Breakaway Cable

[steve dunham]

I secure the clip that holds my hitch pin in place with a tyrap.
If I try and remove the clip without cutting the tyrap I need a pair of pliers. Not perfect but it doesn't fall out when traveling or from the actions of a playful 5 year old .
Tried a locking hitch pin but after a long winter's trip on salt / sand covered roads and several hours of cussing I abandoned the idea.

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Interesting thread. I just bought a new red coiled switch wire with a Carabiner on one end and a ring on the pin end. Pinched the old standard one at Scamp camp in Sebring Fl. Pulled the pin and everything ground to a halt...PRONTO!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[War Eagle]

Alf, I'm still using ETI's standard breakaway cable switch pin, but I purchased one of those nice coiled jobs as a back-up just in case that pesky 5 year-old campground nemesis others have mentioned decides to walk off with my cable switch pin as their new sling toy! I'd hate to miss campground checkout time because I can't unlock my trailer brakes! It's a pretty vital item that could potentially walk away, so carrying a back-up just seems to me like a prudent thing to do...

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Alf, I'm still using ETI's standard breakaway cable switch pin, but I purchased one of those nice coiled jobs as a back-up just in case that pesky 5 year-old campground nemesis others have mentioned decides to walk off with my cable switch pin as their new sling toy! I'd hate to miss campground checkout time because I can't unlock my trailer brakes! It's a pretty vital item that could potentially walk away, so carrying a back-up just seems to me like a prudent thing to do...

Hi: War Eagle... Great minds... but I'd switch the roles around. With the 5.0TA a pesky 5 yr. old can't reach the hitch... needs to be a pesky teen yr old.
My EZRoller hitch& I was the pest. Showed some one how it works and didn't get the pin in place properly. Reversed back into our site after tire repair... another story... and pinched the cable under the roller. Won't happen again !!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by gocamp

Gotta watch out for induction hardend.

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Do you know where that pin was made? My locking stainless steel pins were proudly made in Michigan. While I'm not fond of their football team, I like their steel. Great luck for the past 30 thousand miles.

Let's not get everyone thinking their hitch pins might snap. This would be very rare with on road towing with a moderate load like an Escape trailer. The pictures of the broken pin shared by gocamp are from a tractor that was pulling a 7300 gallon manure tank over uneven terrain. The hitch system is also different from a traditional receiver, draw bar and ball. The pin was put under incredible load. The agriculture industry has had some problems of broken hitch pins due to a combination of the type of hitching mechanisms, stronger tractors, heavier implements, terrain and hitch pins not strong enough for the application.
https://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/th...at&setCookie=1

Even though hitch pins aren't typically graded like bolts we need to keep things in perspective. Even a worst case "grade 2" 5/8" hitch pin is rated at just over 27,000# in double shear. There are reports of receiver holes elongating and pins bending before a hitch pin actually breaks.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gocamp

I read Ontario regulation requires a 'separate attachment point' for the cable.

The Ontario requirement makes sense to me. I was suprised to see today that the section of the BC Motor Vehicle Act regulations for Brakes (for non-commercial vehicles) doesn't seem to require a breakaway function at all.

Alberta's Vehicle Equipment Regulation (AR 122/2009) has a section (56) for Trailer Brakes, which requires that the brakes be automatically applied in a breakaway... but doesn't appear to say anything about how they will be triggered, let alone how a cable should be attached.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Let's not get everyone thinking their hitch pins might snap...

Even though hitch pins aren't typically graded like bolts we need to keep things in perspective. Even a worst case "grade 2" 5/8" hitch pin is rated at just over 27,000# in double shear. There are reports of receiver holes elongating and pins bending before a hitch pin actually breaks.

Great perspective. Also, a "low-grade" material is actually desirable (within reason), to avoid excessive brittleness. I would much rather find that the pin had bent (even if that jammed it in the hitch) than have it snap.

[davescape]

Originally Posted by davescape

The strength rating for the hooks and the attachment point on the hitch, should far exceed the strength of the chain.

I may have shared some untruths. Sorry

My hook is for 5/16" chain and is G70 rated (4700 lbs). The chain is 5/16" with an undetermined rating. Presumably its also G70 rated (4700 lbs).

In the unlikely event that the trailer comes detached from the hitch, and chain #1 breaks, and then chain #2 breaks, and on one of those chains its the hook with the breakaway cable that broke, then there is a possibility of it continuing down the road. Its destination and velocity would be entirely determined by random chance, not unlike most other vehicles on the road

[msweet]

We replaced our original breakaway cable with one of those red coiled cables with a carabiner clip. It attaches right beside the safety chains.
http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/zip-breakaway-cable


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Fox hunt]

Mine is the same red coil with a carabiner clip very easy

[gocamp]

Most Manufacturers will recommend the cable activate before the chains are taut and before the electrical cord is taut in hopes of using the trailer brakes to maintain enough control to prevent a complete breakaway. My farm and ranch neighbors say you have to watch out for induction hardened. They go through a lot of equipment and parts. OR maybe you don't see a lot of that in NJ Rubicon?

