What do you think about breakaway cable

[MR.M]

Break away brake cable being run through the safety chains . have notived winniebago doing this with all their TT's . maybe it's a dealer thing but seems odd to me they would do this

[upflying]

Running the cable through the safety chains to prevent the cable from dragging?
I'm kinda from the thinking that the break away brake cable should be independent of the safety chains.
I use one of those springy red brake cables that wont drag on the ground.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by upflying

Running the cable through the safety chains to prevent the cable from dragging?
I'm kinda from the thinking that the break away brake cable should be independent of the safety chains.
I use one of those springy red brake cables that wont drag on the ground.

X2 springy red cable

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by upflying

Running the cable through the safety chains to prevent the cable from dragging?
I'm kinda from the thinking that the break away brake cable should be independent of the safety chains.
I use one of those springy red brake cables that wont drag on the ground.

I agree . I think running it through the safety chains is not a good idea . seems the TT could pop off break the hook and never pull the brake switch . i've seen 2 now where it was done through the chain and both times pulled out the brake a-way switch causing brakes to lock up when not needed and causing major damage to hubs and brakes

[LTDunltd]

Originally Posted by upflying

Running the cable through the safety chains to prevent the cable from dragging?
I'm kinda from the thinking that the break away brake cable should be independent of the safety chains.
I use one of those springy red brake cables that wont drag on the ground.

Some states require that the break away cable be separate from the safety chains and have a separate attachment to the tow vehicle.

[elchilero53]

Source for this fantastic, legendary, red springy cable?

[01tundra]

Originally Posted by elchilero53

Source for this fantastic, legendary, red springy cable?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[mopwr4me2003]

Not recommended. Break away cable regardless of design does not run through the chains. Defeats the purpose of the cable.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by LTDunltd

Some states require that the break away cable be separate from the safety chains and have a separate attachment to the tow vehicle.

It is still a separate cable than the safety chains or cables even if it is tangled up in them. As long as one end is attached to the TV and one end to the breakaway box if the trailer becomes completely separated it will pull it and activate the brakes, to bring the free trailer to a stop. I don't do it that way because I have to give my chains a few twists to keep them well off the ground. I suppose it is possible then if the cable was inside and it all failed in such a way to pinch the breakaway and cut it without pulling it. I do give the breakaway one wrap around the WHD bar as I connect it to the TV and that keeps it free but not hanging low.

I always thought it ironic you attach it to the same hitch usually. To me it would seem the most likely failure (mechanical, not operator error) that would cause the trailer to separate, would be the whole hitch coming off the TV. In that case everything is still perfectly attached as far as the now free trailer is concerned, and no brakes would be applied.

[aeblank]

The failure is usually the coupler.
Happened to my dad, bounced right off.... On a bridge... On the expressway. Scary stuff.

His coupler had 10s of thousands of miles on it, and was just worn. He replaced it, of course. Usually there's enough tongue weight, but just the right bounce......

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

It is still a separate cable than the safety chains or cables even if it is tangled up in them. As long as one end is attached to the TV and one end to the breakaway box if the trailer becomes completely separated it will pull it and activate the brakes, to bring the free trailer to a stop. I don't do it that way because I have to give my chains a few twists to keep them well off the ground. I suppose it is possible then if the cable was inside and it all failed in such a way to pinch the breakaway and cut it without pulling it. I do give the breakaway one wrap around the WHD bar as I connect it to the TV and that keeps it free but not hanging low.

I always thought it ironic you attach it to the same hitch usually. To me it would seem the most likely failure (mechanical, not operator error) that would cause the trailer to separate, would be the whole hitch coming off the TV. In that case everything is still perfectly attached as far as the now free trailer is concerned, and no brakes would be applied.

That really depends on how it's run through the chains , when it'
s weaved i and out of every link it can 1. cause the chains to pull the cable out . seen this 3 times in the last couple weeks . 2. even if hooked to TV if weaved through the chains it could cause the cable to brake at the tv never pulling the pin out if the TT comes unhooked . running through safety chains is IMO a big no no

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by aeblank

The failure is usually the coupler.
Happened to my dad, bounced right off.... On a bridge... On the expressway. Scary stuff.

His coupler had 10s of thousands of miles on it, and was just worn. He replaced it, of course. Usually there's enough tongue weight, but just the right bounce......

