Breakaway Brake Musings

[Centex]

Breakaway brakes are intended to activate when a trailer becomes completely disconnected from the tow vehicle. That’s obviously a terrible event, likely with multiple consequences, none of them good for the trailer, the tow vehicle, or other folks, vehicles, or property in the vicinity when it happens.

When activated by the lanyard connected to the tow vehicle pulling the breakaway brake switch-pin, the trailer brakes are 'slammed-on' at the maximum force possible given the power in the trailer battery.

Note that if the breakaway brake lanyard is connected to a part of the vehicle which fails giving rise to the event (e.g connected to a part of the hitch which separates from the vehicle), the breakaway brakes likely will not activate. Consideration of that should be given when selecting your lanyard anchor-point.

The intended result of breakaway brake activation is

• The trailer comes to a stop before it careens into other objects on / adjacent to the roadway
• If lucky, this occurs in a manner which allows the trailer to remain upright and minimally damaged
• Not infrequently however, something on the trailer ‘digs-in’, or other forces come into play, resulting in the trailer upending / rolling-over, with very destructive effects

Personally, I know I do not want any of this to occur while the trailer is connected in any way to my tow vehicle (e.g. connected by the safety chains). I also know that I’d rather have modulated control (via the brake controller) of my trailer brakes as long as there is any connection between my tow vehicle and trailer. I know I do not want a partially disconnected trailer trying to act on my tow vehicle any more than the fact of partial disconnection causes. To that end my rig is configured such that the trailer brakes will hopefully not 'slam-on' while there's any connection to my tow vehicle:

• The umbilical cord is long enough to stay connected when the trailer safety-chains are fully extended
• The breakaway lanyard is long enough to not pull the breakaway-switch pin with the safety-chains fully extended (the safety chains must fail for the breakaway brakes to activate).

I’ve never experienced any need for breakaway brakes. I hope no one does. But awareness of how that worst-case event might play-out bears thought, IMO.

Just for your consideration, wishing all Safe and Happy Trailering!

 

[DanandDaphne]

Of course you got this exactly right

Lot's of people don't.

I recently bought a utility trailer and the breakaway brake cable was permanently attached to one of the safety chain hooks, tangled up in the chain and short enough so that it would activate the trailer brakes with the chains still attached to the tow vehicle.

I replaced the breakaway cable with a 4' coiled cable https://www.amazon.com/Malloryx-Bre...=trailer+breakaway+safety,aps,146&sr=8-7&th=1
I also put one of these on the Escape as I think it is less likely to get tangled up and accidentally activate your trailer brakes. You do have to yank on it pretty hard though to pull the connector out so not likely but the coiled cable is tidier.

 

[hugh]

I like that coiled cable. I've always been worried that when my straight lanyard is longer than the chains, that it could get caught / activated by road debris. Maybe I'm over thinking it...

 

[Ron in BC]

There's a hole in my WDH beside the ball. I put a piece of bungee cord through it and tied it there with the ends hanging down. It stays there.

I tie it around both my 7 pin cable and the break away cable keeping them free and clear of the chains and off the road. Works for me.

Ron

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

I hook up my safety chains, then I hook the breakaway cable to the left side loop on the hitch receiver. my safety cable has a little carabiner on it, I feed this through the loop on the receiver, and clip it on to the cable

my safety chain hooks have a safety gate on them, so they can't come off.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

I hook up my safety chains, then I hook the breakaway cable to the left side loop on the hitch receiver. my safety cable has a little carabiner on it, I feed this through the loop on the receiver, and clip it on to the cable

my safety chain hooks have a safety gate on them, so they can't come off.

Is there a reason/benefit to looping the breakaway cable through the attached carabiner on the hitch and back onto itself versus just attaching the breakaway cable (with it's carabiner end) onto the carabiner attached to the side of the hitch.

