Break Away Switch Cable

Bobbo wrote:
I just love the "that never happened to anybody I know" crowd. A simple, free, easy solution, and they can't be bothered. I agree that hitch failure is unlikely, but it does happen.

A simple you tube shows tow vehicle hitch failures/trailer hitch failures...bumper failures/wheels falling of vehicles.
Wonder why we even hook up a trailer to a hitch or a bumper or drive a vehicle ...:R.

I just love the "that never happened to anybody I know" crowd. A simple, free, easy solution, and they can't be bothered. I agree that hitch failure is unlikely, but it does happen.

Jim, I was replying to aguablanco above you on that one. :) We have had a few posts about the bumper of a trailer being torn off by carrying bikes but I don't recall there ever being one about the bumper of a truck and was not looking for that. Actually, when using a WD hitch, there is no contact with the bumper normally so using that as a source to hitch the breakaway cable to would probably be fine.
Barney

BarneyS wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:

aguablanco wrote:
Can anyone point me to any story about a hitch falling off of a truck, other than in a collision? I hook my brake cable in the same eye as the safety chain.
RichH

LOL...or the bumper falling off.
Some folks can think up the silliest things to convince others their method or a product is right and others are somehow wrong.

Here is one.

Here is another. Scroll down to the post by Jacdanboy about 2/3 of the way down.

And here is another.
The member that made this post is still active in the forums and perhaps he will post some of the photos he had of his hitch when it failed.

There are numerous others but I lack the time to search for them all.
Bottom line - hitch failures do happen and breakaways and chains need to be properly fastened.
Barney

Good find. But non said anything about the bumper coming off.
I've had a pintle hitch failure (faulty eye) and a GN trailer jumped the ball. Chains on both kept the trailer to the truck so no run away trailer.
Jim

JIMNLIN wrote:

aguablanco wrote:
Can anyone point me to any story about a hitch falling off of a truck, other than in a collision? I hook my brake cable in the same eye as the safety chain.
RichH

LOL...or the bumper falling off.
Some folks can think up the silliest things to convince others their method or a product is right and others are somehow wrong.

Here is one.

Here is another. Scroll down to the post by Jacdanboy about 2/3 of the way down.

And here is another.
The member that made this post is still active in the forums and perhaps he will post some of the photos he had of his hitch when it failed.

There are numerous others but I lack the time to search for them all.
Bottom line - hitch failures do happen and breakaways and chains need to be properly fastened.
Barney

aguablanco wrote:
Can anyone point me to any story about a hitch falling off of a truck, other than in a collision? I hook my brake cable in the same eye as the safety chain.
RichH

LOL...or the bumper falling off.
Some folks can think up the silliest things to convince others their method or a product is right and others are somehow wrong.

Since this simple cable my just save you some day, think through the worst case situation on what fails when. As the others have said, it should attach to the truck separate from the hitch, receiver, safety chains, the 7 wire cord etc. Ideal is to the truck bumper or frame.

Each TV has a different setup on how to do this. It may take a little thinking on how to create the attach point and sometimes a small chain and carbiner can help. These may help spark some ideas for you to build on. Simple, easy to connect to and effective.

Here is my current Ford setup




Here was my prior GM setup.




And while you are sorting out where to attach the cable, sort out the cable length on when should the switch activate? There is much debate on this.

See here with several links on why from years back
When to have the breakaway switch activate

Hope this helps

John

ScottG wrote:
Attach it to the same point as the safety chains, or any other solid point on the TV.

That's what I do.

I don't worry about the hitch separating from my truck. The odds are far greater to be involved in a collision than simply loosing the hitch while traveling on the road. :R

Can anyone point me to any story about a hitch falling off of a truck, other than in a collision? I hook my brake cable in the same eye as the safety chain.
RichH

The frame of the truck, not the hitch. In the (unlikely) event that the hitch fails, you still want to pull the pin.