Brake emergency (breakaway) cable problem

[waynefi]

I had an interesting experience with a trailer emergency brake cable, the one that activates the brake if the trailer breaks loose from the TV. I came back to the trailer, and saw the switch end of the cable sitting on the ground. My first thought was that I had been towing with the brake on, and burned out my brakes. But I tried reconnecting it and activating the brake with the controller knob, and everything seemed OK. I tried moving the vehicle with the switch pulled, and it was immediately obvious, very jerky, so no way was I driving with it out.

I have no idea what made it come out. I wasn't doing any rough roads or hard turns just before that. I have towed this rig for close to 30000 miles and never had a problem before.

I'm not sure what the best way to connect the cable to the TV is. The cable is a bit long. If I just hook the cable to the truck near the hitch, the cable is long enough that it almost rubs the ground, so I snake the cable across the hitch to take up the slack. I think that getting the right length is tricky. If the trailer ever came off the hitch, and was being dragged by the safety chains, I would want the brake to be applied, right? The full length of the cable is long enough it probably wouldn't get pulled. But if I take up too much slack, it could get pulled accidentally. I'm not sure what the perfect length is.

[Bobbo]

bguy wrote:
Once the brakes lock you have no more control of the trailer. I personally have no desire to be attached to an 8-10 thousand pound out of control trailer hoping it stays in line and doesn't come around on me.
The system is intended to apply full brake once the trailer comes completely detached from the vehicle.

I have a hard time visualizing how a trailer with the brakes locked can "come around on me." It seems to me that the locked brakes will hold the trailer as far to the rear as they can.

[Grit_dog]

If some of you put as much time into making sure your hitch was connected as you do talking about the what if’s, if it falls off, you’d never have to worry about needing the breakaway. ....

[LarryJM]

bguy wrote:

LarryJM wrote:
EXACTLY and more importantly instead of fiddling with your brake controller and trying to use just enough trailer brakes to keep the trailer from running over you I want to keep BOTH HANDS on the steering wheel with my FULL AND UNDIVIDED ATTENTION to what's infront of me and let whatever is happening behind me do what it will and keeping the TV under control and from running into the ditch until things slow down enough that the underwear staining scenario is more in control. This whole scenario should only be seconds long until your speed is down to within reason.

Larry

Once the brakes lock you have no more control of the trailer. I personally have no desire to be attached to an 8-10 thousand pound out of control trailer hoping it stays in line and doesn't come around on me.

If one trys and fiddle with the brakes with the TT only attached by the chains that IMO is a SURE WAY to have the trailer go off center and pull you with it into the ditch. With the chains crossed and full brakes applied on the trailer brakes will keep the trailer directly behind you in the direction of travel while slowing down at a constant rate both the TV and TT and allow you to keep control of the TV.

The system is intended to apply full brake once the trailer comes completely detached from the vehicle.

Well that is your OPINION even if though not correct;)

Larry

[bguy]

LarryJM wrote:
EXACTLY and more importantly instead of fiddling with your brake controller and trying to use just enough trailer brakes to keep the trailer from running over you I want to keep BOTH HANDS on the steering wheel with my FULL AND UNDIVIDED ATTENTION to what's infront of me and let whatever is happening behind me do what it will and keeping the TV under control and from running into the ditch until things slow down enough that the underwear staining scenario is more in control. This whole scenario should only be seconds long until your speed is down to within reason.

Larry

Once the brakes lock you have no more control of the trailer. I personally have no desire to be attached to an 8-10 thousand pound out of control trailer hoping it stays in line and doesn't come around on me.
The system is intended to apply full brake once the trailer comes completely detached from the vehicle.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

OP buy yourself a kit from the hardware store so you can shorted your cable just a little shorter than your safety chains. It will take a little time but it will be worth it. Then go camping.

I don't understand the "kit" suggestion. I would think one $1.98 fitting could be used to adjust length.
bumpy

Sorry Bump, this is what I meant.

A ferrule and thimble in one kit. Most of the trailers I have dealt with the cables are drug about in half too. If the cable is in good shape then the above kit will work fine. Or even just a ferrule.

[Bumpyroad]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

OP buy yourself a kit from the hardware store so you can shorted your cable just a little shorter than your safety chains. It will take a little time but it will be worth it. Then go camping.

I don't understand the "kit" suggestion. I would think one $1.98 fitting could be used to adjust length.
bumpy

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

This has been brought up many times before. As I have explained before you are correct Larry.

If your trailer comes off of the ball you want your trailer to brake so it will straighten the whole mess out. Much like when a drag car gets in trouble the first thing they teach you is to pull the parachute.