I've been attaching it to the bolted on carabiner attached to the left my hitch for years, but will switch if your way is better/safer. I can't post pics right now, but can if needed.

Luckily, the breakaway cable has never been needed.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

My breakaway cable is quite long, so needs to be doubled on itself. If by "hitch", you mean the removable ball mount, what if that comes off the vehicle?

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

My breakaway cable is quite long, so needs to be doubled on itself. If by "hitch", you mean the removable ball mount, what if that comes off the vehicle?

I attach to the safety chain loop (factory installed hitch receiver). I put a bolted on carabineer there and attach to that, so it is independent from the Safety Chain carabiner and basically attached to my truck.

I wasn't sure if there was a reason to loop the cable back to itself, but you explained it's due to length. So all good.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

I attach to the safety chain loop (factory installed hitch receiver). I put a bolted on carabineer there and attach to that.

I wasn't sure if there was a reason to loop the cable back to itself, but you explained it's due to length. So all good.

gotcha. yeah, my cable is 10 years old and getting a bit sketchy, I probably should get some new vinyl covered steel wire and crimp me a shorter one, but I don't know if there's anywhere to bolt a carabiner onto the hitch receiver, as the power plugs are right next to the safety chain loop on the left side

 

[WannaBeEscaped]

Alan, I’m trying to recall if you have the Andersen hitch. If so, where do you anchor the end of the breakaway lanyard? I currently have it looped around the most forward driver’s side arm of the pyramid, high up at first, but it always slides down low near the base. But I never thought about the length of it in relation to the safety chains.

Thanks,
Duane
(p.s., currently we are in Gander, Newfoundland, 6 weeks and 7,700 miles/~12,000 kms into it!)

 

[DanandDaphne]

gotcha. yeah, my cable is 10 years old and getting a bit sketchy, I probably should get some new vinyl covered steel wire and crimp me a shorter one, but I don't know if there's anywhere to bolt a carabiner onto the hitch receiver, as the power plugs are right next to the safety chain loop on the left side

I would recommend getting a coiled cable, especially for a bumper pull trailer because if they are long enough they they are pretty much dragging on the ground. They are cheep and they are mostly 4' or 6'.

https://www.amazon.com/Kutyun-Break...454&sprefix=trailer+breakaway,aps,162&sr=8-57

I picked this one to post because of the interesting coupler in the picture, European maybe?

 

[hugh]

I would recommend getting a coiled cable, especially for a bumper pull trailer because if they are long enough they they are pretty much dragging on the ground. They are cheep and they are mostly 4' or 6'.

https://www.amazon.com/Kutyun-Break...454&sprefix=trailer+breakaway,aps,162&sr=8-57

I picked this one to post because of the interesting coupler in the picture, European maybe?

I just bought one based on this thread. I'm an "RV noob", so didn't even know they existed!

 

[Centex]

Alan, I’m trying to recall if you have the Andersen hitch. If so, where do you anchor the end of the breakaway lanyard?

I have the Andersen Ultimate on a B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck hitch.

I have my lanyard anchored to the neck of the B&W steel 'ball post' below the Andersen tube that grabs that ball.

Like the safety chains, my lanyard 'stays with the truck' when unhitched, having a strong and secure clip to release it from the trailer at the breakaway switch pin where there's an SS 'key-chain loop' installed in the hole in the pin. IMO easier to rig the lanyard when hitching and unhitching just reaching without stretching over the side of the bed (I do it at the same time I lock / unlock the nearly adjacent Andersen coupler release and safety chains).

I'll try to remember to post pics next time it's convenient to grab some.

I figure that if that heck-for-stout B&W GN 'ball post' fails and doesn't serve to pull the breakaway pin at the end my long lanyard, well ...... :whistling:

 

[WannaBeEscaped]

Thank you, Alan.

 

[GinoandLinda]

I have the Andersen Ultimate on a B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck hitch.

I have my lanyard anchored to the neck of the B&W steel 'ball post' below the Andersen tube that grabs that ball.

