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Old 07-23-2020, 01:49 PM   #61
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Here you go. The cheapest solution.


Use a chain to tow it and have your wife in the car to apply the brakes!


In Tennessee I see it all the time so it must be safe.

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Old 07-23-2020, 01:52 PM   #62
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Here you go. The cheapest solution.


Use a chain to tow it and have your wife in the car to apply the brakes!


In Tennessee I see it all the time so it must be safe.
Most states require you to use a pipe with that chain for any toad over 500 lbs!

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Old 07-23-2020, 02:25 PM   #63
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Here you go. The cheapest solution.


Use a chain to tow it and have your wife in the car to apply the brakes!


In Tennessee I see it all the time so it must be safe.
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Old 07-23-2020, 04:05 PM   #64
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In Texas when I checked on this information, ANY TYPE of vehicle being towed by another over 3000lbs required auxillary braking system, breakaway braking system & safety chains or cables, chains/cables excluded on 5th wheels but required on goosenecks.
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Old 07-23-2020, 04:42 PM   #65
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RVibrake & AAA big difference in information

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RVibrake & AAA big difference in information for Michigan
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Old 07-23-2020, 06:29 PM   #66
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To me this is not rocket science...... it comes down to common sense, which seems to be lacking these days.

1) If you know a state(s) you will be driving through, Google the state and towed vehicle brake requirements and you will find the what the law stipulates.

2) If your rig is heavy enough that most states require brakes or at least a breakaway brake system, then you should probably be using a supplemental brakes even if your state doesn't require it.

3) Even if your state doesn't require it..... and even if it is a one in a million chance your toad breaks free.... do you want to be responsible for it hitting someone and potentially causing damage, injury or worse?


I remember several years ago an industrial size wood chipper was being towed and broke free from the back of a truck. It crossed the center line and hit a car with a father and three kids.... they were all killed.

How would you feel if your toad broke free without supplemental braking, crossed the center line and that happened to someone else's family?

Is spending $1000 - $2000 that much money to be as safe as possible in the grand scheme of things?
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Old 07-23-2020, 06:43 PM   #67
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c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any of the following combinations of vehicles, if the combination of vehicles meets the stopping distance requirements of Section 26454:
(1) Vehicles engaged in driveaway-towaway operations.
(2) Disabled vehicles, while being towed.
(3) Towed motor vehicles.
(4) Trailers equipped with inertially controlled brakes which are designed to be applied automatically upon breakaway from the towing vehicle and which are capable of stopping and holding the trailer stationary for not less than 15 minutes.
(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 121, Sec. 1.)



I believe you are correct..... ONLY if you can demonstrate / prove the following per sub-section C above:

From Section 26454:

Single-unit property-carrying vehicles having a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds, except truck tractors; combinations of a 2-axle towing vehicle and trailer having a GVWR of 3,000 pounds or less; all combinations of 2 or fewer vehicles in driveaway or towaway operation are required to demonstrate:

1) Max Stopping Distance at 20MPH: 35 Feet

2) Braking force as a percentage of gross vehicle or combination weight: 43.5

3) Deceleration in feet per second at 20MPH: 14

4) Maximum Stopping Distance of Emergency Brake at 20MPH: 85 Feet

I have only looked up a couple of states so thank you for the PA law. That one is specific in saying a towed vehicle.

CA does not as you mentioned. However, we dont have to prove the braking ability of our vehicles. The burden of proof is always on the government. The citing officer would have to somehow know and proceed that your tight is incapable of stopping in those distances. Highly unlikely that would ever happen. I could see if you were involved in an accident and the other party had a great lawyer m, then maybe they would test this. Also a highly unlikely scenario. As long as you have insurance your company will pay and be done with it most of the time.

Thank you for the information.
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Old 07-23-2020, 06:48 PM   #68
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Let me put you in touch with my Legal team:

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Old 07-23-2020, 06:53 PM   #69
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In Texas when I checked on this information, ANY TYPE of vehicle being towed by another over 3000lbs required auxillary braking system, breakaway braking system & safety chains or cables, chains/cables excluded on 5th wheels but required on goosenecks.
Please post the Texas law requiring it. This is the entire point of my post. Magazines, articles and the internet say all kinds of things and people keep posting it is required. Unless there is a law requiring it then all of that is worthless.

I briefly looked at Texas transportation code 547.405. It lists when trailer brakes are required and does not appear to include a towed vehicle.
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Old 07-23-2020, 06:55 PM   #70
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RVibrake & AAA big difference in information for Michigan
They are the 2 biggest issues here. Both have a state by state listing. They sometimes have differing information and neither of them reference any state laws. They are not legitimate sources for these laws.
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Old 07-23-2020, 06:59 PM   #71
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Thank you all for the replies. I hope at least some have seen what I'm getting at here. Read the laws of the states you are travelling through. Very few actually require braking systems on TOADs. So far the only one I've seen is PA.

