The shop that installed the blue ox base plate on the Sooby is finalizing everything. The one thing the shop nor I care for is the cable for the ready brake is rough and sounds like it is sawing a tree when being pulled from the coach side. Yet when pressing the brake pedal everything is quiet and smooth and the cable extends as it should. The shop is disappointed in the setup but would need to remove the entire front end of the car to even get access to the cable. It was a very twisty route because of the wide flat 4 engine. But the 6 inch minimum radius bends were not violated.
In the end I'm not going to worry too much. The Sooby just exceeds (by 100 lbs) the limit for not even needing a brake. I'll likely just set the cable rather loose to meet legal requirements.
I think you will like it as you start using it. Hookup and disconnect will get quick. Make a check list for both processes and follow it. Double check the connections and lights.
I left plenty of extra cable at the brake pedal end. I disconnect it and pull it out from the other end until I reach the end of the cable inside. Then wipe the exposed cable with grease and pull it back in and reattach to the brake pedal. Once a year works for me. I have a spare length of cable, cable clamps, thimbles (end loops) and an extra clevis.
I brought up cable lube with the installers. Would have been nice for the instructions to have mentioned that or even come pre-lubed from NSA. I had a couple of questions on another area and ended up talking with the owner of NSA (most of the crew was on holiday)
The installers like the overall idea of and the build quality of the NSA tow bar. But it was the roughness of the cable movement that was off putting to the shop.
The shop also mentioned that the blue ox base plate was way over engineered and looks like it was made for a very heavy truck. So was quite time consuming to install and that the instructions were beyond crappy. With blurry text and non-existent pictures of where to drill. Not likely going to like the labor on that base plate install. :o
We have used our Ready Brute Elite for over 7 months now on our Jeep Wrangler and over 10,000 miles without issue. It's easy to hook up and detach. After returning home I gave it a thorough cleanup and added grease to the zirc fittings and other than a bit of road wear it continues to work well. I like the fact that it's mechanical and not connected to the air or electric systems of the coach....other than lights.
Hi Randy
Glad to here about your satisfaction with the Ready Brute Elite. I'm expecting my new wrangler anyway now and have been leaning towards the Ready Brute so good timing with your review. What tow harness did you use? I was looking at Cool Tech for the harness and Blue Ox for the base plate or aftermarket bumper. Any suggestions are always welcome.
Greg
We like it as well. The shop was having a tough time with the brake cable. In the end. I do believe he was not giving it enough slack. When I got home and took the keys out of the ignition and locked the car. I saw my brake lights come on and the cable was tight. So I added a small double ended shackle to extend it about an inch Also in about 10-15 miles of testing. The hanger that the brake cable goes through has already wore through to the cable sheath down to bare cable. That doesn't seem right. I may try to squeeze a grommet in there. It looks like the cable would brake after not too long a time.
We have 35,000 miles towing on ours, plastic cover on the cable is worn off, cable is fine. I carry a spare cable, cable clamps, etc. just in case.
Greg - we have a Rugged Ridge front bumper and had to modify the D-ring attachment points (good welder) to accept the RB Custom Clevis. We'll be out of town until next week but happy to send photos. We like the RR bumper which is frame mounted, avoid the need for base plate and can accept a winch if needed (we don't).
The lighting was simple using this kit:
Roadmaster Tail Light Wiring Kit with Bulbs Roadmaster Tow Bar Wiring RM-155 (https://www.etrailer.com/Tow-Bar-Wiring/Roadmaster/RM-155.html)
Adds a second bulb to the Jeep rear light housing and allows a totally separate brake/turn bulb which eliminates any need to tie into the jeep electrical system. EZ to run from front to back along Jeep frame rails.
Here's a link to our post with a picture:
Hooking Up The Toad (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=33183.msg308239#msg308239)
Also consider that the height of the Jeep attachment. Our required a 6" rise (simply reverse the drop) from the FT hitch using these:
http://www.readybrake.com/store/p24/0%22-_6%22_Drop_Class_V_Trailer_Hitches_%7C_8%22-_10%22_Drop_Class_III_Trailer_Hitches.html
Thanks for the info Roger.
It just seems weird that it does that. Might cobble something together at some point. Perhaps a nylon sleeve and shrink wrap it on. I just imagine that if one was pulled over for whatever reason and an LE stopped and saw that. They might think it un-serviceable. But, I do have a spare. ^.^d
When we towed our Wrangler the cable went straight back from the actuator arm through the guide to the bumper. Very little wear then. With the Cherokee the cable goes more downhill after the guide and the plastic coating on the cable wore off pretty quick. The cable seems OK. Even of you has a plastic bushing of some sort I think the cable coating wouldn't last too long. It is something to keep an eye on from time to time.
Another question for you Roger and other Ready Brute users. The brake away cable didn't come with any sort of assembly for passing through the firewall. Directions are to drill a hole and pass it through. We drove in a lot of rain today. We now have lake Subaru on the floor of our one week old car. The sooby has a double firewall. So there is likely water exactly where I don't want it and can't get to.
How did you seal up this cable?
Leave the cable a bit slack on the inside with the pedal undepressed. Seal the hole completely where the cable goes through from both the inside and outside. This cable doesn't need to move except in the event of an emergency so seal it up.
Roger
Never thought about giving it some slack. ^.^d Guess that's why I'm not a rocket scientist. :)) That will be good project after we get to Learyville.
When I got out of graduate school nearly 50 yars ago I worked on a NASA contract to write complex computer simulation software to model the recovery of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster. None of the space shuttle had been built yet but I helped show that recovering the solid rocket boosters would work. No PCs then. Maybe I was a rocket scientist.
The SRBs with the parachute recovery system were over 800 ft tall and remain the largest objects ever recovered using parachutes.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OYf_ZdmtGnA
Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster - Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Solid_Rocket_Booster)
As I recall. Those boosters were super sized versions of and closely related to the minuteman II rocket motor system. The minuteman II was the system I worked on. I was in targeting. Used a Wilde-heerbrugg Theodolite to align the missile guidance and control section. And run the Mylar tapes to input the various target parameters.
All I was is a rocket engine mechanic. Not a rocket scientist.
No way are you allowed to post an old group picture like that and not point yourself out. Consider yourself reprimanded :))
Third from the right top row. Around 1963 H-1 rocket engine in the background.
Damn Craneman, you guys were just kids working on rocket engines.