VASE Brake System Stops Towed Vehicles

2003 - Volume #27, Issue #6, Page #40

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You can activate the brakes on any car or truck being towed behind another vehicle with the new VASE brake system.
  Developed by Paul Cinquemani, a retired automotive engineer and long-time RV'er, the VASE (Vacuum Activated Self Energizing) brake system taps into the towed vehicle's power brakes and automatically activates them when the brakes on the towing vehicle are applied.
  The heart of the VASE system is a 44-lb. actuator which brakes the towed vehicle by applying pressure to the brake pedal. The actuator mounts in front of the pedal. When the driver of the towing vehicle applies the brakes, kinetic energy causes the heavy actuator to slide forward onto the brake pedal. The actuator slides on a stationary platform that grips the floorboards. A spring pulls the actuator back away from the brake pedal to release the brakes. Spring tension can be adjusted to keep brakes from being applied by accident when going down steep grades.
  A second part of the system is an auxiliary vacuum kit. This is made up of a small vacuum pump and on-off switch, both of which are installed in the engine compartment. The switch and wiring to the pump hook into an empty slot in the vehicle's fuse box. A hose from the pump hooks into the brake vacuum booster. The pump operates only when the vacuum in the booster is lower than normal (usually 18.5 in. vacuum) and draws less amperage than the dome light in most cars. The pump will not operate with the engine running, since the engine produces slightly greater vacuum than the auxiliary pump, so it's not necessary to switch off the pump before driving the towed vehicle. Cinquemani recommends switching off the pump with the toggle switch under the hood when the vehicle is being driven. However, if left switched on, the pump will run whenever the vacuum drops enough to turn it on.
  Cinquemani says installation takes less than an hour in most vehicles, and never more than an hour and a half. The actuator doesn't have to be removed from the vehicle. Rather, it can be turned 90-degrees so it sits against the seat out of the way of the driver.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, VASE Brake Systems, 348 Robin Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035 (ph 440 759-2000; email: vasebrake@aol.com).

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VASE Brake System Stops Towed Vehicles PICKUPS Accessories 27-6-40 You can activate the brakes on any car or truck being towed behind another vehicle with the new VASE brake system. Developed by Paul Cinquemani, a retired automotive engineer and long-time RV'er, the VASE (Vacuum Activated Self Energizing) brake system taps into the towed vehicle's power brakes and automatically activates them when the brakes on the towing vehicle are applied. The heart of the VASE system is a 44-lb. actuator which brakes the towed vehicle by applying pressure to the brake pedal. The actuator mounts in front of the pedal. When the driver of the towing vehicle applies the brakes, kinetic energy causes the heavy actuator to slide forward onto the brake pedal. The actuator slides on a stationary platform that grips the floorboards. A spring pulls the actuator back away from the brake pedal to release the brakes. Spring tension can be adjusted to keep brakes from being applied by accident when going down steep grades. A second part of the system is an auxiliary vacuum kit. This is made up of a small vacuum pump and on-off switch, both of which are installed in the engine compartment. The switch and wiring to the pump hook into an empty slot in the vehicle's fuse box. A hose from the pump hooks into the brake vacuum booster. The pump operates only when the vacuum in the booster is lower than normal (usually 18.5 in. vacuum) and draws less amperage than the dome light in most cars. The pump will not operate with the engine running, since the engine produces slightly greater vacuum than the auxiliary pump, so it's not necessary to switch off the pump before driving the towed vehicle. Cinquemani recommends switching off the pump with the toggle switch under the hood when the vehicle is being driven. However, if left switched on, the pump will run whenever the vacuum drops enough to turn it on. Cinquemani says installation takes less than an hour in most vehicles, and never more than an hour and a half. The actuator doesn't have to be removed from the vehicle. Rather, it can be turned 90-degrees so it sits against the seat out of the way of the driver. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, VASE Brake Systems, 348 Robin Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035 (ph 440 759-2000; email: vasebrake@aol.com).

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