Add a high end battery maintainer usually putting out from hot line in motor home on rv side and connects directly to your battery like yours but ground protected! Also has power indicator lights for rv and car side
Yea, I wanted to do that but couldn't get up the ambition to figure it out. Thought a 30/30 chamber would be too big and couldn't figure out a simple way to have a brake away brake. I was good with the application cylinder. Clippard Industries sells some nice air cylinders, if you're looking. Good luck. Shouldn't have issues with battery drain with that approach. Let me see it when it's done.
I will look up Clippard air cylinders. I figure a No. 20 brake pot will be more than enough. The brake-away activation would be in the spring brake feature of the air chamber. If air supply is lost, the spring activates. I will let you know what I come up with.
That was the same thing I was thinking of doing and perhaps I got the idea from you. My issue with that was that you would have to disconnect the chamber from the brake pedal when not connected to the bus. If the air bled off the spring would apply the brakes when not connected to the bus air supply. So I gave a lot of thought about how to do that. I had it figured out for towing but not for independent operation. Didn't want something I had to connect and disconnect. I was going to contact Clippard to see if they had a spring loaded cylinder and use two. Then I gave up and purchased the Invisibrake.
What a slick set up, I was always curious how a vehicle was controlled (braking) while in tow. I'am curious if you feel a lag or experience brake drag while towing?
Hi Eric, The Invisibrake system does have a slight lag. This is noticed by the indicator light on the dash rather than any forces exerted by the towed vehicle. In fact, for years, I pulled another Jeep without the brake and you don't really know it's back there. The Invisibrake also allows for adjustment; I do not have it adjusted to maximum braking so as not to overheat the Jeep brakes. The braking capacity of the bus far surpasses the added weight of the vehicle, although every little bit helps I guess. Thanks for all your interest!
@@strayhound61 Hello Mr. Mathew. Thank you for your time and response. A little piece of mind is good insurance knowing that there is a braking system on the tow vehicle none the less. I myself never seen an air actuated brake system like the one you have, flipping slick setup. I suppose the weight difference between the Bus and the Jeep, you could probably drag the Jeep with all brakes applied and wouldn't feel the resistance anyhow. Thank you for sharing! Kind regards, Eric Dee.
I'm confused. Seems awfully complicated and I don't get how your integrating a 12volt system with a 24volt tow vehicle? I have a 76' GMC 4108 and am looking to add towing capability.
Justina S Once you sit down and think about it, it's fairly straightforward. My vehicle has a 12 volt system. You would have to by a transformer for yours. If there is something else confusing, please ask. Happy to help.
Hi Justina, I've been thinking about the response I gave you earlier. While the 24 to 12v converter (or transformer as I called it earlier) might be only one part of your issue. The converter will reduce the voltage to 12 for your power supply to the Invisibrake (or other control unit) from your coach. But, you will still have 24 volts coming through the light circuits, if all your light bulbs are 24 volts on your bus which I believe they are. If not then the only place you need the converter is at the power supply 12 volts from the coach to the toad battery. However. if the bulbs are all 24 volts on the coach, I do not know of a converter that reduces the voltage from 24 to 12 for each of the light circuits. You might want to see if Hopkins or someone makes one specifically for that. You might also consider a different approach. There are units that work on air pressure and others that work on a mechanical device from the hitch ball to the brakes via a cable. In those cases, you could simply use a light bar on the back of the toad that has 24 volt bulbs in it. There would be no electrical connections between the coach and the toad and that might be the simplest approach. Good luck either way. Let me know if you need further clarification.
Hi John; thanks so much for the help. I didn't mean to imply that your video was not helpful, because it was. I just got a little lost in the details partly because I was looking for info in your instruction which really wearn't applicable to my issues. I find your vid's to be very helpful and would love to see more of them in the future. Was your 4106 converted at some point from 24 to 12v? I always thought the 60's 70's GMC's were all 24v. Anyways, thanks again. Oh ya; do you remember the part # for bagedge door hinge rubber? I need to get some from MCI. Have a great day.
Hi Again, No worries about your comments. I didn't think they were negative in any way. I'm pretty sure all the 4106s were a 12 volt system through 1965. I believe GM changed to a 24 volt system with the buses built after 1965 although I could be wrong about that. The baggage door hinge rubber is part #2467448 from Universal Coach. Have fun with that!
Add a high end battery maintainer usually putting out from hot line in motor home on rv side and connects directly to your battery like yours but ground protected! Also has power indicator lights for rv and car side
This is very helpful. I am getting my toad set up now.
