karenandcollins Report post Posted February 27, 2012 We're getting ready to buy a new car that can be towed 4 wheels down (Ford Edge, Chevy Equinox or Honda CRV). We have a 40' diesel Monaco Diplomat. We've been using a tow dolly so now we have to buy a tow bar & braking system. We've been doing some research & have come across the Ready Brute Elite RV Tow Bar which incorporates both the braking system & tow bar in one. It seems like a great idea but we'd love to know if any one is using it & what are your opinions. Any comments would be appreciated Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thomfred Report post Posted March 2, 2012 I to am considering the purchase of the ReadyBrute, but I can't find out anything about them (good or bad) to make feel comfortable about the product. Surely someone in our membership has had some experience with them. Thanks Thomfred Saint Johns Florida Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gdroke Report post Posted March 2, 2012 I have seen several threads on different forums about this product and they usually follow the same theme. The people who have them, say they work well, and the people who don't have them say they don't. There are usually more against it than for it. You can search the forums and find these threads. I even read a posting on another forum from one of their "super users" who said that no serious RV'er would consider using them. It often seemed to me, that the threads would turn into a frenzy of people jumping on the bandwagon with little or no substance to their criticisms. I did not see any posts from anyone that actually had one, and had a bad experience with it. Again, they might be out there, but I did not see them. Here were the reasons given: They require maintenance. You cannot apply the toad brakes manually Surge brakes are a "less sophisticated" system They don't work well I don't like the idea of surge brakes I read the posts and thought about the negative reasons that were given, and I looked at the execution of the design of this particular surge brake, and I have decided to try it. I actually like the idea of less sophistication and relying on the laws of physics to trigger braking, instead of black box electronics. I'm certainly not telling anyone else to try it, I am just telling you what I read, and what I decided. I ordered it yesterday, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwightginnyputzke Report post Posted March 3, 2012 NSA RV PRODUCTS ----READYBRAKE & READYBRUTE ELITE RV TOW BAR I have been a family member of FMCA since 1964 and over the years I have seen the changes in the average age of our dedicated members. I have also seen the changes in the types of motor home that we can afford. Just because a product costs more doesn't necessarily mean that it does a better job or that a motor home with air brakes needs air assist for the hydraulic brakes on the toad and why would I want to apply the brakes on the toad without using the motor home brakes? NSA was originally known as NIGHT SHIFT AUTO and maybe there is a high end motor home buyer that says that a brake system for a toad has to be complicated and have lots of bells and whistles and will have a strong opinion against any that are not complicated by design. I am of the old school and along the way I feel that I have maintained insight and am able to support what I see as an advantage rather than talk negatively about something I don't have personal experience with. I installed a ReadyBrute Elite Tow Bar with the ReadyBrake built into it and am very satisfied with the ease of installation and the operation under every condition I have forced it to encounter. To this day I have not seen a comment from a owner of this product stating they would not purchase it again and the comments are to recommend it to a friend. Sincerely, Dwight F513s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenandcollins Report post Posted March 4, 2012 Thanks to all of you for your comments. We also belong to the IRV2 forum & there were so very positive comments about the ready brake. As soon as we buy the new car, we are going to order ours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rfox54 Report post Posted March 4, 2012 I have had the Ready Brute Elite for two years and I have been very pleased with it. I've had one minor problem which NSA corrected immediately. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danddferr Report post Posted March 5, 2012 I've had the Ready Brake by Night Shift Auto for over a year and I love it. Surge brakes work fine and doing 9% grades last summer we had no issues. Easy to set up and beats the heck out of some of the setups I've seen. Go for it you won't regret it. Dan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Homesteader Report post Posted March 6, 2012 I almost ordered a Ready Brake system this morning. But I convinced myself that I would have to see it perform first. I can't imagine this softly applying the brakes on your toad on a long 2-3 mile grade. I visualize the toad hopping behind the MH like a rabbit. (maybe exaggerated) As the toad pushes on the surge system which in turn starts applying the brakes to the toad. When the brakes are applied the toad pulls back releasing the brakes and the toad gains speed activating the brakes again, and the sequence continues until you pick up speed with the MH. I can see it working perfectly when you are slowing down or actually slowing to come to a stop, but not when you are maintaining your speed down a long hill with the proper gear and using the engine brake and the weight of the toad and the grade alone are activating the brakes. Seems that it would be on, off, on, off...... If someone who has one could explain what I am missing, I would welcome their experiences. Also not sure how in a tight spot where you would have to back up to complete a corner such as pulling in or out of a service station how you could do this without sending your wife back to unhook the cable, othewise if the system works as it should, all 4 wheels on the toad should be skidding when trying to back up. Garry (still learning) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralph0808 Report post Posted March 6, 2012 I have the Ready Brute Towbar & Braking system. I have limited experience with the system, but everytime I have used it, it has done very well, no problems and hookup is easy. KISS makes life less complicated and more enjoyable! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwightginnyputzke Report post Posted March 7, 2012 HOMESTEADER I don't know where you get your crazy ideas and notions but to be truthful, I had the same concerns myself before I ordered and installed my own READY BRAKE TOW BAR. Pay close attention to the words of the MOTOR HOMERS THAT ACTUALLY BOUGHT AND USE THE READY BRAKE OR THE READY BRAKE TOW BAR SYSTEM !! Yes, I have had to back up a foot or two to get up to a gas island and the Ready Brake DID NOT APPLY because of the engineering built into it. It may be hard to believe that it can work perfectly without bells and whistles but if your like me, buy it and try it. It has a lifetime warranty. Dwight Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Homesteader Report post Posted March 15, 2012 Hello Dwight, I do pay close attention to the words of the other motorhomers, but nobody answered my concerns on the actual operation of the system. I thought my questions were reasonable and not some crazy idea or notion. I did do some more research, and nothing against the Redi Brake except that I wasn't convinced by replies that simply said it was good, I read one of Herman Mullins comments on the M & G (which I hadn't heard of before) and after checking their web site, decided that was exactly what I was looking for. I did order it and will hopefully be pleased with its operation. Once it is installed it looks to be a very practical and simple system to give me proportional braking which is the what I wanted in the end. Thanks for your reply and Happy RVing Homesteader. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waldenjj Report post Posted January 29, 2014 Hi all yes I have the Ready Brute system, towing a Suzuki Swift manual behind my Winnebago. It's a great set up easy to hook up. Cheers, John Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
born2travel Report post Posted January 30, 2014 Have it, love it, never an issue. Very low maintenance. We have it hooked up and we are able to drive away in less than 5 minutes. While I have seen naysayers beating it up - I have yet to see a post where the person writing it had one and returned it because it didn't function as designed. With many naysayer's postings it is a second cousin's next door neighbor's meter reader's ex-wife's attorneys paralegal's boyfriend's brother-in-law who had a problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hlocklin Report post Posted March 13, 2014 Hi, It s a great system. best benefit is you do not have to buy a brake controller and you do not have to install and remove the brake controller every time you drive the dingy. As for cars the Honda is the one of the most popular but the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the best to tow because it has no restrictions. Most cars have a top speed limit of 55 mph or have to stop and run the engine every 5 hours or something. So if you plan driving less than 5 hours or 500 miles per day and do not want to exceed 55 miles per hour buy any car but make sure you know the limits first. If you are like me and drive at 65 mph and for 8 hours then the Jeep is the only one with no restrictions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
