got ones with a 38 lb breaking strength at Lowes. This system engages only the rear wheel brakes and is more likely to stop in a straight line. I challenge any of you to compare the effect of two wheel versus four wheel break away brakes by stomping the parking brake and letting the car steer itself to a stop, then try the same test applying the brake pedal, holding it down with hands off the steering wheel. If you are really confident that four wheel is better, close your eyes too. Your will see that rear brakes only give a smooth controlled with far less chance of the toad flipping over into another lane. This maly not work on Fords and some other cars where the parking brake is released by a second push on the parking brake pedal. It does not take long to add additional lights to the taillight housing for toad wiring only, so you do not have to hook up to the cars wiring system at all. | ||
| Bobofthenorth (Bobofthenorth)
Registered Member Username: Bobofthenorth Post Number: 144 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 142.165.179.180 Rating: N/A |
That is such a simple, sensible solution. I wish I had read that before I spent $1000 on whichever one of the brake controllers I bought & now hardly ever bother using. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 150 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.107.79 Rating: N/A |
Re: "This system engages only the rear wheel brakes and is more likely to stop in a straight line. " The first thing you learn for passing a CDL test, is the fact a vehicle will spin out of control on a slippery surface, if you lock the rear wheels. Cheers. | ||
| George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member Username: George_mc6 Post Number: 57 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 207.231.81.154 Rating: N/A |
What happens when you lock all four on a slippery surface? | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 551 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
you are supposed to say WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE | ||
| Dale Waller (Happycampersrus)
Registered Member Username: Happycampersrus Post Number: 288 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 69.19.14.28 Rating: N/A |
I don't believe it really makes much difference if you lock up 2 or 4 at 55mph. Conditions would have to be PERFECT for a towed to stop in a straight line. A draging brake, 1 tire low on air, or the front end out of alignment (list goes on) and the towed will be swapping ends. The key to really avoid this situation is go overkill with the saftey chains. My chains hook at the bus cradle, cross in a X to catch the bar if it comes loose, then they hook to the toad frame (Not anyplace on the towbar). I would have to loose a towbar connect and break 2 large chains to loose my towed. One warning here on something you rig up for a brake system. (I use a Brakebuddy) If it has a factory name on it like "Fitzall" or "Brakebuddy" the family of the car that was hit will have someone to blame in the lawsuit. If it is something you made or built you will be the one paying the damages. Dale (Message edited by happycampersrus on January 15, 2007) | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 152 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 68.205.196.248 Rating: N/A |
Let me rephrase that.... It's a bad idea to lock any brakes on any surface. If you lock just the fronts, the vehicle will have a tendency to slide in a straight line. If you lock just the rears, the vehicle will spin in a circle. Try it on a toy car. Tape the wheels (first just the fronts, and then just the rears) and slide (toss) it across a table.. (it was part of a CDL instructional demo) PS: If you are the cause of an accident, your insurance will pay. If you use a "name brand" auxiliary device, either the insurance company or you, will have someone else to try to get reimbursed for your losses.. | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 553 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
a slideing tire will pass a rolling tire...meaning,the ass end will want to be first if the rear brakes are locked | ||
| WILLIAM D. WATKINS (Sivrtnge2)
Registered Member Username: Sivrtnge2 Post Number: 29 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 75.208.131.31 Rating: N/A |
I can attest to that theory. I was going down a two lane road in my wife's grand am...I asked her what did she think would happen if I pulled the park brake. She said I dont know lets see. When she jerked the parking brake up, we did about three circles and it landed us in a ditch!!! -- BILL | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 557 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
say...WEEEEEEEEEEEEE | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 989 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 64.228.91.113 Rating: N/A |
weeeeeeeeee! | ||
| Gilbert Landry (La_cajun)
Registered Member Username: La_cajun Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 71.3.160.223 Rating: N/A |
Dale how do you like your buddy brake did you check into any other brake devices before you went with buddy brake | ||
| Dale Waller (Happycampersrus)
Registered Member Username: Happycampersrus Post Number: 289 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 66.82.9.81 Rating: N/A |
I didn't check on any other brake systems. I got it through Camping World when I got the towbar. The Brake Buddy seems to do a good job, but kinda hard to tell behind the bus. LOL. I can't tell it's back there sometimes. | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 559 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
sometimes....it isn't | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Registered Member Username: Sffess Post Number: 680 Registered: 1-2002 Posted From: 24.129.136.146 Rating: N/A |
Well I guess the solution with my system is to use a weak enough link that the brakes will not lock. It is almost impossible to lock the parking brakes on my test car but it is a Mercedes 300SD with a separate 8 inch parking brake drums built into the rear discs. Thanks for the corrections. I know my idea is good but it will need a way to not lock the rear wheels, just apply fairly firm rear brakes. I know if they don't lock they act like a drag and keep the car straight on the Mercedes, but I guess we better be sure it will do the same on a Suzuki. BoboftheNorth, you state the very reason I wanted to develope a towbar system where surge brakes are always working and there is no additional hook up. The things don't work if you don't hook them up. The Surge brake system using the cars braking syspem is woring very reliably. Apparently the breakaway system for other cars will need more study. One thing we can't count on is the antilock brake system, because it requires the ignition on the toad to be on. |
