Community Forums

cenfl · 03-17-2016, 05:58 AM

If you have safety cables connecting toad to coach, is it also necessary to use a "breakaway system" with the aux. brakes? Does the law specifically require this?

FRR2EYW · 03-17-2016, 06:12 AM

The law probably varies from state to state, but it will save the back of your coach and front of your car if you do have a tow bar failure.

BPoland · 03-17-2016, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cenfl

If you have safety cables connecting toad to coach, is it also necessary to use a "breakaway system" with the aux. brakes? Does the law specifically require this?

It really depends on the type of breakaway you have. If your tow bar breaks, the chances are that your breakaway switch will not be engaged. In my mind, the breakaway switch is used in the event of a catastrophic failure. Remember, the coach side of the breakaway cable is supposed to be attached to the coach directly, not to the hitch receiver. The breakaway switch is the last line of defense, should the car completely break away from the coach

. You need to stop that 3,000 lbs missile before it kills somebody. I had thought of using a straight cable on mine, so that if the safety cables ever went to their full length, the breakaway switch would get pulled. Maybe then, the free wheeling car couldn't slam into the back of the coach when I stop. But then again, I always over think things.

FlyingDiver · 03-17-2016, 06:22 AM

I think you're asking the wrong question. The question should be, "Do I need an aux braking system". To which the answer is "Yes". Once you have the aux brake, using the break-away cable is a no-brainer. It's there, so use it.

Bigd9 · 03-17-2016, 06:55 AM

When purchasing and installing my M&G Engineering toad braking system, the break away part was a extra cost option. I did install it making me feel better just incase the worse happens.

Sweetbriar · 03-17-2016, 07:22 AM

Yes you should. Call it low cost one time insurance. The safety cables will protect against a tow bar failure while the break away will protect against failure of the coach hitch or base plate failure. Failure of any of the three are pretty rare but a hitch or base plate failure will be catastrophic without a break away.

pcurt23 · 03-17-2016, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cenfl

If you have safety cables connecting toad to coach, is it also necessary to use a "breakaway system" with the aux. brakes? Does the law specifically require this?

It is one of those things you do not need until you do. A friend of mine had a tow failure and the car separated. The police were very interested in his braking system. Luckily he had one.