Break away switch cable

[mach8274]

Just curious where everyone hooks their breakaway cable while towing. I usually hook mine to the release lever on my hitch but it does seem like enough. If the trailer ever becomes disconnected, it won't pull the cable far enough to engage the trailer brakes.

[robwhite61]

Oaklevel wrote:
Hook mine onto the aft hitch rails at the bed.

X2 or 3

[BarneyS]

djgarcia wrote:

BarneyS wrote:
Those switches are quite inexpensive and easily replaceable by just about anybody. If however you are unable to do so, I would just disconnect the battery and tow the vehicle to the repair shop. By doing that the emergency breakaway will not be functionable so drive very carefully.

May not be legal but that is what I would do - depending on how far away the repair shop was and whether travel on high speed highways was necessary.
Barney

Would that be the same as using the "battery switch" knob and just turning it off like you do when you put the 5th wheel into storage for the winter??

Probably not. That battery disconnect switch is usually for the house batteries but the breakaway is most likely wired directly to the battery and would not be affected by that switch.
I guess it kind of depends on how the switch is wired. You should be able to take a look and see where the breakaway wire goes.
Barney

[MarkTwain]

joelc wrote:

djgarcia wrote:
I had a "brake away switch" stolen from my 5th wheel while we were away from the RV Park. What is the recommended way to disengage the brake away switch so I can unlock the brakes on the trailer so I can move the trailer and get it into the shop to replace the "Brake away switch"??????

That is a sorry story. Who ever stole it probably really needed it, and could not afford the $10 bucks to buy a new one. Since I have had a previous problem with mine, it developed a short and the plastic casing bubbled, I now carry a spare, so if it ever does fail again, I won't be caught in the middle of nowhere.

I really think it was some kids just screwing around in the park who were just intrigued by the brake wire hanging down. I did exactly as you suggested and bought 2 to carry one as a spare:)

[joelc]

djgarcia wrote:
I had a "brake away switch" stolen from my 5th wheel while we were away from the RV Park. What is the recommended way to disengage the brake away switch so I can unlock the brakes on the trailer so I can move the trailer and get it into the shop to replace the "Brake away switch"??????

That is a sorry story. Who ever stole it probably really needed it, and could not afford the $10 bucks to buy a new one. Since I have had a previous problem with mine, it developed a short and the plastic casing bubbled, I now carry a spare, so if it ever does fail again, I won't be caught in the middle of nowhere.

[buc1980]

It happen to me that the cable come unhook and I was stuck on 290 coming from a side street.I block the traffic for one hour the police came but they don't know what was wrong.I didn't know at that time what was wrong ether ,until I find out by myself I was new in the RV at that time .Some time you need to find out the hard way.

[Oaklevel]

Hook mine onto the aft hitch rails at the bed.

[DHCamper]

blofgren wrote:
I use a padlock to lock the hitch handle in the closed position when I am hooked up and I put the loop of the breakaway cable onto the shank of the padlock before I put it into the hitch handle.

My wife's uncle who we travel with often had some "funny" guy pull his hitch release several years ago while parked causing him to drop his trailer onto the bedrails of his truck. I have been using a lock on my hitch ever since to avoid this type of vandalism.

I do the same, "Pranking" is now a ridiculous fad.

[blofgren]

I use a padlock to lock the hitch handle in the closed position when I am hooked up and I put the loop of the breakaway cable onto the shank of the padlock before I put it into the hitch handle.

My wife's uncle who we travel with often had some "funny" guy pull his hitch release several years ago while parked causing him to drop his trailer onto the bedrails of his truck. I have been using a lock on my hitch ever since to avoid this type of vandalism.

[MarkTwain]

BarneyS wrote:
Those switches are quite inexpensive and easily replaceable by just about anybody. If however you are unable to do so, I would just disconnect the battery and tow the vehicle to the repair shop. By doing that the emergency breakaway will not be functionable so drive very carefully.

May not be legal but that is what I would do - depending on how far away the repair shop was and whether travel on high speed highways was necessary.
Barney

Would that be the same as using the "battery switch" knob and just turning it off like you do when you put the 5th wheel into storage for the winter??

[RollandB]

I have a caribiner on the loop end and latch it to a part of the hitch. Wow, I can't believe someone stole the end of a breakaway switch.

[BarneyS]

Those switches are quite inexpensive and easily replaceable by just about anybody. If however you are unable to do so, I would just disconnect the battery and tow the vehicle to the repair shop. By doing that the emergency breakaway will not be functionable so drive very carefully.

May not be legal but that is what I would do - depending on how far away the repair shop was and whether travel on high speed highways was necessary. Actually, if there has been some time between when the theft was discovered and now, the battery may be dead already and the brakes not locked on.
Barney

[MarkTwain]

I had a "brake away switch" stolen from my 5th wheel while we were away from the RV Park. What is the recommended way to disengage the brake away switch so I can unlock the brakes on the trailer so I can move the trailer and get it into the shop to replace the "Brake away switch"??????

[mach8274]

Thanks all! On the handle it will stay!! Just thought there might be a better location.

[dapperdan]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Looped end of cable goes on handle of 5th wheel hitch.

X3 On the handle.

Dan

[MarkTwain]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Looped end of cable goes on handle of 5th wheel hitch.

I also hook my looped end on the handle of the 5th. wheel hitch. I also cut a piece of clear plastic tubing so it would cover about 3/4 of the cable. This prevents the cable from getting stuck between the truck bed hitch and truck bed.