But then the chains would still prevent separation of the trailer completely and therefore the breakaway wouldn't breakaway and the regular trailer brake controller would apply the brakes with the TV brakes. If the coupler came undone, and the chains were undone as well, it didn't "come undone" it was never connected in the first place and in that case I doubt the one thing they did right was to connect the breakaway cable but nothing else.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

It is still a separate cable than the safety chains or cables even if it is tangled up in them. As long as one end is attached to the TV and one end to the breakaway box if the trailer becomes completely separated it will pull it and activate the brakes, to bring the free trailer to a stop. I don't do it that way because I have to give my chains a few twists to keep them well off the ground. I suppose it is possible then if the cable was inside and it all failed in such a way to pinch the breakaway and cut it without pulling it. I do give the breakaway one wrap around the WHD bar as I connect it to the TV and that keeps it free but not hanging low.

I always thought it ironic you attach it to the same hitch usually. To me it would seem the most likely failure (mechanical, not operator error) that would cause the trailer to separate, would be the whole hitch coming off the TV. In that case everything is still perfectly attached as far as the now free trailer is concerned, and no brakes would be applied.

One of my next projects is to add a cable looped around a frame crossmember and running back to the rear bumper where I can attach breakaway cable to it. Will just zip tie any of this cable that sags up and out of the way. If a breakaway does occur the cable will be jerked tight, breaking zip ties and letting it pull straight on the switch pin.

While it's usually the coupler that fails, there was a period of time when actual drawbar on GM built pickups were failing.

In short, whatever you think will never break could well be the next thing to do so.

[Hoyt]

This is very likely on topic that doesn't get the attention it deserves. To have the brakes come on unintentionally is one thing, not necessarily a good thing. But you do want them to come on if the trailer separates from the TV. Shouldn't the breakaway be set up so the ball isn't hooked, chains tight, the pin comes out of breakaway switch. The cable needs to be shorter than the chains when stretched out, assuming they are hooked in the same place.

[Flybob]

I would not use it.

[doc73]

State laws will vary, obviously, but for a commercial vehicle federal regulations.. the break away system need to work, be in good working condition (cable not broken and tied in a knot for example), and be connected directly to the towing unit / trailer its connected to (in a double tow). No where does it say it cannot be through the safety chains. We all know, or can at least imagine, how regulated the commercial industry is..

Believe it or not, as a point of interest, in the federal world a semi trailer (like our tow behinds) does not even need safety chains. Only convertor dollys and full trailers need ONE chain / cable. Your state may require them but the feds do not (commercially).

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by doc73

State laws will vary, obviously, but for a commercial vehicle federal regulations.. the break away system need to work, be in good working condition (cable not broken and tied in a knot for example), and be connected directly to the towing unit / trailer its connected to (in a double tow). No where does it say it cannot be through the safety chains. We all know, or can at least imagine, how regulated the commercial industry is..

Believe it or not, as a point of interest, in the federal world a semi trailer (like our tow behinds) does not even need safety chains. Only convertor dollys and full trailers need ONE chain / cable. Your state may require them but the feds do not (commercially).

Here.... anyway 5th wheel campers do not require safety chains, but goose necks do. Regular trailers & campers require one safety chain and no mention how to run the break away cable just has to have one.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Here.... anyway 5th wheel campers do not require safety chains, but goose necks do. Regular trailers & campers require one safety chain and no mention how to run the break away cable just has to have one.

Same here for PA, but we need 2 chains and they must be crossed.

[01tundra]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

One of my next projects is to add a cable looped around a frame crossmember and running back to the rear bumper where I can attach breakaway cable to it. Will just zip tie any of this cable that sags up and out of the way. If a breakaway does occur the cable will be jerked tight, breaking zip ties and letting it pull straight on the switch pin.

While it's usually the coupler that fails, there was a period of time when actual drawbar on GM built pickups were failing.

In short, whatever you think will never break could well be the next thing to do so.

Used coated cable, made a loop around the frame's rear cross member. When not in used the cable tucks into the back of the receiver hitch out of sight.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Cousin had a Hitch weld failure on his 28' TT about 8 years ago on I-80 out west. Felt it, saw it drop from rear view mirror. Watched it slide about 20' then flip into the air and crash onto the Interstate. Nobody hurt, no other accidents, but tied up the interstate for few hours.