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Old 05-04-2019, 02:55 PM   #1
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My breakaway brake cable broke

How do I replace my breakaway brake cable on my Escape 21 ft trailer? I discovered when I unhitched that the cable wire had broke completely in to. I tried to pull the broken one out but it did not come out. Do I need to take it to an rv service center?
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Old 05-04-2019, 03:04 PM   #2
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Sandy,
Home depot has the cable. Just cut off current cable, take it in and have them match it up and get the ferrules needed to close the loops on each end. They just mash down with pliers, but they can show you what you need. It's an easy and inexpensive job once your familiar with how it works.
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Old 05-04-2019, 03:11 PM   #3
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Get coated cable if they have it 1/8 or 7/64. If you cannot close the ferrule with piers use vise grips and take incremental bites or big channel locks.
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Old 05-04-2019, 03:15 PM   #4
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Greg A and Iowa Dave, I will go to Home Depot for the cable. Thank you both for the help.
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Old 05-04-2019, 04:39 PM   #5
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My breakaway cable was installed by Escape. The cable is woven into the safety chains. I believe there is even a knot somewhere on the breakaway cable. Is this standard? Is there not some skill in doing this and still getting the cable to the proper length that the trailer brakes are applied in the case of an uncoupling?
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Old 05-04-2019, 05:03 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandyb12 View Post
Greg A and Iowa Dave, I will go to Home Depot for the cable. Thank you both for the help.
While you are there, look in the section where they sell towing hardware.
You might just find one like this. All neat and tidy.

https://www.amazon.com/Fastway-Foot-...s%2C161&sr=8-1
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Old 05-04-2019, 05:48 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by EdColorado View Post
While you are there, look in the section where they sell towing hardware.
You might just find one like this. All neat and tidy.

https://www.amazon.com/Fastway-Foot-...s%2C161&sr=8-1
A breakaway cable that's less likely to break. Am I the only one who sees the irony?
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Old 05-04-2019, 05:50 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by fudge_brownie View Post
My breakaway cable was installed by Escape. The cable is woven into the safety chains. I believe there is even a knot somewhere on the breakaway cable. Is this standard? Is there not some skill in doing this and still getting the cable to the proper length that the trailer brakes are applied in the case of an uncoupling?
Weaving the cable through the safety chains is not how it should be installed and it defeats its purpose. If your trailer became unhitched and both the safety chains broke (highly unlikely) the breakaway cable would just break at the tow vehicle instead of pulling out of the brake activation switch on the trailer.
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Old 05-04-2019, 07:42 PM   #9
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Escape installed our break-away cable just like fudge_ brownie's (wasn't hooked up like that on 19'). The first thing we're doing when we return from our current trip is to rectify that problem.
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Old 05-05-2019, 05:05 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by EdColorado View Post
While you are there, look in the section where they sell towing hardware.
You might just find one like this. All neat and tidy.

https://www.amazon.com/Fastway-Foot-...s%2C161&sr=8-1
I use one of these on the 5.0TA. I connect to one of the truck bed tie downs and found the original way too long. Cut it back and attached the pig tail to it.

For bumper pulls, I'm of the school where the emergency cable should be a tad shorter then the chains. The brakes should actuate if the trailer comes off the ball. Here's a good video on it. If you watch it, campers with an on board battery, don't need the auxiliary one he talks about.

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Old 05-05-2019, 07:21 AM   #11
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Coiled Brake Cable

LHC Coiled brake cable
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Old 05-05-2019, 07:36 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EdColorado View Post
While you are there, look in the section where they sell towing hardware.
You might just find one like this. All neat and tidy.

https://www.amazon.com/Fastway-Foot-...s%2C161&sr=8-1
One more addition to my Amazon wish list.
-Thanks
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Old 05-05-2019, 08:06 AM   #13
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One more addition to my Amazon wish list.
-Thanks
Should you decide to go this way, and I’m not promoting any system over the other, just saying there are options out there, the 4’ length is the best choice for a bumper-pull trailer. The 6’ version gives too much slack.
I swapped the ETI cable out because we often travel on deeply rutted ‘roads’ and I didn’t want a cable that could be easily snagged on a rock or a stump or whatever.


https://www.amazon.com/Fastway-Foot-...61&sr=8-1&th=1
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Old 05-05-2019, 02:07 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandyb12 View Post
How do I replace my breakaway brake cable on my Escape 21 ft trailer? I discovered when I unhitched that the cable wire had broke completely in to. I tried to pull the broken one out but it did not come out. Do I need to take it to an rv service center?
Hi: Sandyb12... They're designed to breakaway. I replaced mine with the coiled style. It seems to stay out of the way now!!! I got mine at the RV dealer. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 05-05-2019, 09:49 PM   #15
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I watched the video that Pailin suggested, then my brother fixed my breakaway brake cable for me the correct way. Another problem solved! Thank you all very much!
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Old 05-15-2019, 11:58 AM   #16
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Just ordered this. It looks far superior to what I am replacing.
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