Towing H3 behind motorhome?

[Gottmud]

I am very curious. How on earth do you use a brake buddy on an H3 ?????
I could not think of a more dangerous product to use with the way the H3 braking system is set up. The brake buddy will work on the majority of vehicles, but NOT THE H3. Please do your homework, and find out why.

[Gottmud]

This is the only & correct way for an H3 braking system. Do not let anyone tell you differently. You have one chance of stopping when you need to. Do it the correct way.

The Unified Tow Brake is designed for use with towed vehicles equipped with vacuum-assist power brakes. The Unified Tow Brake will not function if installed on a towed vehicle without vacuum-assist power brakes.

(The Unified Tow Brake may also be used with towed vehicles equipped with a separate DC pump for Hydro-Boost power brakes (including H3 Hummer).

[1Coyote]

Thought I would let everyone know the system that I went with and has worked well for over 6000 miles now. Towing system is the blue ox and the braking system designed for H3 and a coach with air ride is the airforce one. This system has worked incredibly well.

1Coyote

[Agriv8r]

thanx for the info, i get that question alot and usually recommend the blue ox....

[tomgcherry]

OK...FOLKS...Here is what Brake Buddy Says...DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT USE A BRAKE BUDDY on a 2008 H3. I can NOT speak for prior years. The H3 has an ELECTRO-Hydraulic system...NOT the STANDARD Vacuum Assist on Hydraulic System. The Brake Buddy is designed for a Dead (Bled Down) Pedal. The Hummer (H3) Electric Boost is NEVER SHUT DOWN. Therefore, you will LOCK UP THE WHEELS...even is you try to turn the pressure down ALL THE WAY. This is also the system that they Hybrids use (engine is NOT always running...therefore NO continuous Vacuum boost). Going to cost me more $$'s....people suggest the SMGI or other systems...still doing research.

[Donald Smith]

Oh my friends
H3 has electric assist brakes. What I did was relay power to the assist system while also disconnecting power from the H3 power assist and changing to the RV, while also charging the H3 battery . I did this so I would not drain the H3 battery and not leave the key on. I just plug in my towing cord all this happens, its simple wiring and relay. Brake Buddy works fine if you have power assist working which it is. I amazed the folks at Brake Buddy. If anyone is interested PM me and I will send the drawing to show you how.

Don

[Donald Smith]

FYI
American Eagle MH and 2006 H3 Lux. Demco towbar.

[alphadriver]

I don't know where you guys are getting your information. I have a 2008 H3 Alpha that I tow behind my 43' 2005 MountainAire Diesel pusher. I flat tow and use the brake buddy. I have towed over 9000 this year and have had absolutely no issues what so ever. I installed a Blue Ox base plate kit and use the Blue Ox Aventa tow bar which is rated for 10000 lbs. The reason that I went with the Blue Ox base plate is that it reinforces the frame where many of the others do not. There are two 3/8" thick angle iron braces that bolted to the frame to reinforce the attachment point. There is a 3/16" thick flange plate that attaches to the front of the frame but it is not strong enough or supported well enough to sustain the constant push pull of towing. The reinforing angle irons that attaches behind each flange provides the needed reinforcement. The base plate uses the same bolts that attached the tow hooks. I also used the axuilliary lighting kit which bypasses the hummers electrical system. I didn't want to run any power through the electrical system. The brake and turn signal lights are a single light bulb that is fitted inton the brake light housing. The wiring runs from the aux. bulbs up to the power receptical that is attached to the front bumper. The power comes from the motorhome and runs directly to the light kit. The brake buddy works flawlessly. All you have to do to put the H3 in the tow mode is turn the key to the on mode push and hold the four wheel high button and the four wheel low button simultaniously for about 10 seconds until you see the neutral light. Start the engine put the tranmission in drive to make sure that the transfer case is disengaged, then shut of the engine, put the tranmission in park take the key out attach your tow bar install your brake buddy and go.

[tomgcherry]

AlphaDriver...

ALL I KNOW is that the Tech Support Person that I talked to at Brake Buddy UNEQUIVICALLY said NOT to use my Advantage Brake Buddy Controller (or ANY BRAKE BUDDY SYSTEM) with the 2008 H3 with the Electric Assist Braking system. I also talked to one of the "other" manufacturers and THEY explained that the Electric Assist Braking was "hot wired (Fused)" and ALWAYS on. Therefore, it was NOT possible to regulate the Brake Buddy's controller with the Hummer. There are Horror Stories (maybe they Maladjusted their Brake Buddy) on the other RV forums about Brake Buddy systems (and OTHERS) Locking up the wheels and putting flat spots on the tires...ruining them. I do NOT doubt your success...and I only post this based on what the Tech Support folks at Brake Buddy told me. One of the other systems (Roadmaster?) also has a pressure reducing valve to reduce the pedal pressure. Brake Buddy said that some folks were turning down the pressure on the Brake Buddy, but that would NOT work. I have used my Brake Buddy Advantage for 2 years WITHOUT any problems on my Ford Explorer, however, Brake Buddy said that if I used it on my new Hummer H3, that THEY would NOT be responsible...

The rest of your post is very informative...I decided after researching the baseplates that the Blue Ox is the EASIEST and BEST Base Plate. The Roadmaster requires a Hatchet Job on the skid plate. Your comments about the lighting is also right on...that is why Blue Ox is the way to go.

Thanks,

Need some of the techies to explain this to us...

[act1guy]

I have a question (maybe a dumb one). Is there any way to wire into the factory electric assist to apply the brakes?

[tomgcherry]

There is no easy, or for that matter, a practical way to energize the braking system. Brake Buddy has says to call them if you have Elecro-Hydraulic brakes. I have read a LOT about the use of Brake Buddy on the Hummers. Most cite ruined tires, warped rotors, burned out brakes, etc. Sort of like the old adage....That Rattle Snake never bit me until today and I had picked him up a LOT of times.

The US Gear Tow Brake System is the only one that I have found, when looking at the commonly used system, that will properly work on an H3 Hummer.

I have towed my Hummer about 4500 miles now, in all types of terrain and settings. It has worked flawlessly.

Follow the instructions and install it so that ONLY the Service Brake (the MH's FOOT BRAKE" energizes it. If your MH has an Exhaust or Jake or Enginer Retarder Brake, THAT system PROBABLY activates your MH Brake Lights. YOU DO NOT WANT THIS SIGNAL.

You want the Brake Pedal Brake Light SWITCH Signal. US Gear tells you how to find this signal and if you need a Diode. Most Newer MH's are wired or prewired for Braking Systems. The "Brake Signal" is ONLY from the Service Brakes...not the other system.

SMI, a very good vendor, does NOT discuss Electro Hydraulic system...so US Gear is the one that I chose and have not regretted it.