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Get safe, smooth braking for your towed car with this truly proportional braking system. Car slows perfectly in sync with your RV. Installs permanently so you can just plug in and go. Low-profile design keeps it out of sight and out of the way.
Features:
Specs:
"This is the top system I recommend if you have air brakes. Quality, reliable, tried-and-true. It just always works."
A braking system is a must when towing a vehicle behind your motorhome. Without it, the weight of the towed car can create a safety hazard, strain your RV's brakes, and affect the warranty of both your car and motorhome. Most states legally require a supplemental braking system, so if you don't use one and you end up in an accident (which is more likely since your RV takes longer to come to a full stop), your insurance and liability headache just doubled. You also won't have any breakaway system; if there's an accidental disconnect, there's nothing to bring your car to a stop.
The Air Force One is a permanent braking system, which means that it's a one-and-done. Once it's installed, there's no more setup that you have to do. When you plug in the air jumper and the power cord at the front of your vehicle, the system automatically turns on. Just like that, you're ready to flat tow.
While the components are installed permanently in your RV and towed car, they remain concealed and inconspicuous. None of them will interfere with normal driving, and most of the time they are invisible.
The Demco Air Force One offers truly proportional braking for the safest and most comfortable flat towing experience. Proportional braking means that when you apply the brakes in your RV, the braking system will engage the brakes of your toad (towed vehicle) at the same time and with the same intensity. Whether it's a gradual slow down to a red light or a sudden stop in an emergency, your toad and RV will brake together.
To achieve this, the Air Force One ties directly into your motorhome's air brakes and uses the same air pressure that results from you pressing the brake pedal in your coach to pull down the brake pedal in your toad. The result is uniform, real-time braking that exactly mirrors your RV.
This is a huge advantage over inertia-based systems, where the braking is triggered by sensing the forward momentum of your toad. While often effective, this method creates the potential for false braking, where something as simple as rough terrain can activate the system when it's not needed. Not only does this make for a rough ride, but it can also prematurely wear down your toad's brakes over time. The Air Force One will only turn on when you need it, so you can avoid any false braking.
To deliver the pressurized air needed to activate your toad's brakes, the coach air connection assembly taps directly into your RV's air brake lines.
A pressure protection valve collects air from your RV's supply air line and stores it in an air reservoir tank so that it's ready to use when you need it. This 1-way check valve ensures that your RV's air lines maintain consistent pressure so that the motorhome's brakes will not be affected by the Air Force One. It meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) guidelines requiring that supplemental braking systems use a separate air supply and activation relay valve.
On the other side of the air tank, the service relay valve taps into the coach's metered air line. When you press the brake pedal in your RV, the same pressure that's sent to the brakes is sent to the air connection assembly through the service relay valve. The delivery relay valve then sends the pressurized air to the operating unit via the coiled jumper hose connecting the motorhome and toad.
The main operating unit, mounted under the hood of the toad, receives the air from the coach and sends it to the actuating cylinder that attaches to your vehicle's brake pedal. The cylinder will then pull the pedal down and apply the brakes.
With this system, the brakes are applied in the toad at the same time, with the same amount of pressure as in the motorhome. This is what makes it truly proportional.
When you're driving, your vehicle uses vacuum pressure to create the force needed to bring the car to a stop. On most vehicles, this vacuum-assist function does not work when the engine is off. As a result, a lot of supplemental braking systems have to use an excessive amount of pressure to brake the toad.
The Air Force One, on the other hand, reactivates your car's vacuum-assist function by tying into its vacuum line and using the air pressure from the RV to create the needed vacuum. This way your car will brake evenly and naturally as it's being towed, so there's less risk of damage.
"In my experience, this has the most user-friendly installation of all the permanent braking systems. The RV side of the install can be tricky though! It's a little intimidating to cut into the air lines."
The Air Force One comes in 3 main pieces: the coach air connection assembly, the operating unit, and the actuating cylinder.
The coach air connection assembly mounts on the underside of your motorhome, wherever you can find an open, secure place for it. You'll connect it to the supply air line and the metered air line on your RV using the included tees. You'll then route an air hose to the quick-connector on the back of your motorhome.
Quick Tip: The coach air connection assembly needs to be mounted in a location where the air lines will not be exposed to direct heat sources or moving parts; in front of the rear axle is often a good location.
The coiled air hose, also called a jumper, runs between the RV and the toad and connects the coach air assembly to the operating unit. You'll plug it into the quick-connects at the same time as you hook up your tow bar.
