Working on the new to us Prime Time Crusader 355. The break away isn't working. I just finished the chassis servicing, replaced bearing, adjusted brakes, and lube chassis. Brakes work when using the in truck actuator but when you pull the break away pin, brakes do not actuate. Do most 5th wheels have a separate small battery as part of the break away system? If so, where is it? Nothing in pin box but haven't checked in battery compartment. I did replace the house battery too. To trouble shoot, I stuck pins in the wires, 2 black wires, coming from the break away switch and checked with a test light. Wires are hot whether the break away pin is in or out. When I picked it up, the steel cable was broken so I couldn't clip it to anything anyway. But I want all systems working as they should.__________________

If both sides of switch are hot with pin removed then the sw is fine but not hooked to brakes.

look in the hole when you pull the pin and see if the contacts are touching...you can stick a screw driver in the hole to make contact if in doubt.

Breakaway uses the 5th wheel's 12v battery. To test, I jack up the trailer to get the tires off the ground. I pull the breakaway pin and then try to spin a tire. Tire should move slightly and then lockup if the breakaway is working. I put the pin back in the breakaway and the tire should move freely. I do this for all six tires.

azdryheat wrote:Breakaway uses the 5th wheel's 12v battery. To test, I jack up the trailer to get the tires off the ground. I pull the breakaway pin and then try to spin a tire. Tire should move slightly and then lockup if the breakaway is working. I put the pin back in the breakaway and the tire should move freely. I do this for all six tires.Just as azdryheat says, I jack one wheel at a time give it a spin and pull the pin, if it stops that wheels working, next wheel same routine until all wheels have be checked. The 5W battery must be charged as it powers the brakes.

Also along with a hot lead, the brake system might not be grounded to the trailer/battery ground. Chris

Brakes, break-away | Good Sam Community

Edd505
Explorer
Feb 13, 2018
joebedford wrote:
Edd505 wrote:
joebedford wrote:
I hook the TH to my TV and pull the break away - wheels don't turn then. Easier than jacking the TH up.

Won't identify a one wheel brake not functioning.
That's not the function of the breakaway switch. I check wheels individually for braking function when I adjust them - all the way from the brake controller in the truck not halfway from the breakaway switch.

The function of the brake away is to lock all brakes upon a hitch failure. Pulling it shows me it's working & on each wheel, no bad magnets or broken poor connected wires.

And you individually check each wheel how when adjusting? And how from the brake controller? SO which way is it??
Learjet
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
That brings up the next question...who makes a quality breakaway switch? Everyone I have seen looks to be made as cheap as possible.
Dan_Henry
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
I had a switch go bad, pulled piin and no brakes, easy to tell as i have disk brakes and with the pin out the brake pump should run. A new switch is inexpensive and every one should test them once and a while
drwwicks
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
Switch was bad. Did correct voltage check as an earlier posted explained and it's bad. After I took it off tried checking continuity with my ohm meter and nothing. Even jammed a screwdriver between the contacts, nothing. One's on order.

Now for the suspension gurus, please see my posting on Lippert equa flex.

Thanks
tinner12002
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
I'm guessing that the previous owner knew there was a problem and cut the cable. Sounds to me like the OP needs a new switch for one if both sides are hot with the pin removed then he's getting voltage to the switch and toward the brakes also. Need to check voltage at the axle also.
joebedford
Nomad II
Feb 12, 2018
Edd505 wrote:
joebedford wrote:
I hook the TH to my TV and pull the break away - wheels don't turn then. Easier than jacking the TH up.

Won't identify a one wheel brake not functioning.
That's not the function of the breakaway switch. I check wheels individually for braking function when I adjust them - all the way from the brake controller in the truck not halfway from the breakaway switch.
Edd505
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
joebedford wrote:
I hook the TH to my TV and pull the break away - wheels don't turn then. Easier than jacking the TH up.

Won't identify a one wheel brake not functioning.
joebedford
Nomad II
Feb 12, 2018
I hook the TH to my TV and pull the break away - wheels don't turn then. Easier than jacking the TH up.
drwwicks
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
I did look in the switch and could see the contacts. Looked like a bigger version of old ignition points One contact appeared corroded, green deposits, but the contacts were touching. I know the brakes are working as in the original post, just not with the break away. Tomorrow I'll retest the voltage one wire at a time to ground, not between them.

I have had it on jacks the last couple days replacing bearing and seals. Still have the blocks under one side so jacking back up won't be that big a deal.
bgum
Explorer
Feb 11, 2018
You probably have a broken wire or a bare wire somewhere between switch and brakes. I would install a new switch and new wires back to the breaks. Switches are inexpensive.

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Brakes, break-away

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