ReadyBrake

DHunt

DHunt

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2018
Messages
231
Location
Harbison Canyon
I'm gearing up for my annual 2 week camping trip to the Sierras with the TJ. I've got one week to be ready. Reading the posts on towing were especially helpful and I'm working out the configuration of towing the Jeep. One problem I see is that the ReadyBrake cable isn't going to clear the ball latch. I have the cable mount on the Jeep 6" higher than the tow points. It's a standard tow bar. Smittybilt. Somehow, the truck must be able to make a turn that doesn't cause a pull on the cable. My opinion right now is that ReadyBrake is not compatible with standard tow bars.

Anyone?
 
I think @BendLarry had that setup for towing his jeep. Maybe he'll chime in with his experience. I use a Brake Buddy for my toad, so I can't help much.
 
DHunt said:
I'm gearing up for my annual 2 week camping trip to the Sierras with the TJ. I've got one week to be ready. Reading the posts on towing were especially helpful and I'm working out the configuration of towing the Jeep. One problem I see is that the ReadyBrake cable isn't going to clear the ball latch. I have the cable mount on the Jeep 6" higher than the tow points. It's a standard tow bar. Smittybilt. Somehow, the truck must be able to make a turn that doesn't cause a pull on the cable. My opinion right now is that ReadyBrake is not compatible with standard tow bars.

Anyone?
Click to expand...

I have used the Readybrake to tow my Jeep for about 2500. Miles. I have a Roadmaster Falcon tow bar. It worked fine. I don’t understand your cable issue can you take a picture?


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After reading your post again, you have to have the cable pretty much parallel with the tow bar. I drilled a hole in my bumper for the cable to mount. The cable runs from the Readybrake arm and connects to the other permanent mounted cable that connects to the brake pedal. It works just fine but you need to follow the instructions.


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Thanks for the reply. I read the instructions very completely. My cable mount on the jeep is well above the bumper. I think this picture shows the problem. The Ready Brake lever is only 2 1/2" tall. The ball lock lever is 5" tall. Ready Brake makes a guide to raise the cable for Blue Ox tow bars. I think the solution is to make cable guide that raises the cable, but doesn't cause any binding when making a tight turn.

20180709_130552.jpg
 
DHunt said:
Thanks for the reply. I read the instructions very completely. My cable mount on the jeep is well above the bumper. I think this picture shows the problem. The Ready Brake lever is only 2 1/2" tall. The ball lock lever is 5" tall. Ready Brake makes a guide to raise the cable for Blue Ox tow bars. I think the solution is to make cable guide that raises the cable, but doesn't cause any binding when making a tight turn.

View attachment 46914
Click to expand...

Why didn’t you mount the cable mount lower on the Jeep so it’s more parallel to the tow bar? Did you mount it higher to not interfere with the ball? With a tow bar that mounts directly into the receiver hitch and doesn’t have a hitch ball, there isn’t any interference with the tow bar.


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Mounting the cable mount lower on the Jeep makes the problem worse, not better. In order to clear the ball lever the cable attachment on the jeep would have had to be almost headlight level. I admit, I didn't buy the most expensive tow bar out. I don't understand how you could have a tow setup without a ball. The ball is the pivot point. A straight receiver has no pivot.
 
Well, that's a matter of opinion about "most". There are lots like this.
https://www.etrailer.com/Tow-Bars/Curt/C19745.html

In any case, ReadyBrake should state clearly that their units are not compatible with ball style tow bars.

I'm left with using no auxiliary brake, or using a work around. I might be better off returning the damn thing and just towing without.
 
DHunt said:
Well, that's a matter of opinion about "most". There are lots like this.
https://www.etrailer.com/Tow-Bars/Curt/C19745.html

In any case, ReadyBrake should state clearly that their units are not compatible with ball style tow bars.

I'm left with using no auxiliary brake, or using a work around. I might be better off returning the damn thing and just towing without.
Click to expand...

I said most because of what I see on the road, been towing over a year now and I always look at other towing setups. I wasn’t taking a poke at your bar.


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What I got is the most modest (cheap) tow bar I thought would do the job. I think all the jeep suppliers sell something like that. A thousand dollar tow bar isn't what I budgeted for this project. I had no idea I was going to run into an issue like this until I got it mocked up. I think right now I can work around it, but I'm completely pissed at Ready Brake. Maybe someone else on this forum will be spared the problem. I'll post a picture when I get my fix done.
 
DHunt said:
What I got is the most modest (cheap) tow bar I thought would do the job. I think all the jeep suppliers sell something like that. A thousand dollar tow bar isn't what I budgeted for this project. I had no idea I was going to run into an issue like this until I got it mocked up. I think right now I can work around it, but I'm completely pissed at Ready Brake. Maybe someone else on this forum will be spared the problem. I'll post a picture when I get my fix done.
Click to expand...

Im not defending Readybrake but I just took a look at their website again and all pictures show receiver type tow bars like mine.


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There's an excellent and lengthy How To on towing on this forum. At the beginning, they show a tow bar like mine with a ball hitch. Later, the conversation turns to legal requirements of auxiliary braking and the pictures are all hitch receivers from there out. If I'm the first one to ever try this combination, strange. When you're looking at other tow rigs, do you not see ball hitch tow bars? Probably not on the big motorhomes.
 
DHunt said:
There's an excellent and lengthy How To on towing on this forum. At the beginning, they show a tow bar like mine with a ball hitch. Later, the conversation turns to legal requirements of auxiliary braking and the pictures are all hitch receivers from there out. If I'm the first one to ever try this combination, strange. When you're looking at other tow rigs, do you not see ball hitch tow bars? Probably not on the big motorhomes.
Click to expand...

I do see some ball hitch bars and I’m sure they work just fine. There are some advantages to the more expensive receiver hitch type bars. You don’t have to be perfectly lined up to connect for one. By the way I paid $300. For my tow bar with all of the safety cables and power cable off of Craigslist. I see them often for around that price. I do think Readybrake should make it clear their brake is for receiver bars even though all of there advertising and the instruction sheet shows receiver tow bars.


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Do you have the option of returning the Ready Brake and getting something else more user friendly to your current tow bar?
 
We have use the Ready Brake with a ball type hitch (Tow Master) on our 2003 Jeep Wrangler. When I installed the cable I drilled a hole in the center (left/right) of the grill along the bottom part of the grill. The Jeep also had a 3-1/2" left with 33" tires and the tow bar was almost flat when connected to the RV.
IMG_0290.JPG
 
And please take no offense, but using a steel wire rope (cable) will be much better than a nylon rope.
I knew that I should have put my Blue Ox tow bar up for sale months ago. Good luck with your fix and enjoy your vacation.
 
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