The operating unit will typically install under your car's hood. It's designed with a low profile so you can easily find somewhere to put it. Once the unit's mounted, you'll connect the air lines and splice the wires to the breakaway switch, which you'll need to install on the front of your toad.
The final piece is the actuating cylinder, the part that actually presses the brake pedal down in your towed car. It will mount permanently to the arm of the brake pedal and anchor to the firewall. Though it is permanent, it will not interfere with everyday driving. In most vehicles, it is tucked up where you can't even see it.
It connects to the operating unit via an air hose you'll need to run through the firewall. In most cases, you can cut a slit in the hood release cable grommet to pass it through. Either way, you shouldn't have to do any drilling to get the air line hooked up.
There are a lot of steps to installing the Air Force One, but the truth is that there is no "easy" braking system. It's just a question of what kind is best for you. The advantage of the Air Force One is that, once it's installed, you shouldn't have to touch it again. You don't have to find a place to store it between trips or set it up each time you tow. You just connect your electrical cord and jumper hose and you'll be ready to go.
Included with the Air Force One is an LED indicator light for safety and peace of mind. This LED, mounted in the toad (on the dash or on the back of the rearview mirror) and visible in your RV's backup camera, will light up whenever your toad is actively braking. It's a simple way to keep tabs on whether the system is working properly or if something is going wrong.
Most supplemental braking systems have a method of letting you know when they activate, but not all of them are checking if the toad is actually braking. There could be an error that causes the system to activate without actually applying the toad's brakes. Or your brake pedal might be continuously depressed when it shouldn't be. But unless you have a system that's monitoring the pedal, you won't know it until the damage is already done. This indicator, however, connects directly to a reed switch on the actuator so it only lights up when the pedal is depressed.
If there's a strong glare on your toad's windshield, the LED light strip might be hard to see. The wireless Coachlink system (SM99945 - sold separately) is a great solution to this problem; the monitor mounts right on your RV's dashboard so it's directly in view. This is a great add-on for convenience and peace of mind.
The Air Force One also comes with a breakaway system. The breakaway system ensures that your car will come safely to a stop if it accidentally detaches from the RV while you are towing. A switch mounts to the front of the towed vehicle. This switch - which wires to the operating unit - includes a pin that connects to your RV's hitch receiver with a breakaway cable. If the car separates, the cable pulls the pin from the switch, triggering the system. A reserve air supply stored in the operating unit will apply your towed car's brakes. This system also has total coach protection built in: if there is a separation, the motorhome's air supply gets sealed off, so its brakes will continue to function as normal.
Flat towing can be a much more convenient way to take your car RVing with you than using a trailer or a tow dolly. It'll save you storage space both at home and at the campsite, and it takes less time and hassle to hook up.
To flat tow your vehicle, there are 5 basic components you're going to need: a tow bar, a base plate kit, a safety cable set, tow bar wiring, and a flat tow braking system.
| For the RV | Between the RV and Towed Car | For the Towed Car |
|---|---|---|
| Hitch | Tow bar | Base plate |
| Wiring plug | Safety cables | Braking system |
| Wiring adapter cord | Wiring kit/diodes |
The custom-fit base plate installs on the frame of your toad so you can connect the car to your RV with a tow bar. Hook up safety cables between the vehicles to ensure that the toad does not separate from the motorhome if the tow bar becomes detached. Tow bar wiring syncs your vehicle's signal lights with your motorhome's tail lights, as required by law in most states. Finally, the flat tow braking system - also required in most states - activates the brakes in the toad when you hit the brakes in the RV, making for smoother, safer braking, and preventing wear on your motorhome.
Alternate Instructions
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (359 Customer Reviews)
Get safe, smooth braking for your towed car with this truly proportional braking system. Car slows perfectly in sync with your RV. Installs permanently so you can just plug in and go. Low-profile design keeps it out of sight and out of the way.
I wouldn't use anything else! Once this system is installed it's literally plug-and-play. Nothing to move or install into the car, each time you tow. Just plug it into the coach's air break system and you're done. Install video from etrailer made it even easier to complete.
You do need a bit of mechanical guidance/assistance as you're connecting to both your vehicles and coaches breaking system but it has worked flawlessly for over 11,000 miles and in some pretty intense traffic.
