Breakaway brake pin is stuck and can't be removed easily.

[madonetwo]

Hello, we have a B&W turnover ball gooseneck hitch towing an Open Range Light 5th wheel. We bought it, towed it home, backed over the flowerbed, made some tight turns and the RV brakes locked. Figured out the next AM that the pin had come out of the breakaway brake device on the hitch. Husband placed pin into assembly and brakes relaxed and wheels roll. Next day went to unhitch and the pin is stuck in the device and won't come out. What to do? Pull hard with pliers? If comes out and brakes are engaged, then call for roadside assistance ( we are under warrantee and have GoodSam Platinum). or if comes out, re-engages and brakes work ok, have we done any damage? Phone call to on call service rep said, "tow it to service center". That's about 60 miles at the closest. Is not convenient to tow unless absolutely necessary. Thanks in advance.

[mkirsch]

No, it does not make sense.

The breakaway switch is just a plastic pin between two spring-loaded metal contacts. There is no magnetic locking mechanism in any that I've ever seen.

Most likely, you got the pin seated properly/loosened with all your tugging, and it is just a coincidence.

If it bothers you, REPLACE IT. Breakaway switches are cheap and simple to replace.

The REAL problem is that you likely burned up your trailer brakes from leaving it engaged all night long.

[rhagfo]

madonetwo wrote:
Hello. I am responding to my own message. When we unplugged from shore power and inserted the power plug from the hitch into the power supply in the bed of the truck, the pin in the breakaway assembly became easier to remove. Does this make sense? A friend says the breakaway system is designed integrally with the TV power supply. Comments?

Well Enblethen is correct, the breakaway switch is designed to work with the 12
Volt battery in your trailer, hence the name breakaway switch, it's function is to apply a full 12 volts of power when the pin is pulled, this should only happen if the trailer separates from the TV. This can happen if the cable gets hung up on the hitch, been there done that!

[enblethen]

No, it is more apt to have rust broken loose on the initial removal.

[madonetwo]

Hello. I am responding to my own message. When we unplugged from shore power and inserted the power plug from the hitch into the power supply in the bed of the truck, the pin in the breakaway assembly became easier to remove. Does this make sense? A friend says the breakaway system is designed integrally with the TV power supply. Comments?

[Old-Biscuit]

Dick_B wrote:
I can't remember a time when I removed the pin. Maybe I should have but didn't.

Not a bad idea to test emergency breakaway switch at start of each camping season.

Wires/clip can corrode and NOT allow trailer battery voltage to fully energize trailer brakes.

Fed DOT requirement is FULL Battery Voltage for 15 minutes minimum.

When we FTd I tested 2X a year.
After fully hooking up just prior to pulling out I would have pin pulled and then pull out.
Within a few feet trailer brakes would lockup and tires slide (on dirt/gravel) OR feel lots of resistance.

[BB_TX]

madonetwo wrote:
**Clarifying my message above**. ...........
. But it had popped out as we made tight backup turns so seems that it pops our easily.

Most likely the cable got caught on something in the tight turns and yanked it out. It does take a lot of force to pull it out by hand.

[Bumpyroad]

I would suggest that he buy a spare pin before roughhousing the old one.
bumpy

[Dick_B]

I can't remember a time when I removed the pin. Maybe I should have but didn't.

[RoyB]

madonetwo wrote:
Now trying to disconnect RV from truck and pin is tightly stuck in the hitch. Service tech put it in at dealership so we never have pulled it and have no idea of how "tightly" it might fit into the device. But it had popped out as we made tight backup turns so seems that it pops our easily.

You should never have to pull the PIN out of the switch box...


Google Image...

When disconnecting the trailer from the truck hitch only the long wire cable should be removed from the the truck frame... The long wire cable PIN should not be pulled oout of the break-away switch box... Doing so will engage your trailer battery and lock up your trailer brakes and run down you battery.

Google image

My wire cable is connected to the holes around the bumper mounted trailer hitch.. I use one of these D-RINGs that goes through one of the holes on the truck side of the trailer hitch where the cross chains go. This makes for easy connection of the steel cable coming from the break-away switch on the trailer. The coiled cable like shown here is great to have as it keeps the pull cable away from dragging on the ground and away from other things that might snag it and pull the the wire out of the break-away switch...

Something like this photo but I have the D-RING going through the hole and connect the break-away long cable to the the D-RING... The idea of course is if the trailer becomes disconnected from the the truck hitch the break-away cable gets pulled which activates the brakes on the trailer using the the trailer 12V battery for battery source...

google image

I am not in favor of hooking up the break-away long cable to the cross chains as shown above - It should be connected through a hole of some sort to the truck side of the trailer hitch... The cross cable shown here could possible get bounced out of the hole for one reason or another....

Roy Ken

[Chris_Bryant]

Just replace it. They are under $20.

[rhagfo]

Heat from being engaged all night likely damaged the breakaway switch, best peace of mind is to replace the assembly.

[Old-Biscuit]

Pin is 'keyed' to properly go in one way........did it get put back in upside down?

That would make it hard to remove.

They should have some resistance coming out/going in due to clips and indents on pin BUT should be able to remove with just a tug.

Buy a new assembly.......not all that expensive <$12

[madonetwo]

**Clarifying my message above**. Brakes locked on Thursday, didn't know pin was out till Friday AM. Put it back in place and RV brake seemed to relax. TV battery was dead, had to jump it. Then disconnected RV battery cable. Saturday, hooked to shore power, disconnected TV to RV power, pulled RV a foot to insure that brake was not on. Now trying to disconnect RV from truck and pin is tightly stuck in the hitch. Service tech put it in at dealership so we never have pulled it and have no idea of how "tightly" it might fit into the device. But it had popped out as we made tight backup turns so seems that it pops our easily.

[enblethen]

Yes, you need to pull hard. Wrap the cable around something like a hammer handle.
I would disconnect from TV and then disconnect the trailer battery first. Romore is correct that you could or may have burnt out the magnet coils. Should have them checked.
Get the key out, then use some spray cleaner (brake clean) in the switch, then lube the key and opening with grease. Lithium is good.