Blue Ox BX88161 User Manual

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BrakeSafe

For Coaches w/Total Air

or Air Over Hydraulic Brakes

OPERATOR, PARTS

& INSTALLATION

MANUAL

BX88161, Push Cylinder, BrakeSafe

Blue Ox Division, Automatic Equipment Mfg. Co. • One Mill Road, Industrial Park
Pender, Nebraska 68047 • Phone [phone] • Fax [phone] • www.blueox.us

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BRAKESAFETM is a proportional braking system that can be used on coaches with
Total Air or Air Over Hydraulic braking systems. With BRAKESAFETM you will use

your coach’s air brakes by tapping into the brake relay air source.

Locating Air Source On Coach

1. For coaches with total air brake systems, the brake relay is located ahead of the rear
axle. This relay has four to five ports, some of which will be used. There is a right and left brake
actuator hose coming from this relay, these hoses go to the brake actuators of each rear tire of
coach. There is a 3/8” O.D. pilot tubing coming from one of the four ports coming from the
brake relay. This is the SERVICE port that is the preferred place to connect into proportional air
that receives pilot air from the coach’s brake pedal. If this port has a 3/8” hose coming from it,
use the furnished tee fitting. Cut the tubing and push the tubing into each side of the tee fitting,
making sure the tubing is bottomed into the fitting. On the bottom of some relay valves there
are four ports, three are used, the other has a 1/2” pipe plug. Remove this plug and install the
furnished 1/2”pipe to 3/8” tube fitting. If your coach needs a fitting that is not supplied, most
hardware stores have brass pipe fittings. There should be no pressure coming from the port, un­less the brake pedal is pushed down. If there is, you need to look for another port. Look at Fig.2
for a detailed schematic.

2. For coaches with

air over hydraulic braking systems, the air over hydraulic assembly is located
in front of front axle on the driver’s side. There is a drain plug on the bottom side of the air ac­tuator, take this plug out and use the supplied tube connector. Look at Fig.3 for a detailed sche­matic.

3/8” Tubing Installation On Coach

3. Push the supplied 3/8” DOT tubing into the tee fitting or the pipe to tube fitting making sure it is
bottomed into the port. Route and secure the 3/8” DOT tubing with the 13” nylon ties supplied
making sure to route away from hot parts. There is 50 ft. of tubing supplied, which should be
plenty for most coaches. Once you get to the rear of the coach with the tubing, secure the mount
bracket with the 1/4” bolts, flat and lockwashers in a convenient location on the bumper. Make
sure it is the one with the larger hole. Then mount the bulkhead fitting, 3/8 tube fitting, and QD
coupler to this mount bracket as shown in Fig.7. Cut the extra 3/8” DOT tubing off and then
push into the pipe to tube fitting.

1/4” Tubing Installation On Towed

4. Unplug the QD plug and 1/4” bulkhead fitting from the self-coil hose assembly. If you have

a Blue Ox baseplate you can use the bracket plate to mount to your baseplate with existing
bolts. Then mount the QD plug and 1/4” bulkhead fitting to this bracket as shown in Fig.7.
If you have a baseplate other than a Blue Ox, you can use the other angle bracket
supplied. Mount this bracket with the 1/4” bolts, flat and lockwashers, and hex nuts to
your baseplate. Then mount the QD plug and 1/4” bulkhead to this bracket. Route the
1/4” tubing through the driver’s side engine compartment using the supplied wire ties,
making sure not to run tubing along hot parts. Push tubing through an existing
grommet through the firewall. If there isn’t a hole, drill a new hole. Continue
routing the tubing behind driver’s side kick panel, then under

Blue Ox Division, Automatic Equipment Mfg. Co. • One Mill Road, Industrial Park
Pender, Nebraska 68047 • Phone [phone] • Fax [phone] • www.blueox.us

292-5972 8/06 1 of 11

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Push-Cylinder Installation

5. Install the brake pedal arm mount bracket 3/4” above the brake pedal using the 1/4” x 1 1/4”
hex bolts, flat and lockwashers (See Fig. 6). Select a suitable location for the U-channel floor
bracket, preferably as close to the drivers seat as you can go, still being able to reach the brake
pedal. The bracket also needs to be in line with the brake pedal. IMPORTANT NOTE:

Before screwing the two pieces of the push cylinder assembly together, be sure to put the
o-ring in between them. The o-ring will be in the bolt bag. If this is not done, leaking
will occur. Then put in postion on brake pedal arm to get a location for the U-channel. Drill a

7/32” hole for the U-channel to be mounted. Loosen the 1/4” x 3/8” pan head screws and take
out the pivot mount assembly. Bolt the U-channel bracket on the floor with a 1/4” x 1 1/2” hex
head self tap bolt making sure the holes on the sides are towards the front. Replace the pivot
mount assembly with the 1/4” x 3/8” pan head screws. Be sure it pivots freely. Install the
cylinder assembly to the floor bracket by pushing the air coupler on to nipple. You will here a
click when they are attached. The clevis pin is not removed to install or remove the cylinder.
Adjust the length of push cylinder at the adjuster adapter by loosening the adjusting nut and
pull the cylinder assembly in or out to achieve the correct position. Make sure the adjusting
tube doesn’t slide. The total length should be a 1/2” shorter then the total length between the
brackets. Tighten the adjusting nut finger tight, then 2 and a 1/2 turns. This will ensure that
there is spring tension on the brake pedal, so it retracts back to its normal position shutting the
indicator light off in the coach.

