Thunder Mountain wrote:
Just use the CoolTech harness. It is just dumb easy to install.
Thunder Mountain,
Well Sir, it may be "dumb easy" to install but, it does nothing to remedy this conflicting signal issue we've been discussing. I just corresponded at length, with a Cooltech technician and, he fully admits the problem exists and that many, many RVers are not aware of its happening. He stated what I already knew, that many RVers simply ignore it, even IF they know about it.
It really doesn't do much good to push the issue any further because many people simply don't care if their lights are working correctly or not. Many couples do a light check from the coach to the toad prior to heading out on the road. But, that's a static light check. But, things change drastically when the two vehicles are moving and, the toad has an auxiliary brake system involved.
Scott
FunTwoDrv wrote:
On question 2, the brake lights on our 2014 do not come on when the pedle is pressed. I suspect that is due to the Hopkins wireing harness...I believe it has diodes to prevent this.
Gary
Gary,
First, have you actually pressed the brake pedal when your Jeep is parked and there's no key in the ignition to see if the brake lights come on? The reason I ask is, I too have the Hopkins 56200 wiring harness in our '15 JKUR and, while it does exactly what it's supposed to do, in terms of controlling the motorhomes light signals going to the Jeep, it DOES NOTHING in preventing the Jeeps brake lights from coming on when the pedal is stepped on, while parked and no key in the ignition. This is specifically why I'll use the M & G braking system when I get ready to set it up for toad braking.
And, your thoughts of "diodes" to prevent the brake lights from being activated by the Jeeps brake pedal while being towed, can't work. You see, if there was any form of diodes placed in line with the brake lights of the Jeep, that somehow would PREVENT the Jeeps brake light signal from being sent to the Jeeps brake lights while being towed, it would also mean the same diodes would prevent the same brake light signal AND TURN SIGNALS ('cause they're on the same circuit) from being sent to the Jeeps brake lights when BEING DRIVEN TOO! This because, the harness is not changed in any way, when the coach is hooked up or not. Hope I've explained this right.
Scott
Off Pavement wrote:Y-Guy wrote:
..."be aware that, if you use a cable system like Ready Brake (aka Ready Brute) or, any other system that pulls or pushes on the Jeeps brake pedal/arm, you will activate the Jeeps brake lights, with its own brake switch, located at the brake arm." While this makes some sense I would have thought the CoolTech or Mopar wiring harness wouldn't allow this to become an issue.
All supplemental brake systems activate the brake pedal in the towed vehicle, and turn lamp over-ride is a common issue and most folks don't worry about as the towed vehicle turn signals work until the brakes are activated.
Not "All" supplemental brake systems activate the toads brake lights. M & G is one. It's installed between the power brake unit and the master cylinder and when activated, their unit pushes ONLY on the piston in the master cylinder and not the brake arm of the toad (Jeep). So, when there's no action of the Jeeps brake arm, there's no activation of the Jeeps brake switch. Therefore, no brake lights. In this case, there's no conflict of signals to the Jeeps brake/turn lights from the M/H and Jeep.
And, while you state that "most folks don't worry about...". Well, the problem with anyone in this situation that doesn't worry or think about this problem is, when they're in high traffic situations, freeways, stop and go, lane changes with and without braking, drivers following have no clue as to the intentions of the motorhome driver with odd signals coming from the toad, due to too many signals being introduced to the tail lights in question.
"Most folks" don't even know about the conflict of signals to the toads brake/turn lights when using an auxiliary brake system.
I don't know if the Mopar harness isolates the brake lamp circuit, but I've read it requires the removal of a fuse or the installation of a switch. We use the CooltechLLC product and think it's as easy as it gets as far as installation. Plug and play with no diodes. It doesn't deal with the turn lamp over-ride issue. My supplemental brake system isolates the Jeeps brake lamp switch and this could easily be done with any supplemental brake system with s simple on-off switch controlling the brake lamp circuit.
I know absolutely nothing about both the Mopar harness or the Cooltech so I cannot say if either of those contend with the brake light issue of a toad or not. You say your supplemental brake system subdues the brake light conflict issue? That's great. At least you've thought about it and people behind you will have distinct signals of your intentions. As for the "Switch" idea, I did that two Jeeps ago. I installed a simple two-way toggle in the door jamb of the Jeep. Long story short, I wired it so that when towing it, the toggle was flipped such that, the Jeeps brake light signal was routed to the dash of the coach.
Then, when driving the Jeep, the toggle was flipped the other way which, would send the Jeeps brake light signal, to the Jeeps brake lights, as normal. There are ways of doing it with relays but, I'm not smart enough to do it that way.
I towed over 80K miles with a fixed arm tow bar, and I'm glad I now have an adjustable Blue Ox Adventa II. For me, the convenience is worth the price.
