Does any not pull their emergency trailer brake cable?
I am now on my second trailer, and never have pulled it. I have always had a fear that the brakes would lock up. Any one else feel the same ! Guy
Forum Discussion
Gdetrailer wrote:GaryWT wrote:Old-Biscuit wrote:GaryWT wrote:
Have never done it and have never thought of doing it.
Hopefully this thread has made you aware of why it should be tested.
I know my brakes work so pulling the e brake cable will not prove anything as far as I can see.
Your brakes might work.. BUT, the switch may not.
That switch is exposed to a lot of moisture year round and even thought the plunger has a "O" ring to seal the switch temperature changes can DRAW the moisture INTO the switch..
Eventually the switch contacts corrode and when the pin is pulled the corrosion will insulate the contacts or the contacts may not even exist any more.. The result is no break away brakes.
How do I know?
Simple, my first trailer I bought was 20 yrs old.. Never thinking about the break away system I did not check it before taking the trailer for inspection..
The inspection station failed the trailer for a FAULTY break away switch..
I had to buy a new switch, install it then return the trailer to the inspection station and DEMONSTRATE that the break away system now was fixed.
The outside of the switch looked perfectly fine but the inside contacts were gone..
I learned an important lesson that day without causing harm.
Test it and test it regularly..
It is sort of like a smoke detector.. How do you know it is working or will function correctly without testing it now and then?
A number of you had a response to this but will respond under one. In all my years of RVing and being on these many sites, I have never seen this topic discussed. I understand what it is all about but frankly new thought about it or knew anyone did it. Kind of am always careful around the cable as I have the thought that if it was pulled, it might not go back in and thus would not be able to camp. We do not have inspections so it is not an issue. Kind of looked at it like the ebrake in the truck or car, never use it so... This spring I will need to take a look at it and check it out.
