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Old 05-02-2018, 02:25 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by Great Eggstrications View Post
... I assume that the brakes on the trailer in question are of the typical primary / secondary shoe variety. When the brakes are applied, whether hydraulically or electrically, the primary shoe would be 'grabbed' by the rotating drum and that forces the secondary shoe into the drum, and only then do you get full braking action. I'm guessing that while this is taking place, the trailer will have moved some significant distance. This would be effective if the trailer really gets loose and heads down the hill and moves enough to set the brake shoes, but I don't know that you would get full braking right away by pulling the break-away plunger.
It's even a little worse than that with an electric drum brake, because current through the brake magnet doesn't directly push either shoe against the drum; instead, it pulls the magnet arm against the vertical face of the drum, then rotation of the drum pulls the arm to apply the shoes. Yes, there's some rotation before effective braking starts.
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Old 05-02-2018, 02:54 PM   #22
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Is it correct to assume that the breakaway switch relies on the trailer battery to activate the trailer breaks in the case the trailer accidentally separates from the tug during travel? If that is so, those parking on a steeper slope (with the tug detached) could peg the end of the breakaway cable into the ground next to the trailer such that if the chocks were ever to fail, the trailer would only roll as far away as the breakaway cable before the trailer brakes are activated, thereby stopping the trailer. It would be a relatively simple matter to implement this as a back-up plan for ensuring your trailer does not roll away!
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Old 05-02-2018, 03:28 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by Dave Walter View Post
Is it correct to assume that the breakaway switch relies on the trailer battery to activate the trailer breaks in the case the trailer accidentally separates from the tug during travel? If that is so, those parking on a steeper slope (with the tug detached) could peg the end of the breakaway cable into the ground next to the trailer such that if the chocks were ever to fail, the trailer would only roll as far away as the breakaway cable before the trailer brakes are activated, thereby stopping the trailer. It would be a relatively simple matter to implement this as a back-up plan for ensuring your trailer does not roll away!
Yes it is powered by the trailer battery. Neat idea!

I think it brakes the trailer pretty quickly. I tested the breakaway on gravel once and I don't think there was much, if any, tire rotation. It just instantly slid on the gravel.
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Old 05-02-2018, 03:39 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Walter View Post
Is it correct to assume that the breakaway switch relies on the trailer battery to activate the trailer breaks in the case the trailer accidentally separates from the tug during travel? If that is so, those parking on a steeper slope (with the tug detached) could peg the end of the breakaway cable into the ground next to the trailer such that if the chocks were ever to fail, the trailer would only roll as far away as the breakaway cable before the trailer brakes are activated, thereby stopping the trailer. It would be a relatively simple matter to implement this as a back-up plan for ensuring your trailer does not roll away!
Or, you could use a good chock setup.

This would only work if the rear is downhill, not uphill, because the breakaway is directional.
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Old 05-02-2018, 05:07 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
I think it brakes the trailer pretty quickly. I tested the breakaway on gravel once and I don't think there was much, if any, tire rotation. It just instantly slid on the gravel.
The electric brakes only take a fraction of a turn to act, which is essentially nothing in motion but significant if you're trying to hold a trailer rigidly in place while hitching or unhitching.
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Old 05-02-2018, 05:11 PM   #26
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This would only work if the rear is downhill, not uphill, because the breakaway is directional.
Why? Electric trailer brakes work in reverse.
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Old 05-02-2018, 05:27 PM   #27
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Why? Electric trailer brakes work in reverse.
Have you ever tried to pull the breakaway out to the rear. Won't work unless you actually turn it around. So I stick to my statement that pinning the breakaway cable to the ground only would work it out if the ground slope to the rear of the trailer.
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Old 05-02-2018, 08:16 PM   #28
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Have you ever tried to pull the breakaway out to the rear. Won't work unless you actually turn it around. So I stick to my statement that pinning the breakaway cable to the ground only would work it out if the ground slope to the rear of the trailer.
Oops I gotcha now. I was just thinking about the brakes working. I agree that the breakaway assembly as designed would allow the pin to only be pulled out if the trailer rolled backward. If the trailer goes forward it would bind up.
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Old 05-02-2018, 08:59 PM   #29
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After you back in ,cock the wheels on the trailer. Go back to the tow pop it into Neutral (N) and release the E- brake.
let it relax then put it back into (P) park. Set the E- brake . There should be less stresses on the trailer hitch .If the trailer pops up it's normal. Happens all the time .
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Old 05-03-2018, 08:17 AM   #30
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Nevan, You've received lots of thought-provoking feedback to your original post, some of which I hope you find helpful. Not to belabor this, but I think many who have contributed would be interested in seeing a photo of your camper parked on site so we can visualize just how much ground slope and type of terrain you are dealing with. That might help inspire additional suggestions more focused on your particular situation. Now, to add another thought, have you ever visited a railroad yard where they have end-of-rail "buffer stops" to keep railroad cars from rolling off the dead end of railroad tracks (see photo below)? If you are dealing with a place you plan to always park your camper at your home, you might want to consider a similar permanent structure (scaled down for your camper, of course) that you can just back up against without having to set chocks. That, or do as others have suggested and just get a good pair of heavy duty rubber chocks like these:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...w?cm_vc=-10005
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