Like the safety chains, my lanyard 'stays with the truck' when unhitched, having a strong and secure clip to release it from the trailer at the breakaway switch pin where there's an SS 'key-chain loop' installed in the hole in the pin. IMO easier to rig the lanyard when hitching and unhitching just reaching without stretching over the side of the bed (I do it at the same time I lock / unlock the nearly adjacent Andersen coupler release and safety chains).

I'll try to remember to post pics next time it's convenient to grab some.

I figure that if that heck-for-stout B&W GN 'ball post' fails and doesn't serve to pull the breakaway pin at the end my long lanyard, well ...... :whistling:

I like this idea. I remove my hitch after towing because I need the clear truck bed to haul stuff for home improvement projects, but it shouldn't be a big deal to wrap the brake cable arounf the hitch.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Centex]

... I remove my hitch after towing because I need the clear truck bed to haul stuff for home improvement projects...

I do the same between trips with the trailer - that's why it's not convenient to take pics at the moment.

I install the GN ball, safety chain 'plate', the lanyard, and then the Andersen Ultimate in that order when getting ready for trailer travel, and then remove it all and hang it on a wall when I'm back home.

I 'store' my GN ball by inserting it into the coupler block on the trailer and let it hang there between trips rather than inverting it in the socket in the truck (prevents wasps from nesting inside the coupler block (BTDT!), my trailer stays secure at my rural home, not a remote storage facility).

 

[George Johnson]

A subject I had never really though through. I have revised my previous practice, but hope I ( and all the rest of you!) never have to rely on it.



Thank you

 

[Jim Bennett]

Breakaway brakes are intended to activate when a trailer becomes completely disconnected from the tow vehicle.

I am not willing to take chances like that. On bumper pulls, of which I have had a few dozen different ones, I have the cable length to apply the brakes should the hitch become disconnected. If you don't do this and the trailer disconnects then the chains hold it. Not try stopping. Not an easy thing. With the brakes fully activated you still have decent forward motion and the trailer pulls back straight keeping the two units nice and straight.

Try stopping with the truck and trailer connect with the safety chains only connected. I know a few who have done this. Lots of damage done.

Having suffered a trailer breaking loose completely disconnected once before, let me tell you, that was really scary as it flipped on its side and slid across the highway through oncoming traffic. Nobody was hurt fortunately as speeds were not high, but............

With the 5.0TA this ends up being the same. If the hitch should disconnect the pin will drop to the bed and go back until the brake cable is disconnected. The brakes are on with the trailer being towed with chains. Not much you could do different short of having a 6' or longer cable. The truck bed will get a bit of damage.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

So to summarize, how long should the brake cable be compared to the safety chains on a tow behind?

 

[hugh]

I am not willing to take chances like that. On bumper pulls, of which I have had a few dozen different ones, I have the cable length to apply the brakes should the hitch become disconnected. If you don't do this and the trailer disconnects then the chains hold it. Not try stopping. Not an easy thing. With the brakes fully activated you still have decent forward motion and the trailer pulls back straight keeping the two units nice and straight.

Try stopping with the truck and trailer connect with the safety chains only connected. I know a few who have done this. Lots of damage done.

Having suffered a trailer breaking loose completely disconnected once before, let me tell you, that was really scary as it flipped on its side and slid across the highway through oncoming traffic. Nobody was hurt fortunately as speeds were not high, but............

With the 5.0TA this ends up being the same. If the hitch should disconnect the pin will drop to the bed and go back until the brake cable is disconnected. The brakes are on with the trailer being towed with chains. Not much you could do different short of having a 6' or longer cable. The truck bed will get a bit of damage.

If this happened to me, I hope I would have the presence of mind to use my brake controller to manually apply (and moderate) my trailer brakes. In that regard, it would be similar to using the brake controller to apply the brakes to dampen trailer sway.