Blue Ox BX88100 User Manual
BX88100
Universal AutoStop™
Operator Manual &
Installation Instructions
Serial Number
AutoStop™ Hitch Connector
2” Receiver
292-2215 Rev A Page 1 of 12 10/30/13
BX88100
Universal AutoStop™
Operation Manual & Installation Instructions
AutoStop™ uses the forward momentum of your towed vehicle to effect a smooth quick stop,
reducing braking distances as much as 30 percent. When your RV slows down, the momentum of
the towed vehicle pushes AutoStop™ into the hitch. AutoStop™ retracts the cable, proportionally
activating your car’s brakes. The more force applied to AutoStop™, the tighter the cable - for even
more supplemental braking power. The AutoStop™ cable wraps around your car’s brake pedal
arm and connects to the receiver hitch. You determine when the car’s brakes will activate by
adjusting the preload compression of the power spring. AutoStop™ does not invade the car’s or
motorhome’s brake system in any way. The adjustable preload and power return is easily modied
but still proportional in braking.
CAUTION: The loaded vehicle weight must not exceed
the weight of any of your towing accessories such as: the tow
bar, safety cables, pins or the AutoStop™.
AutoStop™ Installation
1. Insert the AutoStop™ into the receiver tube with the actuating cable on the drivers side of
the opening. Align the holes and insert the locking pin and safety clip. If the receiver tube is
open at the front, it must be closed to keep road dust out of the mechanism. Clean the area
and cover with tape.
2. Install the tow bar into the receiver tube of the AutoStop™ and secure with the locking pin and
clip. Note: Be sure the tow bar and AutoStop™ are both parallel with the ground.
3. Hook up the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle and gently back the towed vehicle until
all the slack is out of the AutoStop, moving it to its fully extended towing position. If a self
aligning tow bar is being used, be sure both arms, are fully extended to the locked
towing position. Drive the towing vehicle forward a few feet if necessary and pull on
the AutoStop™ actuating cable to remove all slack. It is very important that the connecting
cables have 4 inches of vertical slack when in the towing position. This assures the AutoStop™
will not be active when towing and allows for turns in either direction. This does not reduce the
effectiveness of the AutoStop™.
Before the adjustment is made: (1) Be sure the AutoStop™ is fully retracted to the towing
position. (2) Be sure the locking pin is inserted through the pulley hole. (3) Be sure both tow
bar arms are fully extended. (4) Be sure both arms are locked in the towing position.
4. Now you are ready to install the brake pedal cable on the towed vehicle. This cable should run
from the end of the AutoStop actuating cable in a line about parallel to the bottom plane of the
tow bar coupler, but staying inboard of the driver’s side arm, probably through the bumper or
bumper skirt and up to the brake pedal through the oor board. Visually select a route that will
not interfere with any moving components or possibly contact electrical terminals. Also, make
sure cable doesn’t come into contact with any aluminum components, such as a transmission
housing, which could cause signicant wear. Make sure cable route will lead to the general
area where the steering column goes through the oor.
292-2215 Rev A Page 2 of 12 10/30/13
BX88100
Universal AutoStop™
Operation Manual & Installation Instructions
AutoStop™ Cable Attachment
1. From the drivers seat note the distance and direction from the steering column to the brake pedal
when the brake pedal is fully depressed. This will normally be a little below and a little inboard of
the steering column. Mark the spot on the carpet with chalk where the cable should pass through
the oor. Measure the distance and direction and conrm that a drilled hole will not interfere with
anything fastened or close to the drilled hole. When selecting the location for the hole, it should be
positioned so the cable is pulling straight back on the brake pedal arm, not to either side and not
up or down. (Figure 3 & 4)
2. After you have conrmed that the location for the hole will not cause any problems, pull the carpet
back and drill a 1/8 inch pilot hole. Allow the drill bit to just barely break through the metal oor.
Next, inspect where the hole actually is from the engine compartment side to verify that this location will not cause problems and to see how the cable aligns with the brake arm. If the hole needs
to be relocated, redrill and seal the previous hole with a rivet or sealant. When alignment is correct, enlarge the pilot hole with a 5/16 inch bit. Cut a slit in the carpet to correspond to the hole in
the oor.
3. Now you are ready to install the coated brake cable housing in the towed vehicle. Pull the inside
cable from the housing and set aside. The cable should run through the hole drilled in the oor
board into the engine compartment. Visually select a route that will not interfere with any moving
components or possibly contact electrical terminals. Route the cable to the central area (preferably through the opening where the attachment tabs extend through) of the front plastic facia. The
cable housing should be fastened in the engine compartment (on frame) with ag type terminals
provided in parts bag. Fasten the end of the plastic housing to the baseplate with the supplied
angle bracket. Figure 5 NOTE: Flag terminals are used so the cable housing is stationary allowing
the inside cable to move freely. When installed properly, the nylon thumb screw should be showing
on top of the carpet. Avoid abrupt bends in the cable housing as this will cause friction and premature wear of the cable. The cable housing should protrude a 1/2” beyond the bumper, or bumper
skirt or where ever the ag terminal is mounted, pointing directly at the hitch ball. Figure 5
4. Lubricate the cable with silicon spray and feed the cable back through the front end of the cable
housing into the passengers compartment. Loop the cable around the brake pedal arm allowing
the cable to feed directly and straight into the cable housing. If alignment is proper, the cable will
feed into the cable housing when the brake pedal is depressed. See Figure 4. Leave 1/2” of cable
housing extending from the ag terminal on the front of the vehicle. See Figure 5.
Figure 4
Figure 5Figure 3
continued to next page
292-2215 Rev A Page 3 of 12 10/30/13
BX88100
Universal AutoStop™
Operation Manual & Installation Instructions
continued to previous page
5. Hook the connector cable assembly to the cable fork on the AutoStop™ receiver cable assembly.
Attach the cable thimble to the other end of the connector cable assembly with the detent pin.
(Figure 6) Run the loose end of the brake cable through the fork and thimble, double it back on
itself and secure it with the two cable clamps. Place the rst clamp as close as possible to the
thimble and the second cable clamp about four (4) inches from the rst. Before tightening the
clamps adjust the cable length so there is about four (4) inches of vertical play in the cable before
the towed vehicle’s braking lights come on.
6. Cut off and discard any excess cable. Recheck this adjustment after a trial run. If the towed
vehicle’s brake lights come on at the slightest touch of the cable, with the cable properly adjusted,
the brake lights are coming on during pedal free travel. Most brake light switches are not
adjustable, so install a bungee cord from the pedal to the driver’s seat base to reduce the free
travel movement of the pedal while towing.
7. Install all other safety and towing equipment as required. The AutoStop™ only actuates the towed
vehicles brakes. It does not eliminate the necessity of safety chains, towing lights, transmission
pumps or driveshaft disconnects.
Figure 6
MECHANICAL INSTALLATION NOTES
When routing the housing, do not make a turn tighter than a four (4) inch
radius (Figure 7). Anchor the housing in the middle of the bend. There
are plastic cable ties and extra ag terminals included with the kit. You
will also need to anchor the housing as close as possible to the end that
sticks out of the grill of the car. After you have the housing installed and
the cable inserted, lay under the vehicle and have someone pull on the
cable. When pressure is applied to the cable the housing will tend to try
to “straighten out” through the bends. If there are several places where
this happens, most of the cable pull will be used up straightening the housing rather than pulling on
the brake pedal. Note where the housing is trying to straighten and anchor these areas.
292-2215 Rev A Page 4 of 12 10/30/13
Figure 7
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