Break Away Cable
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More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 547
Likes: 462
Break Away Cable
I think that is what it's called... The small cable you attach to the truck that gets pilled out and engages the brakes if it hops the hitch.
How long and what is the correct routing.
Mine I believe is all wrong. From the factory it is about 8" longer than the safety chain when pulled tight and they have it routed under the tonuge and woven into a couple links on the chain.
My thoughts- The cable should be slightly shorter than the chains when hooked to the truck with the assumption that the brakes should be applied prior to the chains reaching full stretch.
The cable should be routed so as to pull in the same direction that the pin will come out. Mine is routed down under the tongue while the pin is oriented horizontally. My thought her is that this set up will work as far as getting the pin pulled but will most likely destroy the plastic housing it's in rendering it unusable and needing to be replaced. So, I feel I need to route the cable over the top of the tongue and then to the truck (this looks like it leaves the cable exposed. I route my 7pin connector through the clamp I use to secure the tongue latch so maybe this could be routed through it as well???
Sorry so long winded. Just looking for opinions as I feel the current set up is useless unless the safety chain breaks and the cable is stretched. I'd like it to be set up where the pin would be pulled just shy of the chain reaching full extension with the thought the trailer would be much more controllable if it hopped the hitch with the chains taking up the slack and the brakes being applied.
Any diagrams or pictures of your set up would be helpful.....
This is my first stop, I plan to play with google when I get time this evening.
How long and what is the correct routing.
Mine I believe is all wrong. From the factory it is about 8" longer than the safety chain when pulled tight and they have it routed under the tonuge and woven into a couple links on the chain.
My thoughts- The cable should be slightly shorter than the chains when hooked to the truck with the assumption that the brakes should be applied prior to the chains reaching full stretch.
The cable should be routed so as to pull in the same direction that the pin will come out. Mine is routed down under the tongue while the pin is oriented horizontally. My thought her is that this set up will work as far as getting the pin pulled but will most likely destroy the plastic housing it's in rendering it unusable and needing to be replaced. So, I feel I need to route the cable over the top of the tongue and then to the truck (this looks like it leaves the cable exposed. I route my 7pin connector through the clamp I use to secure the tongue latch so maybe this could be routed through it as well???
Sorry so long winded. Just looking for opinions as I feel the current set up is useless unless the safety chain breaks and the cable is stretched. I'd like it to be set up where the pin would be pulled just shy of the chain reaching full extension with the thought the trailer would be much more controllable if it hopped the hitch with the chains taking up the slack and the brakes being applied.
Any diagrams or pictures of your set up would be helpful.....
This is my first stop, I plan to play with google when I get time this evening.
Popular Reply
May 27, 2025, 06:57 PM
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 921
Likes: 1,867
From: SE PA
The purpose of the breakaway switch is to activate the trailer brakes when the trailer completely disconnects from the tow vehicle, not just the hitch ball, to stop the trailer. The brakes are applied in full, i.e. locked up. You do not want that happening to you while the trailer is still attached, even if it is only by the safety chains. The cable must be longer than the safety chains that is the way the safety system is designed.
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 716
Likes: 336
Installed a eye bolt into an unused rear license plate bolt hole and clip it on there with a caribeener. Mine will definitely pull the pin before the weight rests on the safety chains. Gotta leave enough slack for tight turns.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 921
Likes: 1,867
From: SE PA
The purpose of the breakaway switch is to activate the trailer brakes when the trailer completely disconnects from the tow vehicle, not just the hitch ball, to stop the trailer. The brakes are applied in full, i.e. locked up. You do not want that happening to you while the trailer is still attached, even if it is only by the safety chains. The cable must be longer than the safety chains that is the way the safety system is designed.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 921
Likes: 1,867
From: SE PA
Remember if the hitch fails and the safety chains catch the trailer tongue your truck still is connected to the trailer brakes through the electrical connection at the 7 pin plug. You can still control the trailer and bring it to a controlled stop using the truck brakes. The breakaway switch should not be activated for this scenario.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 7,975
Likes: 4,055
Hence the name Break Away. In addition you do not want it attached to the hitch either. If the hitch fails and comes out with the trailer still attached, the break away will not function. This mainly refers to 5th wheels, but can happen to receiver hitches too. I have seen where the guy looped it around the ball, only to have the shank fracture and come out with the trailer still attached to the ball, and he did NOT use chains! But I was only going a few miles does not excuse one from getting ticketed either.
