Towed vehicle breakaway events?
In thinking about the breakaway systems used along with supplemental braking systems on towed vehicles, it got me wondering about how many times these breakaway systems actually may have been called u...
Forum Discussion
dubdub07 wrote:
I worry the most about a false triggering event where the breakaway pops the box and my pretty Jeep is being dragged down the highway.
Yes, this is one reason why IMO its a very wise idea to wire some kind of indicator light on the MH dash, that will indicate when towed vehicle brake pedal is being depressed (regardless what supplemental braking system you use). NOT when the braking system engages, but when brake pedal is pressed. This way you'll always know when your towed vehicles brakes are being engaged, and if they ever get engaged when they should not, you'll know right away and can (hopefully) stop before major damage is done.
....If my receiver comes of my MH, I will sue the heck out of Fleetwood and Draw-tite......I cannot see, other than rust, how a receiver coming off a MH is anyone's fault but the installer and/or the MH company. If it is a do it yourselfer and that things comes of, someone needs to go to jail......cuz that be criminal.
On the contrary, there are a lot of ways an owner can abuse the hitch receiver on a MH and contribut to its early demise.
MHs typically have quite a bit of rear overhang. In many cases, the hitch receiver is the first thing to scrap and have a lot of upward force/pressure put on it when going over steep bumps or inclines.
Also, as you know, most MH receivers are limited to 500 lbs (or 350) maximum tongue weight. How many MHs do you see towing fairly big, enclosed trailers behind them? You really think those trailers loaded up, have less than 500 lbs of tongue weight? Or, even flatbed trailers with a car on them. You think that trailer, with a car on it, is putting just 500 lbs or less of tongue weight on that receiver?
Soooo, I would not assume that most hitch receiver failures are the fault of the manufacturer. There are definitely ways the owner can cause such.
I made it a point when I first set up our MH to tow our vehicles, that the break-away cable attaches to the frame of the MH, not the hitch receiver. If there was a good way to attach the safety chains to something besides the reciever, too, I'd do it.
