Just took our fifth wheel on its first trip and it was flawless until the last turn into my neighborhood on the way home. I have a Demco 18k AutoGlide and the wire for the breakaway switch got tangled up in something on the hith on that last turn and pulled the cord. Luckily I was only going about 5mph and there was no traffic. I have the cord looped onto the hitch release arm. I'd prefer for this to not happen again so any and all advice is welcome. It was a left hand turn, and the switch is on the left side of the pin box if it matters.

Do you have anything in the bed that is high enough to catch the line? (I hook mine to the hitch's safety lock. There is nothing in the bed that would catch the line during a turn.)

Get yourself one of these lanyards.

Nothing in the bed. I have no clue what happened I just don't want it to happen again. I suppose I could move it to the back of the hitch (tailgate end) and put it through the pin that goes into the rails. That may add some slack. I just put it on the hitch release handle because that's what the dealer showed me when I picked it up.

BPounds thanks for the tip I just ordered one: Amazon

Yes, great idea Bpounds! Those break away cables are a necessary pain in the a$$. Jerry

Breakaway switch and hitch got tangled up | Good Sam Community

Rangerman40
Explorer
Oct 22, 2016
RoyB wrote:
Hope you was able to get the PIN back into the switch and not run your batteries down... I think each BRAKE MAGNET will draw around 3AMPS each when hit with 12VDC from the battery. That adds up pretty quick and will drain your battery in a short time as well as not good for the brake magnets to ENGAGED for a long period of time... Not designed for this situation...

Roy Ken

It was probably out for 10-15 seconds. I knew what happened as soon as I turned the corner.
RoyB
Explorer II
Oct 22, 2016
Hope you was able to get the PIN back into the switch and not run your batteries down... I think each BRAKE MAGNET will draw around 3AMPS each when hit with 12VDC from the battery. That adds up pretty quick and will drain your battery in a short time as well as not good for the brake magnets to ENGAGED for a long period of time... Not designed for this situation...

Roy Ken
voodoo101
Explorer
Oct 22, 2016
I had that happen years ago. The coiled cable shown by pounds is the best solution. I have talked many RV friends into getting one.
MarkTwain
Explorer
Oct 22, 2016
RoyF wrote:
Do you have anything in the bed that is high enough to catch the line? (I hook mine to the hitch's safety lock. There is nothing in the bed that would catch the line during a turn.)

My breakaway cable got hung up between the truck bed and the bottom of the hitch next to the truck bed.
MarkTwain
Explorer
Oct 22, 2016
Rangerman40 wrote:
Just took our fifth wheel on its first trip and it was flawless until the last turn into my neighborhood on the way home. I have a Demco 18k AutoGlide and the wire for the breakaway switch got tangled up in something on the hith on that last turn and pulled the cord. Luckily I was only going about 5mph and there was no traffic. I have the cord looped onto the hitch release arm. I'd prefer for this to not happen again so any and all advice is welcome. It was a left hand turn, and the switch is on the left side of the pin box if it matters.

Get a clear plastic 1/2" hose about 3 to 4 ft. long. Cut a slit in the hose on one side. Open the slit and and put the breakaway cable inside the plastic hose. Job done , no more tangles:)
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Oct 21, 2016
I use a long twist tie from when I bought a new water hose-there are always 2-3 on the hose, put a loop in the wire cable for the switch, and twist tie it to the hitch handle. The loop for the disconnect is hooked to the lock I lock the hitch handle with.
LadyRVer
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2016
The red coiled breakaway looks like what I used on the motor home and toad for that breakaway cord. I bet I still have a spare somewhere. Great idea. I, too, have pulled the breakaway on a fifthwheel...not fun.
bpounds
Nomad
Oct 21, 2016
You can also help the situation by how you angle the switch. Notice how I have it nearly perpendicular to the anchor point. They pull out too easy if you point them directly at the anchor point. My switch will still swing around and function if there is a break-away, but it will resist nuisance disconnects.
bpounds
Nomad
Oct 21, 2016
Rangerman40 wrote:
Is that the 4 or 6ft version?

Definitely not 6'. Might be the 4'. I've had it a few years and don't remember.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Oct 21, 2016
Most likely hung up on the hitch itself. Had that happen to me backing into a spot up hill an to the passenger side, stopped real quick!

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Breakaway switch and hitch got tangled up

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