Toad breakaway signal

[DaveFL]

From what I have checked on line, Moho towing a car are not required to have breakaway brakes like when you pull a trailer.

Has anybody installed a warning device if the toad breaks away?

I would like to know if car is breaking loose or has broken away, some kind of alarm visual and sound.

I will be installing tow bar that has surge brake device built in but it doesn't do anything if toad breaks away, it might even add to the problem, if the toad started to break away it would put tension on brake cable causing the brake to be applied hard in the toad, until cable breaks, at that point toad's brakes wouldn't be applied. In trailers the electric brake is activated and continues to stop trailer.
I do have a signal light(small led) shows when toads brakes are being applied, too small to catch your attention, but easy to check when applying brakes to see if toad is too.

[richinny]

a buzzer connected to the signal light would work but first check with the manufacturer. you don't want to overload the signal circuit.

[DaveFL]

Originally Posted by richinny

a buzzer connected to the signal light would work but first check with the manufacturer. you don't want to overload the signal circuit.

Good idea, wire does seem to be minimal for distance, but led doesn't take much power.
I will have to check some of my old buzzers(out takes from seatbelt buzzers) to see how much power they take. Maybe I can use the signal light wire using toads electric as trigger to a selenoid which could power buzzer and light from MoHo power.

[garry]

Sorry but you are required to have a breakaway switch.

2010 Driving Laws for the US and Canada

This is a list of state requirments

[richinny]

i think those buzzers draw more than you want. RS has a bunch that should do nicely.
RadioShack.com

[DaveFL]

Originally Posted by garry

Sorry but you are required to have a breakaway switch.

2010 Driving Laws for the US and Canada

This is a list of state requirments

This site says otherwise but yours is a better site and I would believe Woodalls more than this site.
RV Towing Tips
quotes it as not applying to toads, however they do make a switch and it makes sense to have.
The trailer weight limit varies from state to state but by 3000 pounds it is required by all that I read. Very few vehicles towable below 3000.

[John H.]

Regardless of the law ?? I sure would use a break away brake. they are cheap security

I have a friend that towed a dodge Dakota to Florida each season. they stopped for lunch and when they came out realized the truck was not back there ???

It took 3 days for the Highway patrol to find the truck down over a ditch in North Georgia

[DaveFL]

Breakaway for sure, but alarm would still announce when it breaks away, wouldn't like that uneasy feeling for three days.

[richinny]

Originally Posted by John Haggard

Regardless of the law ?? I sure would use a break away brake. they are cheap security

I have a friend that towed a dodge Dakota to Florida each season. they stopped for lunch and when they came out realized the truck was not back there ???

It took 3 days for the Highway patrol to find the truck down over a ditch in North Georgia

any idea as to what happened to the hitch or the safety chains?

[John H.]

Originally Posted by richinny

any idea as to what happened to the hitch or the safety chains?

Hitch weld broke Plumb OFF He said !!!

It is funny now, that was 15 some years ago

He was from Harden Co. Ohio

No, It was NOT an airstream M.H.

He to this day can NOT figure how he did not feel it break ???

[Robfike]

If the tow bar system you are going to use is the Night Shift unit, it has break-away protection installed. There is a second cable that goes from the FRAME of the MH to the towd brake peddle. This second cable goes through a one way block, and has an engineered weak link. If the tow system fails, as the towd is leaving the MH, the cable is pulled until the weak link brakes. The brakes of the towd are locked, and stay locked until the one way block is reset.
We are using this system, and are very pleased. You also have proportional braking on the towd with this system.
Rob

[DaveFL]

Thanks Rob,
PO included the system with the mh but didn't show that feature, probably because the cable is there but the one way block probably was mounted on his wrangler and didn't include it. That must be what Night shift is selling for $100. Priced like a boat part, good thing this is a land yacht. ;-)