I installed the fifth wheel hitch in my truck the other day and finally had a chance to pull our new (new to us ;)) fifth wheel. I put a new 7 blade connector in the bed of the truck:I like being able to easily access the trailer wiring plug. But I have a question. Where is best to hook up the breakaway cable for the electric brakes?

I lasso the loop on my cable onto the handle for the hitch release.

Interesting. If you are on windy mountain roads could it get tangled & unhitch the 5ver? Don't know, just asking. I always hooked mine to the base plate.

There is no best way or place to fasten the cable to the TV. I use one of those "D" shaped things that have a spring loaded piece that you press down to disengage it. Just be sure to allow for enought slack in the cable for the most extreme turning radius you are likely to encounter.As far as the cable getting tangled up in something during windy conditions - I guess that could happen, but I have never seen,heard, or encountered it.And of course, I am assuming that you are using a checklist that includes hooking and unhooking the cable as necessary.Nice installation job BTW.

But be careful not to allow to much slack that the cable gets caught bewteen the bed rail and hitch. We had that happen and when we made a turn heading into fuel it pulled out.

electric brake "breakaway" cable | Good Sam Community

MarkTwain
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
Is that supposed to be connected to a battery?

Yes, but only on the NEG side:):):)
noteven
Explorer III
Jun 11, 2013
Is that supposed to be connected to a battery?
deleted-2
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
mr. ed wrote:

I never thought someone would steal a break-away cable! Gives you something to think about. My concern would be having the brakes energized for a long period of time if the cable gets pulled. Wouldn't some braking component (magnet) overheat and perhaps burn out?

Yes.
It will melt the receptacle and run down the battery.
At least that's what happened to us when someone pulled the cable out on a trailer we used to have.
mark5w
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
What will happen if a giant Pterodactyl swoops down from the sky and grabs your RV and flies off with it? It could happen!
Uppercrust
Explorer
Jun 11, 2013
interesting topic. We are still figuring out were to hook ours cause tight tunrs it pulls out & the trailer locks up.
noteven
Explorer III
Jun 10, 2013
silvercorvette wrote:
F105 wrote:
Traveler II wrote:
I was wondering if it wouldn’t be better to secure the cable to the truck bed and not the hitch. I’ve never heard of this happening, but what if the hitch came out of the bed rails and the cable is hooked to the hitch?

And what if the truck bed separated from the chassis? It could happen, but I think you are over thinking this - just get a secure hitch point on your TV , hook the cable and be on your way.

What will happen if a giant Pterodactyl swoops down from the sky and grabs your RV and flies off with it? It could happen!

If a Pterodactyl leaves Philadelphia travelling 65 miles per hour...um...carrying a RV...then... if the brakes were not on... which way is New York?
mr__ed
Explorer
Jun 10, 2013
djgarcia wrote:
I lasso the loop on my cable onto the handle for the hitch release.

X2. After I unhook the truck from the 5th. wheel, I lock the break away cable to hitch with a regular lock. Believe it or not, I had a break away cable stolen from my 5th. wheel while parked in a RV park:( Now I carry an extra one just in case!

I never thought someone would steal a break-away cable! Gives you something to think about. My concern would be having the brakes energized for a long period of time if the cable gets pulled. Wouldn't some braking component (magnet) overheat and perhaps burn out?
F105
Explorer
Jun 10, 2013
silvercorvette wrote:
F105 wrote:
Traveler II wrote:
I was wondering if it wouldn’t be better to secure the cable to the truck bed and not the hitch. I’ve never heard of this happening, but what if the hitch came out of the bed rails and the cable is hooked to the hitch?

And what if the truck bed separated from the chassis? It could happen, but I think you are over thinking this - just get a secure hitch point on your TV , hook the cable and be on your way.

What will happen if a giant Pterodactyl swoops down from the sky and grabs your RV and flies off with it? It could happen!

Exactly - I'm done with this one.
ependydad
Explorer
Jun 10, 2013
joebedford wrote:
Traveler II wrote:
I was wondering if it wouldn’t be better to secure the cable to the truck bed and not the hitch. I’ve never heard of this happening, but what if the hitch came out of the bed rails and the cable is hooked to the hitch?
Exactly what I do.

I hook mine to one of the corner tie-down points. I originally started to hook it to my handle pin but the dealer's tech recommended it be attached directly to the truck.

No big deal either way. Do what works for you.
silvercorvette
Explorer
Jun 10, 2013
F105 wrote:
Traveler II wrote:
I was wondering if it wouldn’t be better to secure the cable to the truck bed and not the hitch. I’ve never heard of this happening, but what if the hitch came out of the bed rails and the cable is hooked to the hitch?

And what if the truck bed separated from the chassis? It could happen, but I think you are over thinking this - just get a secure hitch point on your TV , hook the cable and be on your way.

What will happen if a giant Pterodactyl swoops down from the sky and grabs your RV and flies off with it? It could happen!