dinghy brakes

[gil]

hi guys -

considering the weight the truck conversions are originally built to haul - if i wanted to tow a honda crv 4-up, do i need to equip the crv with a braking system?

if yes - is it because of a legal issue or a practical safety issue?

if i need to have brakes on the dinghy - any suggestions on the brand to use?

thanks loads,

gil

[DrFun]

We tow a Honda CR-V four-wheels-down. I believe the brake capacity of our conversion is more than adequate for the toad 99% of the time. I researched weight-limit laws and concluded that I could probably get away without having a brake system on the toad.

BUT, that 1% chance was the catalyst that caused me to get an SMI Brake system. It includes a breakaway switch and an indicator that tells me when the toad brakes are applied. The toad brakes don't come on very often but there's some peace of mind knowing my braking distances are shortened a few feet in a panic stop.

For more info, see: Weight Limit Laws and Tow Bars Unlimited.

Another helpful site is: SMI Manufacturing.

[gil]

hey allan

thanks for the quick reply!

i had several other questions -

whose tow bar do you use?

did you do the crv mods yourself?

i have read a number of threads about using magnetic rear lights on the back of the crv vs. getting into the crv wiring - so you thoughts there? (or is it a mute point because you need to get into the wiring for the brake system?)

thanks again for the help.

gil

[DrFun]

Hi Gil,

I went with a Remco towbar with a Blue Ox base plate. See: Tow Bar + Base Plate package.

I did all the installation myself. Installing the base plate was not difficult -- remove some stock Honda plates and bolt on the base plate using the same mounting holes.

The lights were a different story... I decided to run new wiring to a separate set of bulbs that I mounted inside the CR-V light housings. It was a big pain. If I had to do it over, I would probably go with the magnetic lights. They're a little bit more expensive but don't require extensive installation and can be easily moved to another vehicle.

The brake system was pretty easy to install. Mine is the older 'box in front of the seat attached to the brake pedal' system that has a vacuum pump. This system has minimal connections to the Honda wiring -- just power and brake light switch.

As for the CR-V, if you have an automatic be sure to follow the 'pre-towing' instructions to prevent damaging your transmission.

Hope this helps.

Keep smiling,
Alan