Thanks Kevin, glad the timing was good for you. What brake system are you using, or are you making one up on your own?
+John Matthews I plan to make my own using an air brake chamber.
Yea, I wanted to do that but couldn't get up the ambition to figure it out. Thought a 30/30 chamber would be too big and couldn't figure out a simple way to have a brake away brake. I was good with the application cylinder. Clippard Industries sells some nice air cylinders, if you're looking. Good luck. Shouldn't have issues with battery drain with that approach. Let me see it when it's done.
I will look up Clippard air cylinders. I figure a No. 20 brake pot will be more than enough. The brake-away activation would be in the spring brake feature of the air chamber. If air supply is lost, the spring activates. I will let you know what I come up with.
That was the same thing I was thinking of doing and perhaps I got the idea from you. My issue with that was that you would have to disconnect the chamber from the brake pedal when not connected to the bus. If the air bled off the spring would apply the brakes when not connected to the bus air supply. So I gave a lot of thought about how to do that. I had it figured out for towing but not for independent operation. Didn't want something I had to connect and disconnect. I was going to contact Clippard to see if they had a spring loaded cylinder and use two. Then I gave up and purchased the Invisibrake.
What a slick set up, I was always curious how a vehicle was controlled (braking) while in tow. I'am curious if you feel a lag or experience brake drag while towing?
Hi Eric,
The Invisibrake system does have a slight lag. This is noticed by the indicator light on the dash rather than any forces exerted by the towed vehicle. In fact, for years, I pulled another Jeep without the brake and you don't really know it's back there. The Invisibrake also allows for adjustment; I do not have it adjusted to maximum braking so as not to overheat the Jeep brakes. The braking capacity of the bus far surpasses the added weight of the vehicle, although every little bit helps I guess.
Thanks for all your interest!
@@strayhound61 Hello Mr. Mathew. Thank you for your time and response.
A little piece of mind is good insurance knowing that there is a braking system on the tow vehicle none the less. I myself never seen an air actuated brake system like the one you have, flipping slick setup. I suppose the weight difference between the Bus and the Jeep, you could probably drag the Jeep with all brakes applied and wouldn't feel the resistance anyhow.
Thank you for sharing!
Kind regards, Eric Dee.
I'm confused. Seems awfully complicated and I don't get how your integrating a 12volt system with a 24volt tow vehicle? I have a 76' GMC 4108 and am looking to add towing capability.
Justina S
Once you sit down and think about it, it's fairly straightforward. My vehicle has a 12 volt system. You would have to by a transformer for yours. If there is something else confusing, please ask. Happy to help.
Hi Justina, I've been thinking about the response I gave you earlier. While the 24 to 12v converter (or transformer as I called it earlier) might be only one part of your issue. The converter will reduce the voltage to 12 for your power supply to the Invisibrake (or other control unit) from your coach. But, you will still have 24 volts coming through the light circuits, if all your light bulbs are 24 volts on your bus which I believe they are. If not then the only place you need the converter is at the power supply 12 volts from the coach to the toad battery. However. if the bulbs are all 24 volts on the coach, I do not know of a converter that reduces the voltage from 24 to 12 for each of the light circuits. You might want to see if Hopkins or someone makes one specifically for that. You might also consider a different approach. There are units that work on air pressure and others that work on a mechanical device from the hitch ball to the brakes via a cable. In those cases, you could simply use a light bar on the back of the toad that has 24 volt bulbs in it. There would be no electrical connections between the coach and the toad and that might be the simplest approach. Good luck either way. Let me know if you need further clarification.
Hi John; thanks so much for the help. I didn't mean to imply that your video was not helpful, because it was. I just got a little lost in the details partly because I was looking for info in your instruction which really wearn't applicable to my issues. I find your vid's to be very helpful and would love to see more of them in the future. Was your 4106 converted at some point from 24 to 12v? I always thought the 60's 70's GMC's were all 24v. Anyways, thanks again. Oh ya; do you remember the part # for bagedge door hinge rubber? I need to get some from MCI. Have a great day.
Hi Again,
No worries about your comments. I didn't think they were negative in any way. I'm pretty sure all the 4106s were a 12 volt system through 1965. I believe GM changed to a 24 volt system with the buses built after 1965 although I could be wrong about that.
The baggage door hinge rubber is part #2467448 from Universal Coach. Have fun with that!
Oh ya, lots of fun! Thanks a bunch for the part #. I think your provably rite about the change in voltage. I just assumed they had always been 24.