Yahoo Message Number: 149318 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/lifewithalazydazerv/conversations/messages/149318)
"Our new to us 2006 RB came with a Ready Brute tow bar which has a surge brake built into it. I checked with a local hitch company, a Ready Brute dealer, that has experience installing this tow bar and was asked whether I wanted the brake system hooked up or jut use it as a tow bar."
Mike and Genny
Why wouldn't you want to use the Ready Brute, if it fits? This type of tow brake has been around for along time. If the dealer can successfully connect the surge brake to your tow car, go ahead and try it. It shouldn't cost that much to hook it up. If it works satisfactory, you have saved a lot of money, it not, you will not be out that much.
To correctly install the Ready Brute install requires a clear pathway for the cable from the towbar to the car's brake pedal. Many of todays tightly packed engine bays do not have a the required access and will require a different type of tow brake.
A downside to surge-type brakes is the stress applied to the brake pedal assembly. Since the power brake booster is not activated with this type of tow brake, very high pedal pressure is needed to slow the toad down. Over the long term with non-boosted tow brakes, some vehicles have developed stress cracks in the body around the pedal assembly. The lighter the toad, the less the stress will be.
It may not be the best system for a heavy toad, instead a boosted system such as the SMI or Readybrake might be a better choice..
Larry