Trailer break away cable

[Pslif]

Do you take your trailer breaks safety Cable/wire and weave through your safety chains or do you just leave it separate.

[Winemaker2]

When towing I criss - cross safety chains which is best practice.
My breakaway is coiled so tends to support itself but I run it between and above the crossed chains.
I would not weave it through the chains

[Pslif]

Why would you not run it through the chains?

[Pslif]

Sorry I forgot this is not a coil cable this is just say straight cable.

[jrollf]

Originally Posted by Pslif

Why would you not run it through the chains?

If your trailer becomes disconected and the chains break/come off, it is a very dynamic brutal event. I could forsee the break away cable could become so intertwined in the flopping around chain, it can't actually pull the emergency pin/switch and simply breaks off at the tow vehicle.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Pslif

Why would you not run it through the chains?

Because the Emergency Break-Away Cable needs to be pulled out BEFORE safety chains break

If run thru the chains and trailer comes loose the safety chains are suppose to cradle the trailer tongue
If the chains hold then the Emergency Break-Away Cable will not get pulled out of switch energizing the trailer breaks

[Spdracr39]

Exactly. If the trailer breaks away and the chains stay connected the breakaway may not pull. When you stop the trailer will slam into the back of the tow vehicle. DO NOT run the cable through the chains and make sure it is short enough to pull with the chains connected.

[SKP Kirk]

The breakaway should activate well before the length of the safety chains is reached. I have seen dealers weave the cable but I do not trust that and so undid mine when it returned that way. The breakaway cable needs to be long enough to never actuate when making a tight turn, but shorter than the safety chains.

[Ldubs]

Originally Posted by SKP Kirk

The breakaway should activate well before the length of the safety chains is reached. I have seen dealers weave the cable but I do not trust that and so undid mine when it returned that way. The breakaway cable needs to be long enough to never actuate when making a tight turn, but shorter than the safety chains.

Good explanation and good advice -- thanks. My dealer didn't weave my break-away cable through the chain but did put it through a couple of the links. I'm going to change it up before our next trip.

[n2zon]

Originally Posted by SKP Kirk

The breakaway should activate well before the length of the safety chains is reached. I have seen dealers weave the cable but I do not trust that and so undid mine when it returned that way. The breakaway cable needs to be long enough to never actuate when making a tight turn, but shorter than the safety chains.

I thought this, too, but Roadmaster disagrees:

"The break away cable must be longer than the
safety cables. This will prevent the break away system from activating if a component of the towing system has separated, but the towed vehicle is still held by the safety cables."

Somewhere in here is a value judgement. If our breakaway cable is pulled from its socket an alarm will sound, and I should be able to pull over before the toad brakes are toast without damaging either the toad or coach more than necessary (good). On the other hand, if brake engagement happens too soon, the impulse load on one or both of the safety cables could exceed their rating, causing separation that would not otherwise have occurred and increasing the risk for other road users (very bad).

I have yet to see a reasoned engineering assessment that allows me to choose between those alternatives wisely, without incurring whatever liability might follow from failing to follow the instructions. I would love to see one, because I think--but do not know--that engagement just before the cables or chains reach full extension is to everyone's advantae. In the meantime, despite my opinion, I plan to do what Roadmaster says I should do.

This is one of those times that I'd be happy to learn I'm wrong.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by n2zon

I thought this, too, but Roadmaster disagrees:

"The break away cable must be longer than the
safety cables. This will prevent the break away system from activating if a component of the towing system has separated, but the towed vehicle is still held by the safety cables."

Somewhere in here is a value judgement. If our breakaway cable is pulled from its socket an alarm will sound, and I should be able to pull over before the toad brakes are toast without damaging either the toad or coach more than necessary (good). On the other hand, if brake engagement happens too soon, the impulse load on one or both of the safety cables could exceed their rating, causing separation that would not otherwise have occurred and increasing the risk for other road users (very bad).

I have yet to see a reasoned engineering assessment that allows me to choose between those alternatives wisely, without incurring whatever liability might follow from failing to follow the instructions. I would love to see one, because I think--but do not know--that engagement just before the cables or chains reach full extension is to everyone's advantae. In the meantime, despite my opinion, I plan to do what Roadmaster says I should do.

This is one of those times that I'd be happy to learn I'm wrong.

This is the 'trailer forum'.....OP is asking about the Emergency Brake-Away Cable on the trailer
Not a Toad

[n2zon]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

This is the 'trailer forum'.....OP is asking about the Emergency Brake-Away Cable on the trailer
Not a Toad

D'oh! Sorry 'bout that.

[Pslif]

So as far as I can tell, and feel, weaving it through the chain really doesn’t matter as long as I have enough length to make my turns. Even if the trailer it was to come off of the hitch . The seven week cable which operates the trailer brakes would still be attached and working to stop the trailer. Am I missing something I don’t think so please let me know if I am..

[jrollf]

Originally Posted by Pslif

So as far as I can tell, and feel, weaving it through the chain really doesn’t matter as long as I have enough length to make my turns. Even if the trailer it was to come off of the hitch . The seven week cable which operates the trailer brakes would still be attached and working to stop the trailer. Am I missing something I don’t think so please let me know if I am..

My understanding is if the trailer did break away violently enough to break the chain/hook and the cable is weaved through the chain, the cable could get tangled up in the chain so that it will break off at the tow vehicle attach point instead of pulling through the chain and pulling the breakaway switch. Then you have an uncontrolled trailer at freeway speeds with no breaks.