15+ F150 - Breakaway Cable anchor?

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Thanks for those who have offered suggestions. I have been under the truck and haven't seen any good independent locations (the bumper is integrated to the hitch and would likely be part of any failure) - but I'll look for a hidden loop as suggested above.

For those who don't isolate the cable to a different mounting point - more power to you. I simply prefer the redundancy created by a separate mount.

How far forward did you look? Is it possible to connect a cable with a loop on the end to something way forward of the rear bumper and route it to the back? The trailer lanyard need not connect to a frame member if it connects to something solid via another length of cable.

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Thanks for those who have offered suggestions. I have been under the truck and haven't seen any good independent locations (the bumper is integrated to the hitch and would likely be part of any failure) - but I'll look for a hidden loop as suggested above.

For those who don't isolate the cable to a different mounting point - more power to you. I simply prefer the redundancy created by a separate mount.

I have been looking for a good place myself with little success. For those who don't understand the hitch on the newer Fords is an integral part of the bumper. My guess is that it is placed outside of the crush zone so that if you are rear-ended the hitch will bend with the bumper and not cause whip-lash. It did just that when I got rear-ended a year ago. On the other hand, I would feel safer towing if the hitch was frame mounted like it used to be. That also might allow more aggressive use of torsion bars to better level the truck when towing.

My best guess right now for securing the break-away is to attach a
long zip tie to the spare tire with it hanging down far enough to put a clip on.

Retired JSO wrote:
The engineers put tow hook rings on the hitch and not on the vehicle frame for a reason. Convenience and safety. Don’t try to think outside the box. Use a clasp/hook device and attach to the safety chain anchor rings.

x2 what i do

Thanks for those who have offered suggestions. I have been under the truck and haven't seen any good independent locations (the bumper is integrated to the hitch and would likely be part of any failure) - but I'll look for a hidden loop as suggested above.

For those who don't isolate the cable to a different mounting point - more power to you. I simply prefer the redundancy created by a separate mount.

Early on when these first appeared they suggested hooking it over the trailer ball. Did it that way for years then what you think never will happen did happen----the ball itself sheared off, nothing to hold the cable so the brakes didn't engage and the trailer was stopped with the tongue under my truck when I locked up the brakes to get it all stopped. So the hitch can fail......Lot more to this story but just wanted to point out that hitches can fail in one way or another.

"It's a small chance that the receiver will fall off or tear apart, but there is a chance. Chevy is infamous for factory receivers that fell apart unexpectedly during the GMT900 era"

Exactly It's more than a chance it happened a lot with those Chevy trucks.
I replaced the Chevy hitch on my 07 for that reason.
The receivers remained bolted but they self destructed. It is a known issue.
With that in mind the breakaway cable should be attached to anything but the receiver!

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
This question is about the breakaway cable, not the safety chains. Of course safety chains go on the hitch rings!

Well, that's where the breakaway cable goes too.

How about, I do me, you do you, and let's be friends? Instead of berating and criticizing someone for wanting to attach the trailer breakaway lanyard independently of the receiver as is RECOMMENDED by trailer manufacturers nationwide, let's just try to be helpful, or if you can't be helpful, don't say anything at all like your mother told you.

It's a small chance that the receiver will fall off or tear apart, but there is a chance. Chevy is infamous for factory receivers that fell apart unexpectedly during the GMT900 era. Who knows what these overengineered Ford receivers might do once they get some time and miles on them.

I've always attached my breakaway lanyard to the cosmetic bumper of the truck, but mine are Chevys. On both of them there are drainage slots/lightening holes on the bottom that a snap hook can be fed through. I use a 300lb rated snap hook through the loop in the end of the cable.

Lantley wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

Your assuming the entire hitch would come unbolted? What if a weld failed or rusted and the hitch came apart. The bolts could remain in place but the hitch itself could rust apart and come off.
Early 2000 Chevy's with the round hitch had this problem.

I doubt someone who is this worried about the brake cable would let the hitch rust out to the point where it would fall apart. If they did, the brake cable would likely be the least of their problems.

When is the last time you checked the integrity of your hitch?
Frankly no one else does either!
My real point is the hitch does not have to come unbolted in order to have a structural integrity issue.

Of course, most of the time, I'm pulling the 5th wheel and don't look at the receiver hitch but when I get the utility trailer out, I give a quick visual when inserting the ball into the receiver.

Receiver hitches on pickups don't just fall apart suddenly and unexpectedly.

Jebby14 wrote:
i have a 2015 s'crew. i hook it to the safety chain loop with its own carribeaner. if i manage to sepporate the entire hitch assembly from the truck i have bigger problems.........

there are several places for a sepporation to happen downstream from the hitch that in most all situations will be the case first.

I think my 2008 F250 is similar - there is a metal loop under the bumper that I hook the breakaway cable to. I believe it is actually attached to the frame of the truck, I'd have to go out and check. There are two loops on the frame of my hitch for the safety chains.

Mickey, have you gotten under the rear of your truck to see if there is a loop or something you can use? Assuming there is, it may be tucked up and back a bit.