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Think of it as a one-time project that pays off on every trip. Once the Shadow 2 braking system is installed under the hood, you hook up, check your monitor, and drive away with the peace of mind that your towed vehicle is stopping safely behind you.
A braking system is a must when towing a vehicle behind your motorhome. Without it, the extra weight of your toad (towed vehicle) puts more stress on your RV's brakes, makes it harder to stop safely, and can even put your warranties at risk. Most states legally require one, and if you're ever in an accident, not having a braking system could leave you with major insurance and liability problems. Plus, without one you don't have a breakaway safeguard. If your toad ever disconnects, there's nothing to bring it to a stop.
With the RVibrake Shadow 2, you only have to install it once and that's it. No crawling around or extra setup every time you tow. Just connect the power cord at the front of your vehicle and the system fires right up. Plug in the Bullseye monitor inside your cab and you're ready to roll. While the components are installed permanently in your toad, they remain concealed and inconspicuous. None of them will interfere with normal driving, and most of the time they are not visible. Also, you don't have to find a place to store them between trips.
The RVibrake Shadow 2 uses an inertia sensor to activate. As your vehicle slows, the Shadow 2 senses the change in momentum of your toad. It precisely measures this change so it can activate your toad's brakes to match the rate of the RV's deceleration; this is what makes it proportional. When you apply the brakes in your motorhome, the Shadow 2 system will engage the brakes of the toad at the same time with the same amount of force. This keeps the RV and the toad in sync with each other, so from a gradual slow down at a red light to a hard stop in an emergency, the toad and the RV will brake together.
Note: The Shadow 2 box must be pointed in the direction of travel for the internal sensor to function properly. There are arrows on the unit to help ensure it is installed correctly.
The in-cab wireless controller, called the Bullseye, lets you adjust the sensitivity of the inertia sensor to determine how hard the Shadow 2 will pull on the brake pedal. It's totally up to you how sensitive you want it to be; a heavier vehicle will probably need more sensitivity, while a lighter one doesn't need to brake so hard.
When the Shadow 2 detects a change in inertia it activates the cylinder brake cable assembly and the toad's brake pedal is pulled. At the same time, the rings on the Bullseye monitor illuminate letting you know the system is actively braking your toad vehicle. The Bullseye monitor uses three rings to show braking force. A light tap on the brakes lights up the first ring, while harder stops illuminate two or all three rings.
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 while braking the toad.
The Shadow 2, on the other hand, reactivates the vacuum-assist function by tying into your car's vacuum line. Your car will brake evenly and naturally as it's being towed, so there's less risk of damage.
The Shadow 2 also comes with a breakaway switch, an absolute must for safe flat towing. If there's ever an emergency situation where your toad becomes detached from the motorhome, the breakaway switch will immediately activate the brakes and bring the vehicle to a stop. This switch mounts to the front of your toad and wires into the Shadow 2 operating unit. It includes a snap clip that connects to your RV's hitch receiver with a breakaway cable. If the toad and RV become disconnected, the cable will pull the pin out of the switch and trigger the braking system.
Addtional safety features include 3 LED lights on the Shadow 2 box that provide specific information about the status of the breaking system, and visual and auditory alerts from the Bullseye monitor.
What sets the Curt RVibrake Shadow 2 apart from similar systems is the wiring. It is truly plug and play, so you are not cutting or splicing into your vehicle's electrical system. That makes it much more approachable for a hands-on RVer who wants to handle the install themselves. You will need to route a cable through the vehicle's firewall, which can take some patience depending on the setup. Some vehicles have an open pass-through, others may require drilling. Once that step is done, the rest of the install is straightforward and organized. If you're not a DIY-er, check out our Installer Locator to find an installer near you.
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. If you'd like help installing the components for your flat-tow set up, check out our Installer Locator to find an installer near you.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
89% were satisfied with this product
11% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
Well designed brake package and easier to install on our Jeep Gladiator than I expected.
We just got these added to the site, so I was really excited to go to the first look training so I can learn more. I really like that the RVi Shadow 2 is a one time install, no need to have to put a heavy unit in and out of the car every time you flat tow. The Bullseye screen that is included is super awesome! I love that it will alert you when things are not working properly, and it is always nice to have that manual override at arms reach in case an emergency were to happen.
The Shadow 2 fixed system made a good first impression. The control box and wiring harnesses just plug in to each other and the setup seems a bit more straightforward compared to other similar braking systems. The instructions included are well written and easy to follow. I also love the Bullseye monitor which is what really sets this system apart. It has a touch screen and it does all kinds of stuff like real time towing info, diagnostics and braking adjustment just to mention a few.
I recently got to host a first look for this system and I gotta say, its pretty cool. Once installed this system in out of sight out of mind. Compared to other permanent install, it's much more user friendly than most. The only thing you will have to install on the RV is a charge line if your RV doesn't have one. If it does, then congrats! One less step for your install. The bullseye is the hub for everything and will notify you if something goes wrong or needs your attention. The Shadow 2 also comes with a battery charger that you can also monitor from the Bullseye which is a really cool touchscreen monitor.
This one got me a little concerned when I looked at the shipping box with all the staples in it. I guess that is yo keep in stationary for shipping.
Very well packed. Arrived on schedule. Item as described.
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Condition: Badly Dinged
Notes: Item has minor cosmetic damage to the cylinder. Otherwise unused and still in good condition.
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