Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 14, 2025 ...

Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

October 09, 2014, 11:54:27 am

Recently my AF1 auxiliary braking system stopped working.  I discovered the problem when the toad brake light on the motorhome dash stopped illuminating while braking  and confirmed it by pulling out the emergency-break away plug from the toad.

The issue was an actuating cylinder cable that broke at the anchor where it attached to toad floor/firewall. The cable broke because it entered the floor/firewall anchor at a 90 degree angle. SMI Manufacturing fixed the cylinder and provided a new anchor that allows the cable to enter the anchor straight in. They did the repair promptly and free of charge except for shipping each way. 

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #1 – October 10, 2014, 10:08:07 pm

I plan to check mine.  In fact, this winter, I'm going back to the installer (it's been almost 25K miles) and ask him to do a complete system inspection for any problems.

Rich

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #2 – October 10, 2014, 10:30:15 pm

Air force One may be a good system but being close to Athens, Texas I have the M&G system and only have to hook up the air hose and the break away chord.  Tks DAN

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #3 – October 10, 2014, 11:34:30 pm

Dan, just as simple to hook up the Air Force one...just plug in electric line rather than air....but I am thinking it does not do promotional braking...?  I suspect it is either on or off.

And since the retarder I think triggers it coming on, then I begIn to wonder if the toad can be trying to stop the coach with full braking when all I need is the retarder slowing it until the last bit when I apply the air brakes.

If so, if, then the MG may be superior?

Mike

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #4 – October 11, 2014, 12:14:50 am

Air Force One does proportional braking,  and only when the air brakes are applied.

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #5 – October 11, 2014, 05:27:56 am

Would have the M&G setup IF it  could be installed without destroying the fender well of my F150, might like to  sell the pickup one day, surely a destroyed inner fender would be a hard sell. Had the setup, but after looking at the possibilities, returned it and went with the Air Force setup, no issues yet, so am smiling so far.

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #6 – October 11, 2014, 09:03:06 am

Michael:  My understanding and experience is that the M&G braking occurs only when you press the brake pedal hard.  I don't think the retarder will activate the braking system.  Tks DAN

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #7 – October 11, 2014, 10:43:13 am

My Airforce One comes off the tag brake can.  It is proportional and only works when I step on the brake.

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #8 – October 11, 2014, 04:57:53 pm

Its my understanding that both M&G and AF 1 are proportional only when the service brakes are applied. The Transmission Retarder and the Jake Brake have no effect on either towed braking system. My reason for picking the M&G is its simplicity of operation and its slightly lower costs. It's mechanical. It either works or doesn't. It won't cause any problems with the coach air brakes.

In the four years we have had it I believe that it has prevented three crashes where people pulled in front of us and then hit the brakes. All three ended in a matter of inches to avoid a crash. One young lady in a black mustang who was in the Houston area may owe her life to the M&G towed brakes. Whew!

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #9 – October 11, 2014, 05:11:58 pm

I could not fit the M&G without cutting the metal on the jeep fender firewall so went with the AF one.

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #10 – October 11, 2014, 07:17:11 pm

I looked hard at several brake systems.
 I didn't care that some states wanted one thing and some another.
I wanted something that increased the braking capability of the unit - the coach AND the toad.

My criterion were that:
    it used the coach air to give me portional braking.
    I didn't want rods that pushed or cables that pulled, I wanted a simple application.

I only looked for toads that could use the M&G system.
I hook up 1 airline, and 1 breakaway cable in addition to the normal electrical line, Blue Ox connections, and safety  cables,  put the car in neutral/park, test the steering to make sure I put have disengaged the wheel lock, and off we go.

When I don't tow the Jeep, I don't do anything.

I couldn't be happier.

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #11 – October 11, 2014, 07:34:28 pm

Well, this will at least be funny!  Jackie called me from a resale shop she was enjoying, but ready to leave.  The jeep could not be moved, the brake pedal to the floor and something running noise under the hood.

Took me a while to get there, but quickly saw the problem

That running noise under the hood was the brake emergency compressor.  Someone had stolen the brake plug that you attach to when towing, that if the toad breaks away, that sets the toad brake.  That wouldn't normally be a problem.

Right away I guessed as you will....  BUT if your shoe hits the switch on the brake system to turn it on, as you get in the car, it locks the brakes, shuts you down!  Will not move.  No way.  Getter going again easy, turn the thing off.

Gotta get an extra one of those little brake plug disconnect thingees

Mike

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Re: Air Force One Auxiliary Braking

Reply #12 – October 11, 2014, 09:50:51 pm

I think there is a fuse you can pull too.

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