Break away cable
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 16
From: Kuna ID
I've always looped mine through a hole in the bumper with one of those threaded carabiner looking things.
You want to talk about losing trailer keys. I had a key ring with the key to stinger lock pin on my hitch, the key to my coupler lock pin and the key to my tool box on the trailer. I left them on my rear bumper and went for a ride to drop my trailer off. When I arrived, I couldn't drop my trailer. Damn glad I recently collected all my spare keys and had extras of each one. Drove the road twice, but never did find my keys.
You want to talk about losing trailer keys. I had a key ring with the key to stinger lock pin on my hitch, the key to my coupler lock pin and the key to my tool box on the trailer. I left them on my rear bumper and went for a ride to drop my trailer off. When I arrived, I couldn't drop my trailer. Damn glad I recently collected all my spare keys and had extras of each one. Drove the road twice, but never did find my keys.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 65,938
Likes: 1,432
From: Millersville, MD
Got a better one.... I left my keyring on the truckbed rail during a hookup here at the house and drove to campground in Gettysburg..... it was still sitting there...a little further back toward the rear.... when I got there!!! I was amazed!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 3
From: Simpsonville, KY
Uhm... that's kinda the complete intent of the breakaway cable billnuke 
If the entire system fails and the trailer is completely seperate from the tow vehicle you WANT the brakes to kick in to stop the trailer. Yes, it'll crash, but it is going to anyways. Rather it slow down and crash at 20mph than 60mph.
What did you think it was there for?
If the entire system fails and the trailer is completely seperate from the tow vehicle you WANT the brakes to kick in to stop the trailer. Yes, it'll crash, but it is going to anyways. Rather it slow down and crash at 20mph than 60mph.What did you think it was there for?
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,551
Likes: 1
From: Hickory, North Carolina
I just went to tsc and picked up some hardware there. I ever got some for my dads trls. When I went to go hook up to some of his he threw away the hooks I got for them and just looped the cable and knotted it into the chains. man he pisses me off sometimes.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
My impresssion grafekie(sorry, no smileys) is that it was to stop/slow down the trailer while still attached to the tow vehicle with some degree of control. 20 mph down from 60 mph is a long ways to go even while still attached to the tow vehicle with just the tow chains. I'm glad my Excursion weighs more than my trailer in that situation!
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
Likes: 669
From: Scio, OR
The breakaway switch, at least all of them I've ever seen, is a simple switch that will apply full battery voltage from the trailer battery to the trailer brakes. In most cases, this is going to lock the trailer brakes up tight. Something you don't really want if you're still trying to control the trailer.
I had the same question some time ago, when I first towed my brother's gooseneck and realized that the breakaway switch wire was much longer than the safety chains. When I got to thinking about it, it made sense.
Think about it this way. Take your truck and trailer out on the highway and run it up to speed. Turn the power dial on your brake controller all the way up and hit the manual lever all the way over. What happens is what is going to happen when that breakaway switch pulls. Except you won't be able to let go of the lever.
I had the same question some time ago, when I first towed my brother's gooseneck and realized that the breakaway switch wire was much longer than the safety chains. When I got to thinking about it, it made sense.
Think about it this way. Take your truck and trailer out on the highway and run it up to speed. Turn the power dial on your brake controller all the way up and hit the manual lever all the way over. What happens is what is going to happen when that breakaway switch pulls. Except you won't be able to let go of the lever.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Without ABS the trailer tires at that speed are going to catch for just an instant then slide/skid. This has the effect of an anchor on a boat, keeping the trailer behind the tow vehicle. The hitch point applying directional force. Without that force, the trailer will take the path of least resistance. All of this will also depend on what the trailer hitch has done at this point. Other factors such as load distribution and how everything in the trailer was secured will also contribute to what happens.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
Likes: 669
From: Scio, OR
Control is key. Sliding tires have no control. They'll go left or right at will. Rolling tires that are not sliding can be controlled.
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Yup! At the point where the trailer leaves the tow vehicle all you can count on is those trailer tires helping or at least adding to the braking efffort. Road conditions, number of axles, speed, tire/ brake conditions, etc. take over. Taking the weight or some of the weight of the trailer out of equation is about all you can hope for.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 3
From: Simpsonville, KY
That's why you have a brake controller. To add that braking power IN CONTROL while you still have active control of the trailer's function. When it disconnects completely from the tow vehicle, you no longer have any control and need the brakes to lock (or slow) to help save the other drivers on the road.
Like someone mentioned, if you are still connected to the trailer and the brake pin pulls and locks the trailer axles, it'll snap the chains in a heartbeat and cause much more loss of control.
The breakaway switch should only be activated if all other means fail and the trailer is 100% seperate from the truck.
Like someone mentioned, if you are still connected to the trailer and the brake pin pulls and locks the trailer axles, it'll snap the chains in a heartbeat and cause much more loss of control.
The breakaway switch should only be activated if all other means fail and the trailer is 100% seperate from the truck.
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