Emergency Brake Cord

[future5thwheele]

While I was using my weed whip around the front of my travel trailer the whip caught the cord to the emergency brake and pulled out the plastic plug from the base. By that plastic plug being taken out of its base did it engage? Is there a way to put it back in or does a professional need to reset it. The trailer is a 2001 Fleetwood Mallard.

Thanks

[Longtrace]

Just because the DOT inspection passed doesn't mean it's the safest place to clip it.

It's purpose is to activate the electric brakes if the trailer separates. I sure can't predict how the trailer will separate, so it seem sensible to me to make it as independent from the hitch as possible. On my cars, the box receiver is bolted to the frame separate from the bumper - so I attach the cable to the bumper mounts. That way about the only way for the trailer to separate and not trigger the brakes would be for the frame to break. That's a risk I have to live with. 🙂

[Goose2448]

I always hook my to the hitch, nice and easy on a pintle hitch. Been checked by DOT a few times and have never had an issue. They're hard on commercial rigs.

[69_Avion]

Gdetrailer wrote:

69 Avion wrote:
I run my break away switch cable through a safety chain loop on the truck and then attach it to the chain with a shackle. If the trailer comes loose from the truck the cable will be pulled out of the switch.

If it is the safety chain loop built onto the hitch what happens if the hitch assembly fails or separates from the vehicle taking that part of the hitch away with the trailer?

Answer is the brakes don't activate..

Make sure the tie point has no physical connection to the hitch in use.

It is a Ford, not a GM. LOL

[Gdetrailer]

69 Avion wrote:
I run my break away switch cable through a safety chain loop on the truck and then attach it to the chain with a shackle. If the trailer comes loose from the truck the cable will be pulled out of the switch.

If it is the safety chain loop built onto the hitch what happens if the hitch assembly fails or separates from the vehicle taking that part of the hitch away with the trailer?

Answer is the brakes don't activate..

Make sure the tie point has no physical connection to the hitch in use.

[69_Avion]

I run my break away switch cable through a safety chain loop on the truck and then attach it to the chain with a shackle. If the trailer comes loose from the truck the cable will be pulled out of the switch.

[Gdetrailer]

CraigBrew wrote:
What do you guys hook yours to? There is nothing to hook it to on my truck. Was thinking about adding something to the truck or the hitch.

Anything OTHER than the hitch that is attached to the vehicle.

On my older 2006 F250 I was able to attach the breakaway cable to the underside of the bumper. There is an attachment point for safety chains IF you were using the ball mount on the bumper.

Fast forward to my new 2013 F250 and found out that Ford cheeped out on the bumper and made it too cheap and flimsy and eliminated the bumper ball mount and those chain tie points.

I had to make my own tie point by taking a short chain, wrapping around a steel "reinforcement" tube behind the bumper (which is not attached to the hitch). I used a chain link repair to close the chain loop. The loop is short enough that it doesn't hang below the bumper but gives me a easy way to secure the break away cable to.

I didn't want to drill holes randomly into a fresh off the assembly line vehicle..

[CraigBrew]

What do you guys hook yours to? There is nothing to hook it to on my truck. Was thinking about adding something to the truck or the hitch.

[hershey]

I test my breakaway switch often on my toad. Just yank it out, see if the Brake Buddy engages and replace. Good to go.

[wittmeba]

If your battery on the Trailer is good and charged the brakes should engage. However, it will drain the battery and wont recharge until you hook your tow vehicle to it or connect a trickle charger.

The pin is tight fitting but should slide back into the plastic housing. Then charge your battery. You should be good to go. 🙂

[Goose2448]

Its supposed to come out, so just line it up and put it back in. No harm no faul. But as mentioned, your batt will die. I pulled one on my concrete pump after cutting the cable in two(tight turn with it wrapped up around the hitch) and had it in the truck a few days before I got it fixed. Put it back in and went on a pour(had been sitting since I pulled it, would not move if I tried) and went to start the pump, nothing. Tried to jump it with my truck, no go. $200 lesson there.

[1492]

Moved from Forum Technical Support

[Terryallan]

Yep. It engaged, and yep. You just stick it back in. and I'd do it pretty quick. Bad things can happen if you leave it out too long. Like, the battery dieing. And the TT brakes over heating.

However. If you had the battery out, or disconnected. No harm done. Just stick it back in.