Supplemental braking systems are a legal requirement in the US & Canada when you're flat towing. We talk about this a lot on here - but that's because it's important. Not having a braking system can lead to tickets, fines, and, most importantly, a lack of safety when you're towing.
But how do you go about choosing a braking system that's right for you? Which one should you buy? We're going to take a look at these questions for you in this post and give you some criteria to consider when looking for a braking system (whether installed or portable).
1. Consider Your Lifestyle
Lifestyle is absolutely going to be the most important thing you need to consider when looking for a good braking system. That's because there aren't a lot of wrong answers here - it's mostly about personal preference.
The first big decision you're going to have to make is whether you want to go with an installed braking system or a portable braking system. Neither one is right or wrong necessarily (though there are some vehicles that cannot accommodate an installed system); what matters is whether you prefer the flexibility of a portable system (such as RVibrake3) or the convenience of an installed one (like RVibrake Shadow).
We say portable units are more flexible because they can be moved from car to car with little-to-no installation. That means if you switch towed vehicles a lot or are looking to purchase a new one soon, then maybe a portable system would be better for you. The one thing to be aware of is that portable systems do have a daily setup that is required, but this typically only takes a minute or so at most.
On the other hand, the strength of installed units is their convenience. This is because there is no daily setup involved - the unit is installed under the hood, so all you have to do is connect up and start driving! The one caveat here is that there is a more labor-intensive initial installation that can take anywhere from 2 hours (for a product like RVibrake Shadow) all the way up to 8 hours. Additionally, once the product is installed, it's not designed to be moved to other vehicles.
2. Response Time
Most people don't realize that panic stops generally only last 2-3 seconds total. Your braking system needs to respond much faster than that in order to be effective - but the sad part is that most braking systems on the market can't even fully actuate until the tail end of that 2-3 second mark. That's a big problem.
So, when shopping for a braking system - and especially a portable one - looking for a system with an air-driven actuator is paramount. Why? Because an air-driven system can actuate in about half a second, as opposed to an electrically-actuated system, which takes much longer. We've actually got a great comparison of the difference in the video below (starting at around the 2:53 mark):
As you can see, response time can make the difference between a safe stop and a catastrophic accident. Make sure you're protected with an air-driven system like RVibrake3.
3. Ease-Of-Use
Let's face reality: The braking system industry hasn't seen a lot of updating in the last 30 years. Many systems on the market still use outdated tech that's at least that old. That means long install times, complex repairs if something goes wrong, and overly-simplistic feedback mechanisms.
Technology has evolved a lot in 30 years though - there are ways to do things that are more effective, more efficient, and less stressful. This is especially true of braking systems. What once needed to be done with many, many cumbersome parts can now be done with just a few, lightweight pieces. Additionally, this newer tech allows your unit to respond faster and more accurately, leading to a safer experience. And, finally, improvements in monitoring allow us to give more feedback while also taking up less space.
Take RVi's Command Center Monitoring System, for example. On one, 7" LED display, we can show everything going on with not just your braking system, but also your RVi Tire Patrol sensors and Towed Battery Charger Plus. That's three products that can all be monitoring with one display, clearing up significant space on your dash. This feedback is brilliant and detailed as well, allowing you to know exactly what's happening at all times.
Don't let outdated tech cause additional frustration or headaches. Get a system like RVibrake3 or RVibrake Shadow and take full advantage of the leaps in technology that have been made!
Conclusion
We get it - there's a lot of competing information out there when it comes to flat-towing. Things can get confusing fast. But, at the end of the day, you want to be safe. That's what we're all about here at RVi too: Your safety. That's why we've designed RVibrake3 and RVibrake Shadow to be the most effective, efficient braking systems on the market. Whether you choose to go installed or portable, we want to help you start living that worry-free RV lifestyle today!
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