Then you have other folks who say
The breakaway cable is meant for a breakaway. Still being attached by the chains isn't broken away, it's still attached. So the proper way to connect is to have the cable longer than than the outstretched chains. They buy the Red plastic coiled cord that extends out a long way.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by msweet

We replaced our original breakaway cable with one of those red coiled cables with a carabiner clip. It attaches right beside the safety chains.
Zipâ„¢ Breakaway Cable


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have one of those too. I had one on my Casita. Recent information that I got is they are a bad deal. The breakaway should be short enough so that if the trailer comes off the ball, the safety chains should hold the coupler up off the ground and the breakaway should activate. The idea being that the brakes are activated and the trailer stays under relative control and can be brought to a safe stop. If it is riding on the chains, the breakaway may never activate and the trailer will then slam into the back of the tow when trying to come to a stop.

Replacing my nice neat coiled cable is on my list. Maybe it can be shortened enough to work. The concept seems logical to me.

[JPSpins]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: JPSpins... Otherwise how's that 19'er working for you?
Sitting in Orleans with no one to have coffee with. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

All is well, spotty cell service makes comms difficult. Leaving Kokanee Creek Park for Kootenay this morning.
Trailer drives well and happy with the truck as well.
Still working on my sea legs!

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by gocamp

My farm and ranch neighbors say you have to watch out for induction hardened. They go through a lot of equipment and parts. OR maybe you don't see a lot of that in NJ Rubicon?

gocamp: Certainly don't have farming on your scale. We always need to be aware of cheap, inferior parts especially for critical applications but we also need to be smart enough to select items strong enough for the task at hand. If I was towing very heavy implements I would invest in Grade 8 hitch pins. I'm just trying to not have us extrapolate a problem in the agricultural industry with a different type of hitch system and larger loads to potential problems on the road towing a relatively light travel trailer with a standard receiver/draw bar type hitch system.

[gocamp]

The whole point of talking about safety is to extrapolate a problem in your mind to plan ahead.

[float5]

We have what you have and there is no problem AFAIAC.

If the brakes are activated by the breakaway cable, I believe that they are meant to quickly completely stop the trailer IF it should be separated from the tow vehicle. That is fine. But I do not want the trailer to be attached to the tow vehicle when that happens. I would think that that could give you quite a jolt. The trailer would be stopped by the breakaway when the chains have broken or disconnected (or are not there as was the case over on another forum where the guy lost his trailer, and others around were stopping traffic when his trailer did not stop.)

You have a brake controller to use manually to slow the trailer when you are connected.

Originally Posted by skiman

I have one of those too. I had one on my Casita. Recent information that I got is they are a bad deal. The breakaway should be short enough so that if the trailer comes off the ball, the safety chains should hold the coupler up off the ground and the breakaway should activate. The idea being that the brakes are activated and the trailer stays under relative control and can be brought to a safe stop. If it is riding on the chains, the breakaway may never activate and the trailer will then slam into the back of the tow when trying to come to a stop.

Replacing my nice neat coiled cable is on my list. Maybe it can be shortened enough to work. The concept seems logical to me.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by float5

You have a brake controller to use manually to slow the trailer when you are connected.

I agree. Breakaway is only for a complete disconnection from the tow vehicle, hence the name. That brings up an interesting point though. You want your breakaway cable long enough so it does not engage brakes suddenly and fully if you are still connected by your safety chains. But then you also want to check that your electrical umbilical is long enough that it is not pulled out of the socket with safety chains fully extended. If that happened you would have no trailer braking and it will most certainly put the tow vehicle and trailer at risk of a collision.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by float5

We have what you have and there is no problem AFAIAC.

If the brakes are activated by the breakaway cable, I believe that they are meant to quickly completely stop the trailer IF it should be separated from the tow vehicle. That is fine. But I do not want the trailer to be attached to the tow vehicle when that happens. I would think that that could give you quite a jolt. The trailer would be stopped by the breakaway when the chains have broken or disconnected (or are not there as was the case over on another forum where the guy lost his trailer, and others around were stopping traffic when his trailer did not stop.)

You have a brake controller to use manually to slow the trailer when you are connected.

Laws of physics, any object moving at "considerable" speed, including a trailer with electric brakes is not going to quickly stop. A detached trailer with its brakes being applied may still veer into oncoming traffic and maim or kill someone. A breakaway system may prevent some accidents, it is not a fail safe mechanism or a guarantee that nothing bad will happen. As Forrest Gump said "It happens."

[gocamp]

Yes two camps,
Most Manufacturers will recommend the cable activate before the chains are taut.

other folks who say
The breakaway cable is meant for a complete breakaway. Still being attached by the chains isn't broken away, it's still attached. So the proper way to connect is to have the cable longer than than the outstretched chains.

Brian BP, please get in here to sort this thread out. He can think ahead and extrapolate out like nobody else here.

Float5, what do you mean by breakaway activated "separated from the tow vehicle" Chains taught or chains completely broken free? The only way I can think of to "not want the trailer to be attached to the tow vehicle" when a failure happens, like you mentioned, is to not hook up your chains in the first place.

So according to Rubicon below, we have Glenn being told to do the opposite of the manual. "REMOVABLE PART"

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The normal way to use a breakaway cable is to snap the attached hook onto the safety chain loops of the hitch receiver, or some similar non-removable part of the structure, as Dale described. This is why the breakaway cable usually has a hook on the end, not just a loop; it's usually a basic snap hook, but there are various hardware alternatives for this.

Straight from the Escape Owner's Manual:
"The steel lanyard must be anchored to the tow vehicle when the trailer is hitched up. Secure this cable loop to the permanent frame of the tow vehicle, or a part of the hitch that is non-removable. DO NOT FASTEN THE BREAKAWAY SWITCH LANYARD TO THE HITCH BALL OR ANY OTHER REMOVABLE PART OF THE HITCH."