You want the cable long enough so that you can fully work the trailer when hitched so that it doesn't get disconnected on a tight turn. I attach mine to one of the box links. For tag along I have a cable looped around the frame with one of those carabiner type loops to secure the break away to.
You want the cable long enough so that you can fully work the trailer when hitched so that it doesn't get disconnected on a tight turn. I attach mine to one of the box links. For tag along I have a cable looped around the frame with one of those carabiner type loops to secure the break away to.
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FTE Community Team
Joined: Jan 2019
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Agree that it is supposed to be used when the trailer breaks completely away. I wouldn't want a full application if it just fell off the ball somehow. That would make things terrible, especially if traction was different from one side to the other. In a situation so dire that the trailer somehow falls off the hitch, having the trailer brakes suddenly go to full might finish it off and break it loose off of the tow vehicle. That'd be worse than leaving it connected by the safety chains.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,707
Likes: 12,846
From: Wyoming
The newer breakaway switches that come with a coiled cable are so short that I wouldn't be able to connect it to anything but the receiver hitch. I replaced the coiled cord that came with my trailer from the factory because it was so short that there was a lot of tension on it during normal operation. I think that was a 4' cable and I replaced it with a 6' cable. The 6' cable is certainly not hanging loose.
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 716
Likes: 336
I can see it now. Trailer falls off the ball. Your break away doesnt work because it's longer than the chains. First instinct is to slam on your brakes. Hitching/bumper takes out the jack (good luck putting it back on the ball that way), and pushes the propane tanks and battery thru the front wall of your travel trailer.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 696
I can see it now. Trailer falls off the ball. Your break away doesnt work because it's longer than the chains. First instinct is to slam on your brakes. Hitching/bumper takes out the jack (good luck putting it back on the ball that way), and pushes the propane tanks and battery thru the front wall of your travel trailer.
I had my dump trailer come off the ball once. My mistake. The trailer hitch was latched but I had recently lost the safety pin and thought "it's latched, it will be okay". Wrong.
I crossed over a bridge that had a good bump at both ends. I think the first bump popped the latch and the second bump popped the empty trailer off the ball. I applied the brakes gently and was able to move over onto the shoulder. I would not have been able to do this if the breakaway system had been activated. I have always used the safety pin after that event.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,513
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From: Sioux Falls Area
From experience, your first instinct should be to grab the trailer brakes to pull the chains tight then gently apply the vehicle brakes to slow down the whole rig. Doing this will result in a lot less damage to both vehicles.
As stated above, the breakaway is for a trailer that detached and broke the safety chains. The breakaway is to save other people from dying when your errant trailer decides its own path in life. It is for other people’s safety, not your convenience or use.
As stated above, the breakaway is for a trailer that detached and broke the safety chains. The breakaway is to save other people from dying when your errant trailer decides its own path in life. It is for other people’s safety, not your convenience or use.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 7,975
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I have had a trailer pop off without brakes. The latch somehow got above the ball even though it was fully seated so it appeared to be latched. Hit the bridge abutment and off it went, cradled in the chains somewhat but also resting on the jack. I remove the shoe when travelling so it wound up scraping the pavement. Stopping got it to hit the license plate a couple times before it went under the truck with the hitch hitting the front of the V and damaging the aluminum plate. I hve since learned to reach under the ball and verify the latch is under the ball. I no longer rely on just jacking it up to see if its secured by lifting the truck with it, as it did that time. Hitting the bump dislodged it, or turning out onto the road did, but either way, I learned a lesson.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,935
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From: Angier, NC
I can see it now. Trailer falls off the ball. Your break away doesnt work because it's longer than the chains. First instinct is to slam on your brakes. Hitching/bumper takes out the jack (good luck putting it back on the ball that way), and pushes the propane tanks and battery thru the front wall of your travel trailer.
To test yours hook the chains up and lower the trailer down as far as it will go.
Did the chains hold the jack off the ground, I dont think so.
Dave -----