AF1 is amazing so far. I did the installation by myself. I have a 2014 Honda CR-V and bought it for towing. Watching the video helped me through it. The car installation portion was pretty straight forward. The video is better than the instructions overall, but I read through the entire instructions before beginning. I was able to install the RV tank without putting the rig on a lift. Depending on how big you are and flexibility, it can be done with the RV on the ground...it just takes longer. Also, I would recommend knowing where you are going to mount your RV tank. I mounted the tank near the rear and didn’t have enough brake tube after doing the car. Picked up an extra 20 ft at Autozone or order the tube with etrailer.
The customer service center is very helpful too. Many thanks to Mariah for the outstanding assistance. Finally, I would say that if you order the brackets to mount the emergency brake away for your car, you may have to cut them down with a grinder. It is so much nicer not putting the brake buddy in the car now. Looking forward to enjoying it on trips. I drove the rig about 20 miles yesterday, and the light came on and I honestly couldn’t tell the car was back there other than looking in the video and seeing the light on the car during braking. Highly recommend this unit.
I believe the AFO is the best supplemental braking system for air brakes on the market today. Probably the most expensive also. A lot of work to install but a good system that is truly proportional and safe to use with an air brake system.
Bruce P.
12/14/2021
We have used our AFO for over 12,000 miles towing a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. It seems to be working fine but is really hard to know for sure. It is difficult to see the LED light strip in the camera during bright daylight. When I installed the AFO, etrailer was very helpful even returning my call on a Sunday. I also added a plastic stub next to the connectors on both the RV and toad that very conveniently stores the plastic cover when the brakes are not connected so they do not get lost. I tried to contact etrailer with my simple improvement but no one seemed interested.
Works great with air brake system on my RV. Really like the plug-in and go. Moderately easy to install and had good installation instructions. Wished I had gotten the unit sooner. Tech staff were great at helping me locate main air supply on my rv. Would highly recommend. I installed unit on '23 Jeep Rubicon and 2003 40'Beaver motorhome.
If you have air brakes and tow u need AF 1 I self installed and it works great nothing to remove from drivers side from brake pedal just normal hook up plug in air hose ( blue) and connect brake away cable and go only issue I had with install is my toad (Chevy Colorado) requires battery disconnect well I had my disconnect hooked to the negative post well that didn’t work , the brake system needs power to function so 1phone call to Demco! fixed it hook up batt disconnect to positive and it now works
I purchased this as part of a package which included; Hitch and wiring for my 2022 Equinox, Base plate, Tow Bar, brake System and connecting air hose, break away cables, LED tow lights with wiring harness, and a trickle charger to keep the Equinox battery from going dead while I was towing it behind my class A RV.
I had etrailer do the install of all the components on my car and RV. All the workmanship was excellent and done in the amount of time they said it would take. Also because they did not have a video of this equipment being put on this year and model vehicle, I gave them permission to make a video(which added a extra day and a half to the install)and the installation was free. Everything has worked perfectly and I couldn't be happier. Etrailer is my go to for anything towing and also RV parts.
"Out of sight, out of mind" would be the best description I could offer for the Air Force One supplemental braking system! When properly installed, it's effective as well as quick and easy to hook up. Connect the tow bar, safety cables, safety switch cable, tow plug and air line, you're done! Five minutes at most.
I did add a couple of features to my towing system:
1. Using a relay and the extra wire in the connector to the coach, I installed the LED indicator strip on the dash of the coach; no need to rely on the back-up camera to verify operation of the brake cylinder. Coaches that have a tow connector are usually equipped with a power wire to the cab for electric brakes - this wire is a good way to get the indicator signal to the front of the motorhome.
2. I used the 12 V power connection from the coach to connect a charging wire to the car battery to ensure it would not discharge; I used an auto-resetting breaker with a rating below the glass fuse in the 12 V circuit to prevent a fuse from blowing if the charge current gets to high.
In all, a great investment! I have an article I wrote on the install if anyone is interested.
I've had an Demco Stay-n-play for years....I got the AFO for my new Cherokee and so far the installation has been fairly routine. I've called Demco for Tech assistance and they've been very helpful.
Vehicle 2016 GMC Canyon Diesel.
Installation of the SMI Air Force One supplementary braking system was not too difficult. The instructions from SMI were good as was the video from etrailer. The only reason that I didn't give it a 5 star is because the air cylinder installation on the brake pedal was complicated by an unusual shape of the brake pedal arm. I eventually found a solution.
Tapping into the truck's vacuum line was a little difficult but the kit included everything I needed to T into the vacuum line and install the check valves.