How do I know this. Because I had the experience of riding with a person that this happened to when I was a kid. Anybody that suggests they can get to the manual brake when this happens does not have a clue how violent things can get.

OP buy yourself a kit from the hardware store so you can shorted your cable just a little shorter than your safety chains. It will take a little time but it will be worth it. Then go camping.

[LarryJM]

EXACTLY and more importantly instead of fiddling with your brake controller and trying to use just enough trailer brakes to keep the trailer from running over you I want to keep BOTH HANDS on the steering wheel with my FULL AND UNDIVIDED ATTENTION to what's infront of me and let whatever is happening behind me do what it will and keeping the TV under control and from running into the ditch until things slow down enough that the underwear staining scenario is more in control. This whole scenario should only be seconds long until your speed is down to within reason.

Larry

[Bobbo]

I'm with Larry on this one. If the trailer is just connected by the safety chains, I want the trailer brakes locked, holding the trailer back.

[LarryJM]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Cable should just be slightly longer then the safety chains.

I disagree and believe just the opposite

Should trailer become unhitched and chains still attached then the umbilical cord is still connected so you have control over braking...

Again I disagree, no way do I want to try and break a trailer manually that is only connected by the safety chains

IF trailer breaks free...unhitched/chains break/umbilical cord pulls out...then is when you want the Emergency Break Away cable to pull the pin out activating the trailer brakes during that runaway situation

Larry

[Grit_dog]

Before proceeding, think about how many trailers actually come completely free of the tow vehicule. Then put this in perspective.
The breakaway is there for an oh sht moment of epic proportions. How and what will happen is unknown, so as long as it activates when the trailer parts ways with the truck, it's fine.
Regarding the cable and hook, shorten it, use a spring latch, whatever, to adjust it to your liking.

Ideally, trailer pops off ball, chains catch it. Do you want the breakaway to engage?
It's situational. Doubt it's going to keep the trailer off the back of the truck when the driver hammers the brakes, so at that point, stuffing the trailer under the truck to stop may help. Or some "automatic" trailer braking may help. Can't predict the situation.
By the same token, and I got blasted for this in the past.....Trailer comes unhooked going down a windy Mountian 2 lane. Worst case scenario right? Do you want the chains keeping you hooked to an errant missile and the trailer brakes trying to pull you in the truck wherever the trailer is headed?
My answer is no. I want the trailer to live the rest of its short life not attached to the steering wheel that may get me out of going over the cliff with the trailer.

So point is, too many potential scenarios for one right answer.
Keep the breakaway hooked up so its not dragging on the road and coupled so it doesn't pop the brakes when you do t want it to.

[waynefi]

That coiled cable looks like a great idea. I'll get one.

The problem with the "some idiot" idea is that DW never got out of the truck during that stop. So unless someone messed with the hitch with someone sitting in the truck...

When I put the plunger back into the switch, it went in loosely. Enough to turn off the brake, but not really solid. After I got home and got under it, I was able to push the plunger in securely. So maybe it got pulled part way out earlier, like when I was hooking up, and worked its way out when I saw it.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Cable should just be slightly longer then the safety chains.

Should trailer become unhitched and chains still attached then the umbilical cord is still connected so you have control over braking...

IF trailer breaks free...unhitched/chains break/umbilical cord pulls out...then is when you want the Emergency Break Away cable to pull the pin out activating the trailer brakes during that runaway situation

My worry about braking with the trailer unhitched is that the truck will probably brake faster than the trailer, so the trailer will bang into the back of the truck. If I realize what is happening fast enough, I could brake with the controller's lever, but I'm afraid I would just think "something is wrong, hit the brake"

But now that I've seen how hard it brakes with the emergency pulled, that's not a good solution either.

[Dave_H_M]

you are probably not the only one there that found the break away on the ground. :h

I remember one time when i leaned against my spare. Whoah it was flt. i took it in for repair and they could not find a thing wrong except it had no air pressure in it. Hmmmmm

[RoyB]

I use the coiled ETRAILER BREAKAWAY CABLE. Being coiled it doesn't drag on anything... My D-RING is actually mounted in the hole part of the hitch where the SAFETY CHAINS are connected. I have two eyelets on each side of the welded on bumper hitch receiver. This is a permanently mounted hitch assy to my bumper frame... Hooking up the D-RING is very easy to squeeze it open and clip into one of the eyelet holes you can see in the photos here.


ETRAILER image view


Google Image

I think the important thing here is you did your walk-around and found the problem right away...

Roy Ken