Auxiliary brakes for TOAD TJ?

Moglocker

TJ Addict
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St.Augustine,florida
Wiring the towing lights on the TJ and gonna put the emergency breakaway braking device on but everyone I talk to tells me they don’t use the aux brake system at all.
 
I know,everyone says they use the brakes up fast,Missouri is the only state that don’t require,I guess put on the ready brake to keep the lawyers happy lol
 
What are you towing with? Laws and insurance aside, actual safety will be much different if you are towing with a 1/2 ton truck vs a diesel pusher motorhome.
 
We are selling Everything and diesel pusher for a few years
We have been full timing in a 40foot DP for 9 years now. We tow a TJ without an aux brake. Have logged over 100K on the road this way. I don’t notice any difference between towing and not towing. With or without a aux brakes, you need to drive at least 1/2 mile up the road. I always run google maps when driving, especially in the cities. The map gives you (sometimes) a heads up when a slowdown is in your near future. It helps. I have a Roadmaster tow bar and a 10K LB rated hitch.

What DP are you looking at?
 
I just recently started towing our 99 TJ with our 36 foot DP. Using a Genright steel bumper, Blue OX tow bar and emergency cables. I have not purchased a braking system, I can feel a slight difference in breaking but nothing dramatic. Everyone's advice for the added braking is valid and I will be adding, but for the (3) 500 mile trips we had no issues.
 
I know,everyone says they use the brakes up fast, Missouri is the only state that don’t require, I guess put on the ready brake to keep the lawyers happy lol


The lawyers and the insurance companies.

State troopers too.

Like it or not, and diesel pusher or not, it is the law in every Canadian province and in all but two states for a flat towed vehicle the weight of a TJ to have an auxiliary brake system.*

I use an RVibrake3. This thread might be useful:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/flat-towing-braking-systems-your-recommendations-and-why.41511/



* MO and MA are the only exceptions in 2021.
 
We have been full timing in a 40foot DP for 9 years now. We tow a TJ without an aux brake. Have logged over 100K on the road this way. I don’t notice any difference between towing and not towing. With or without a aux brakes, you need to drive at least 1/2 mile up the road. I always run google maps when driving, especially in the cities. The map gives you (sometimes) a heads up when a slowdown is in your near future. It helps. I have a Roadmaster tow bar and a 10K LB rated hitch.

What DP are you looking at?
365 rv-Sportscoach bath and a half?
 
I bought a used Brakebuddy system on marketplace to satisfy the authorities.

Inertia activated, air piston pushes the brake pedal, sits on the floor, seat slid up to keep it place. Hasn’t given any issues.
 
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I have the "ready brute elite" by NSA its a surge type supplemental braking system. Tow with a F350 and Cabover camper. Son in law tows his with no supplemental braking system. For me its a comfortable thing, plus legal CYA
 
I installed the Brake Buddy Stealth on my TJ. It fits perfectly in the gap between the seat and the edge of the tub. It takes a bit of time to install, but once installed all you have to do is connect one plug, press a button or two, and you're good to go for any trip.

I did purchase a better vacuum pump than came with the kit. The Stealth doesn't have the power to lock up the brakes, but it certainly makes a big difference when it kicks in. It also includes a breakaway feature as required by law.
 
I find it easier to comply with the law rather than explain to a Judge why I didn't.
So that's why I tow the Jeep on a tandem axle trailer with brakes on both axles.
Safety first... and just my preference.
 
3500# seems to be the magic number for most, but not all, states. If what you're towing, be it a trailer or flat towing a Jeep, weighs more than that, you're supposed to have a supplemental brake system with a break away switch. I use a simple Brake Buddy Classic to tow my LJ. If you set it up correctly, it will work without issue.
 
What I had installed, plug in flip the toggle and go.
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I bought a used Brakebuddy system on marketplace to satisfy the authorities.

Inertia activated, air piston pushes the brake pedal, sits on the floor, seat slid up to keep it place. Hasn’t given any issues.
I use the same, it requires both inertia and the brakes to be applied on the motor home. This keeps the brakes in the Jeep from being applied while decelerating without using your brakes, or when going downhill and using engine compression to slow the motor home. The sensitivity is adjustable, and I haven't seen any evidence of any abnormal wear on the LJ's brakes.
 
I have a friend that bragged about his Class A Diesel Pusher having a real Jake Brake to slow him down on steep grades.
Then he let Camping World install a brake system in a new toad (don't remember the make) and the first time he drove down a steep
grade the car burnt to a crisp because CW hooked the electrics to the Jake system.
So it was applying the toad brakes when it wasn't necessary. Fortunately a passer by flagged him down and he was able to stop and disconnect the toad from the Moho before it caught the Moho on fire.
 
My 36' coach is a gasser. Between this coach and the previous one, I towed my previous YJ and the current TJ over 15,000 miles without a braking system.
I came across a Stay and Play Duo used for a good price and decided to go for it. On my first trip with it installed, some asswipe pulled in front of me and jammed on his brakes to make a right turn. Weather was misty and the road was wet. I hit the brakes on the coach and felt the antilock start to cycle. A half second later, I felt the brakes on the TJ kick in. I feel that if I hadn't had the braking system I would have nailed that dude. As it was when I came to a stop I was close enough I couldn't see the back 3' of his car.