All in all not a bad installation, this summer we'll see how it holds up.
The Air Force one was not an easy install for me because I’m old and I don’t get around like I used to but it was not impossible. However, in my opinion, it is the best supplemental braking system for flat towing. The best part about it is my Allegro Bus came with the system already installed on the coach and once you install it on your towed vehicle you don’t have to deal with any of that to get on the road. If it takes me more than ten minutes to hook everything up and get in the coach ready to drive away then I've done something wrong.
I’ve fitted it to my Jeep Wrangler then taken of and fitted to our new Jeep Grand Cherokee. Works perfectly . I had used our 53ft coach without it and in an emergency stop, was a problem stopping in the rain. Now we have had a couple of fast stops and it works great, would be without it.
Easy installation and setup.
Installation was easy, compact and out of the way. Had a little problem finding controller location due to clearance. Ended up using velcro on top of the fuse box to hold the controller in place.
Randal
8/17/2023
Questionable? This year it Felt like the truck in tow was pushing me during mid to heavy braking. Pulled over a couple of times to verify pedal was being pushed down. Verified vacuum lines from your system to the brake vacuum line was tight. It acted like the vacuum assist was not working. I need to find time to ask you about this problem.
Katrina B.
9/18/2023
Excellent system. Takes a little bit to install, but worth the effort. Our toad is a 2021 Jeep Wrangler with the ecodiesel. Some of the passes that we did were 14 degree and the braking worked great!
I thought this is what I really wanted for once I got into it and how complicated it was going to be.
Came with everything I needed to install it. Great quality and works fantastic!
Jon M.
8/19/2023
Works great!
We love our Air Force One braking system. The confidence it was done right by etrailer allows us to tow our 4x4 van without worrying about it!
Wonderful product.
I installed it myself, followed the eTrailer installation video. I have used it a year, works great, have put over 3000 miles on it. No issues. Struggled with using a portable brake system and decided to do it right. It was the right choice.
Jay
7/23/2022
Perfect, way better that the portable device
Took some time to route the lines but the system works well
Just finished a 10,000 mile trip trailering a 2014 Jeep Wrangler with Air Force One braking system and we are very satisfied with the product. No issues or failures and once installed, it is very easy to use. We can connect and disconnect from the Air Force One and our Blue Ox towing system in 2-3 minutes.
Joe T.
5/17/2020
After a year, we are still happy with the AF One. We had one issue where it didn’t work and it turned out we let a little grime get into the air fitting. Took some time to figure it out but we cleaned with compressed air and the problem went away. Lessen learned it to keep rubber covers on the air fittings when not in use.
Very pleased with the Air Force One braking system. I installed it myself on my Newmar Dutch Star and it works great for towing my F150.
This braking system has been nearly flawless for me since installation.
Only tow coomplaints to speak of, as follows:
1. During install of the firewall screw for the acutator, the screw ended up causing a short in my vehicle. I had to spend many hours troubleshooting and Demco support was adamant it was not their products fault.
2. The actuator has gotten sticky over time and does not reset to the correct location after braking, causing the light to stay on longer than it should.
Great product and easy to follow detailed instructions.
SMI Air Force One was the choice I made when we outfitted our 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited last year. I can honestly say, without any hesitation,...this was the best choice ever. The installation was very straight forward. I was reluctant to cut my coaches brake lines...but the technicians at SMI were very helpful. I emailed them a picture of the brake lines that I had identified per the instructions, and wrapped a piece of colored electrical tape around the lines to identify them. The SMI techs wrote back within 20 minutes and confirmed that I had correctly chosen the correct air lines for splicing into. The fittings where a breeze to install. The system has performed flawlessly...and it works so well ---- if it weren't for a video camera view on my dash...I wouldn't even know the Jeep was back there.
When I go to hook and unhook the Jeep. I keep my components in a canvas bag. It contains my Safety cables for the tow bar, lighting umbilical, and the two SMI parts...a coiled quick connect air line, and a safety breakaway cable. The other components of the system stay in place...no lugging them around. They are totally out of sight.
If you have a coach with Air Brakes...this, in my opinion, is the best thing going. Proportional braking...directly metered by your coaches signal line. The system is robust...and includes it's own ping tank, and D.O.T. approved metering valve. I feel it's the safest...and best performing braking system built for a towed vehicle PERIOD.
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Darryl W.
7/28/2021
5.0 Product is working great! No issues. Minor adjustment to brake cable after a year. It took 5 mins.