Break-away Cable?
Am I correct? The break-away cable should be SHORTER than the chains...(travel trailer) Doing some tweaking.... Thanks.
Forum Discussion
The object is for the break-away to engage in the event of hitch failure.
Take into account, the break-away pin itself has to be pulled about 3 inches before it actually activates the brakes, there is a very fine distance between the length of your safety chains and the length of your break-away cable itself.
The break-away pin should pull (if and when) there is ever a separation. The length of the actual cable is really not relevant. What is relevant is that the pin pulls. It's possible, if separation actually occurred, the weight of the trailer would ever keep the chains from extending fully --- straight out ---- although it's possible if you were driving fast enough, but suppose separation occurred at a much slower speed, like a bad speed bump or something. The chains would never extend fully.
So the pin has to pull, really, if the distance increases from the trailer coupler and the hitch ball. That's the distance (or length) it needs to be. But there is a fine line, if it's too short, you could pull the pin on a sharp turn, so placement is important too.
Every camper and tow vehicle will be different, so the length will be different too. Attach the cable so it pulls within 3 or 4 inches the length of (not the chains), but the length of the cable to the hitch ball.
Take into account, the break-away pin itself has to be pulled about 3 inches before it actually activates the brakes, there is a very fine distance between the length of your safety chains and the length of your break-away cable itself.
The break-away pin should pull (if and when) there is ever a separation. The length of the actual cable is really not relevant. What is relevant is that the pin pulls. It's possible, if separation actually occurred, the weight of the trailer would ever keep the chains from extending fully --- straight out ---- although it's possible if you were driving fast enough, but suppose separation occurred at a much slower speed, like a bad speed bump or something. The chains would never extend fully.
So the pin has to pull, really, if the distance increases from the trailer coupler and the hitch ball. That's the distance (or length) it needs to be. But there is a fine line, if it's too short, you could pull the pin on a sharp turn, so placement is important too.
Every camper and tow vehicle will be different, so the length will be different too. Attach the cable so it pulls within 3 or 4 inches the length of (not the chains), but the length of the cable to the hitch ball.