Quick Exhaust Installation

6. Before plugging the 1/4” tubing into the elbow fittings, you must put the quick exhaust valve
in-line. Put the quick exhaust valve assembly one foot from the push cylinder by simply cut­ting the 1/4” tubing with a utility knife. Install the quick exhaust valve, making sure the little
hole is going towards the push cylinder assembly. The brake system will not operate correctly
installing the quick exhaust valve with the hole in the opposite direction. Also make sure the
tubing is pushed in all the way into the quick exhaust fittings. Push the end of the 1/4” tubing
into the cylinder pipe elbow. The door sill molding. End the routing under the driver’s seat,
making sure to leave enough to hook-up to the push cylinder. Cut the excess off.

Blue Ox Division, Automatic Equipment Mfg. Co. • One Mill Road, Industrial Park
Pender, Nebraska 68047 • Phone [phone] • Fax [phone] • www.blueox.us

292-5972 8/06 2 of 11

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INDICATOR LIGHT INSTALLATION

The BRAKESAFETM uses the towed vehicles brakes. Most vehicle’s brake lights work with the key in the off and in the acces­sory position. This creates the possibility of the towed vehicle’s battery being drained while towing as the brake lights are activated
each time the brake pedal is depressed by the BRAKESAFETM. Included are electrical parts which bypass the towed vehicles battery
while towing. The only change you will notice to the towed vehicle is that the brake lights will only be activated by the brake pedal
when the ignition is in the “on” position. We also include a light indicator that is installed in the dash of the towing vehicle which
lights up when the brake pedal in the towed vehicle is pulled on by the BRAKESAFETM. (Fig. 1) WARNING: Motorhome dash light
MUST be installed or warranty will be void.

WARNING: WHEN INSTALLING THE INDICATOR LIGHT IN THE MOTORHOME, DO NOT DRILL A HOLE

DIRECTLY IN THE COACH’S DASH. Drilling a hole directly in the dash of the coach could cause serious damage to the on-

board computer systems. This applies to all makes of motorhomes, but is especially pertinent for Bluebird motorhomes. Alternate

methods for installing the indicator light are as follows:

Drill the hole lower in the bordering plastic of the dash

Drill the hole to the left of the driver’s stall if there is room

Use a toggle switch mounting bracket from a local automotive store

1. Locate the brake light switch which is activated when the brake pedal is pressed down. Locate the hot wire into the switch and

the wire from the switch to the brake lights. You will need to splice into the wire coming from the switch to the brake lights. Cut

the wire at a convenient place and strip the two ends.

2. If there is room, you can locate the relay where you cut the wires. If there isn’t room, splice wires onto the ones you cut to give

yourself working room. Black wire and butt connectors are supplied in the parts sack.

3. Strip one end of the yellow wire and twist it together with the wire coming from the brake switch. Crimp a female spade terminal

on the twisted pair. Slide the terminal over the male terminal on the relay labeled “87”.

4. Crimp a female spade terminal on the end of the wire going the brake lights. Slide this terminal over the male terminal on the

relay labeled “30”.

5. Locate a bolt to use as a ground. Cut a piece of the black wire long enough to reach from the relay to the bolt. Strip both ends

of the black wire and crimp a ring terminal on one end and a female spade terminal on the other. Put the ring terminal under the

head of the bolt and the spade terminal on the male terminal on the relay labeled “85”.

6. In the car’s fuse panel locate a fuse that is “hot” only when the ignition switch is in “on” position. Use the mini fuse tapper with

fuse, crimp a female spade terminal on the end of black wire and attach it to fuse tapper. Cut a piece of black wire to reach from

the fuse to the terminal on the relay labeled “86”.

7. Route the yellow wire from the relay through the engine compartment of the car into the wiring disconnect plug. Then from the

wiring disconnect plug on the back of the coach along the bottom of the coach and into the dash of the coach. Tie the wire to the

frame of the coach with cable ties or other suitable means.

8. Locate a suitable place in the dash and drill a half (1/2) inch hole for the light indicator. Crimp a butt connector to both wires and

insert the indicator into the dash.

9. Cut the yellow wire to length and attach it to one of the wires on the indicator. Locate a bolt to use as a ground. Cut a piece of

black wire to length and connect it to the other indicator wire, crimp a ring terminal on the other end of the black wire and fasten

it to the grounding bolt.

10. Gather up the wires and the relay. Anchor them up out of the way so they will not interfere with driving the vehicle.

Blue Ox Division, Automatic Equipment Mfg. Co. • One Mill Road, Industrial Park
Pender, Nebraska 68047 • Phone [phone] • Fax [phone] • www.blueox.us

292-5972 8/06 3 of 11