Dont rely on websites, opinions or articles for legal advice. Read the actual law. RVIbrake is trying to sell brakes sonof course they tell you they are required in every state.
AAA is a bit disappointing that they dont have factual information or cite the laws.

I am not trying to say extra brakes arent good or that you shouldn't have them. All I am getting at is if you are going to tell someone they are required then you should verify you are giving them factual information.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:00 PM   #72
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I have only looked up a couple of states so thank you for the PA law. That one is specific in saying a towed vehicle.

CA does not as you mentioned. However, we dont have to prove the braking ability of our vehicles. The burden of proof is always on the government. The citing officer would have to somehow know and proceed that your tight is incapable of stopping in those distances. Highly unlikely that would ever happen. I could see if you were involved in an accident and the other party had a great lawyer m, then maybe they would test this. Also a highly unlikely scenario. As long as you have insurance your company will pay and be done with it most of the time.

Thank you for the information.
It wouldn't take someone hiring a great lawyer. Insurance companies don't want to pay claims if at all possible.

If in an accident and the other guy's insurance company felt your rig was too heavy and unable to meet the published state laws, his insurance company would do what it could to prove the accident was the result of inadequate braking. That could force your insurance company to pay even if on paper you did not appear to be at fault. Then your rates go up....

Just saying....
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:06 PM   #73
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If you just pick a state and start searching and read all the fine print, you will usually find something like this....

Ohio

Lawriter - ORC - 4513.20 Brake equipment for vehicles.


(4) When operated upon the highways of this state, the following vehicles shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and to hold the vehicle, designed to be applied by the driver of the towing motor vehicle from its cab, and also designed and connected so that, in case of a breakaway of the towed vehicle, the brakes shall be automatically applied:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every trailer or semitrailer, except a pole trailer, with an empty weight of two thousand pounds or more, manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 1942;

(b) Every manufactured home or travel trailer with an empty weight of two thousand pounds or more, manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 2001.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:15 PM   #74
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If you just pick a state and start searching and read all the fine print, you will usually find something like this....

Ohio

Lawriter - ORC - 4513.20 Brake equipment for vehicles.


(4) When operated upon the highways of this state, the following vehicles shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and to hold the vehicle, designed to be applied by the driver of the towing motor vehicle from its cab, and also designed and connected so that, in case of a breakaway of the towed vehicle, the brakes shall be automatically applied:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every trailer or semitrailer, except a pole trailer, with an empty weight of two thousand pounds or more, manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 1942;

(b) Every manufactured home or travel trailer with an empty weight of two thousand pounds or more, manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 2001.

That only applies to the vehicle that follow on in that law. None of them reference a flat towed vehicle.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:16 PM   #75
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It wouldn't take someone hiring a great lawyer. Insurance companies don't want to pay claims if at all possible.

If in an accident and the other guy's insurance company felt your rig was too heavy and unable to meet the published state laws, his insurance company would do what it could to prove the accident was the result of inadequate braking. That could force your insurance company to pay even if on paper you did not appear to be at fault. Then your rates go up....

Just saying....
I agree with you here. If my insurance company allowed that to happen I'd be finding a new company. If you are following the laws and not being a negligent driver you should be covered. Insurance companies do some crazy stuff sometimes though.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:20 PM   #76
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That only applies to the vehicle that follow on in that law. None of them reference a flat towed vehicle.
If I dig a little deeper, I'll bet I could find that.....

In any case, IMHO anything over 1500lbs should be capable of breakaway braking.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:21 PM   #77
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If you have just run over somebody because you couldn't stop: do you really want to try and hang your hat on the differences between the letter, and the spirit of the law?
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:30 PM   #78
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If I dig a little deeper, I'll bet I could find that.....

In any case, IMHO anything over 1500lbs should be capable of breakaway braking.
I'm not so sure.

I agree with your opinion. All I'm saying here is people need to stop telling others something is a law or requirement when it is not.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:32 PM   #79
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If you have just run over somebody because you couldn't stop: do you really want to try and hang your hat on the differences between the letter, and the spirit of the law?
As I have said multiple times throughout this thread, show me any time this has happened. Also slowing down and following at a safe distance are effective means of preventing this scenario.

Yes I do. You cant be thrown in jail or fined for violating the spirit of the law. Only the letter of the law. Spirit of the law is what allows LE to not cite one for violating a law. Not for people to interpret it to mean something it doesnt say.
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Old 07-23-2020, 07:41 PM   #80
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With all of those "Social Justice Warriors" lurking in so many courtrooms: are you sure?
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