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Topic: 2011 Honda CRV with SMI Stay-in-Play as a Towd (Read 7 times) previous topic - next topic
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2011 Honda CRV with SMI Stay-in-Play as a Towd
Yahoo Message Number: 147161
After 4,000 miles and 3 time zones, I think the teething issues are mostly resolved with a toad behind our 2013 31 IB and I'm  posting this to give others info that may be helpful and to admit my reservations on the SMI (posted earlier) are mostly unfounded.

An earlier post lamented about burning up a set of brakes upon first setting out over the Sierra Nevada on I-80 and worries about it being a problem with the SMI system acting oddly.  The brakes were replaced in Salt Lake and were found to be pristine after 3200 miles when the toad tires were replaced in Raleigh, NC.  When the tires were done, I found the brake fluid was significantly contaminated with water.  This may have been the cause of  brakes dragging  and had nothing to do with the SMI.

I have found that the engine & trans seem well capable of handling fairly steep downgrades using gearing down and engine compression to minimize the use of the brakes.  With the SMI set to low sensitivity, the toad brakes don't engage short of sudden-stop brake events.  The toad weight of 3900# loaded is not a problem.

When we get home, I will be installing an in-cab brake light as recommended by several well experienced posters.  I did not have the time between pickup and departure to have one installed.   Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive 12 LED brake light that fits a 2" receiver hitch.   One is installed on my roof-rack and is visible thru the back window.   I found that the backup camera sees this and the 4 LED indicator light supplied by  SMI as white rather than red.   This may be an artifact of the camera and LED technologies - red painted trucks passing are seen as red, but the lights are white.   Go figure.

We have had a problem with the toad battery.  The daytime running lights stay on when the key is in the accessory position for towing.   Instructions for turning them off did not seem to work.  Pulling fuse #37 does.   (Memo to self, resolve this situation prior to crossing border into Canada).  That remains something to be worked out.   Suggestions to pull fuse #34 (accessories) has not been needed.
Cramping World sells a cutout switch kit for fuses- I may pick up on for fuse #37, if I can't figure out the Honda way of disable it the daytime lights.

Since we are running short on places East, we'll be turning North soon.  Who knows what teething issues await?

Joel & Mary Charlie and Dora

Still no RV name yet....
Joel & Terry Wiley
dog Zeke
2013  31 IB   Orwan   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE
 
Re: 2011 Honda CRV with SMI Stay-in-Play as a Towd
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147162
Thanks for the update.  Glad your enjoying the RV.

The lights may show white because of blown highlights.  Simply put the light metering in the video equipment can not adjust fast enough to show the color as the eye sees it. The lights are so much brighter that the background already metered.  I suspect that if the lights were another color the issue would remain the same.

I could be very wrong.  Just a guess.

John
Currently: 2008 36' Tiffin Open Road
Previously: 2007 Mid Bath