Brakemaster Help

[Dan Murphy]

We have a 2009 Contessa that has the Brakemaster 9000 system installed with a light on the dash of the motorhome.
I assume that the motorhome is equipped with the correct parts! I have no brake set up yet in my toad which is a 2013 Ford Cmax Hybrid.
Lazy Days says it might be as much as $1700 to order what I need and install the parts in my car.This seems very high to me.
Does anybody have the second car kit for Brakemaster that is not being used and I might buy??

[Bill Sprague]

Dan,

I have a Brakemaster (by Roadmaster).  I don't know if it is "9000".  It was installed by Torque Lift in Kent, WA 5 years ago.  

The motorhome part is simple.  There is a "T" installed in a air brake line with air hose going to a fitting near the motorhome hitch.  Then a simple and single wire is run from near the hitch to the dash light.  Parts might be around $50 and labor about an hour.

The car is more complicated.  Although the actuator is simple and easy to use, there is more work and more parts.  The driver seat needs to have a bracket installed and the seat may need to be modified.  An air line needs to go through the fire wall to the a fitting at the grill.  A wire needs to parallel the air line.  The most expensive and complicated part is the breakaway portion.  It is an automatic device and switch that contains enough pressurized air to apply the car brakes should the car become disconnected from the motorhome while driving.  As I recall, the breakaway device and the labor to install it was nearly half of my bill.  With any luck at all, you will never use the breakaway system!

The $1700, considering shop rates necessary at places like Lazy Days, seems about right to me.   You can get other quotes.  Camping World carries and installs the complete Roadmaster line.  Most cities have independent hitch installers and some will be Roadmaster dealer/installers.  

[Richard And Babs Ames]

http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Roadmaster/RM-98160.html?feed=npn&gclid=CMqorMf57rwCFQHNOgod9icAvA


Example (see above) second Car Kit $399.95 and my neighbor who is a body man installed it and the Blue Ox Base Plate and seperate tail light bulbs for about $400 on our 2012 Dodge Durango.

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks Richard and Bill for your responses. I know the coach is ready to go and I did check E-trailer for parts and even called Brakemaster but I thought the labor sounded really high and I was checking to see also if someone may have a second car system. They don't need or want.
I just need to decide which system to go with. At $1700 I might want to abandon the present system installed on the coach and just get the Air Force 1 for instance.

Dan

[Joel Ashley]

There are a bunch of Brakemasters on EBay, with or without the breakaway kit included, and priced all over the map.  You just have to be sure what all you need and what all a seller is offering.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Roadmaster-9060-BrakeMaster-w-BrakeAway-f-Motorhomes-/360850208793?pt=Motors_RV_Trailer_Camper_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5404593819&vxp=mtr

But we got ours at Camping World with installation.  A year or two later I took the toad into Roadmaster's home here in Portland, and they cleaned up some poor installation issues for free.  Shop around a bit.  If you are anywhere near Vancouver, WA, (their current offices) they'd probably install a Brakemaster and breakaway kit on your Ford for a decent price, and do it right.  As Bill pointed out, the most involved part under my hood is the breakaway installation, which has to be mounted in the right way as per under hood configuration and that varies among vehicle types.  Similarly, a plug-in port plate needs mounting in an appropriate spot around the bumper, depending on hitch bracket mounting and such per vehicle type.  Roadmaster was just better at that than C.W.

Joel