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Old 01-28-2004, 05:24 PM   #1
notrailends
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Default Brake Away Switch

Hello to all ,
I am also a member of another message board and
a question about when a brake away switch should engage. There does not seam to be any concrete info
on the subject. Some feel that it should engage when the trailer comes loose from the car but the chains are still connected and the trailer locks up and stops the car pretty much. I feel and so do some other people feel that it should only engage when the trailer becomes completely unhooked from the car chains and all, because if the chains are still hooked up then the plug should be in and you can stop by useing the brake controller.So how do you have it set up and what do you think is right?
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Old 01-28-2004, 06:14 PM   #2
G-V_Driver
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

In my experience, the only thing that sets the brakes on the trailer is when the plug is pulled by tension on the safety wire. If the trailer is hooked to the tow vechicle and the plug is inadvertently pulled (by a kink or snag on the rigging, or by somebody who accidentally or intentionally puts enough pressure to disconnect it) the brakes will set and the trailer will suddenly become harder to pull until some combination of brake overheating or tire wear causes something even more interesting to happen.

Another reason to be sure you have plenty of slack in the wire and to check the setup any time you have been away from the unit while it is hooked up. It's also not a bad idea to gently tug on the safety wire during the hook up process to be sure it is securely attached to the receptacle on the trailer.

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Old 01-28-2004, 10:13 PM   #3
Paul_Heuvelhorst
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

Only one time in about 30 years of towing have I had a trailer come off the hitch... it was my fault for not verifying the hitch was properly seated on the ball... the trailer was a light tent trailer with no brakes, and the safety chains saved the day.

Now that I am towing a trailer 6 times heavier than that tent trailer, I want the safety brakes on the trailer to engage before the chains break and the trailer is running free. To insure that this happens, my break-away switch cable has been adjusted to that it is longer than the umbilical cord that connects the trailer power to the truck, but shorter than the safety chains. If the hitch pops off the ball, and the WD bars come loose, the trailer brakes will engage before the safety chains fail... I hope!!! :
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Old 01-28-2004, 10:53 PM   #4
Bill
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Default Re:Breakaway Switch

Wow! In my opinion, if the trailer comes loose from the tow vehicle, then all hell has broken loose, chains or no chains, and I want to get things brought to a halt as fast as possible. Your hypothesis that

Quote:
if the chains are still hooked up then the plug should be in and you can stop by using the brake controller
suggests that with the trailer disconnected, you are still in control and can bring everything to a gentle controlled stop. I've never experienced this, but I doubt it.

First, you have no steering control on the trailer, so it's going to be snapping left and right, and slamming the tow vehicle to the side every time it comes to the end of the chain. Can you maintain control when that happens? I doubt that I could.

Second, the tongue of the trailer has probably dropped to the ground and is bouncing off every little bump and hump in the asphalt, which further lessens your control. And it is leaving a massive trail of sparks. I know - if you adjust the chains to just the right length, and cross them under the coupler, they are supposed to form a cradle that keeps the coupler off the ground. Ever checked it? Willing to bet your life on it?

Third, the tow vehicle brakes and the trailer brakes are never perfectly synchronized - when you press the brake pedal, one of them will brake harder than the other. If the trailer brakes harder, then it will drag behind the tow vehicle, at the end of the chains (but still without directional control), and you might as well have tripped the breakaway switch. If the car brakes harder, then the trailer is going to run into the rear end of the car, doing a lot of damage and possibly puncturing the gas tank. (Tell me again about that trail of sparks?) Anyway, in neither case are you in control.

Finally, with things banging and crashing around back there, it seems unlikely to me that the lightweight plastic electrical plug will stay intact very long, regardless of what the chains do.

Maybe it's just me, but if there's all of a sudden two tons of high speed uncontrolled metal slamming around 12" behind my car and trying to jerk it off the road or worse, I want it to stop, and I want it to stop NOW.

Bill
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Old 01-29-2004, 09:54 AM   #5
efelker
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

Agree with Bill. Let me add one other consideration. How would the breakway switch work if it breaks away only when the hitch disconnects but the chains stay hooked up? Once strain is put on the breakaway, it's coming apart -- how would it know or be routed so that it only breaks away when the chains fail.

So if you're going down the road at 55, the hitch comes undone, but the chains hold -- there are folks who think you'll come to a controlled stop stop using vehicle brakes and the brake controller. It's never happened to me (thank God) and I'm no volunteer for the experiment. But I know in addition to potential loss of the trailer and TV -- for sure I'll be replacing the driver's seat because the leather will be all crinkled from the stress of the pucker where I was sitting (if you get me drift). From my point of view, I want those trailer brakes on instantly as soon as that hitch comes undone because my brain is going to be far too busy for the multi-tasking that's about to occur to remember to manually set the brake controller while the chains are still attached.

EF
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Old 01-29-2004, 02:59 PM   #6
notrailends
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

Im not realy shure what its suposed to be I was just
asking what everyone feels about the subject.The reason
I say I would not want the brakes to come on if the ball should fail is that the trailer brakes will lock up and jerk the car very hard,and if the trailer wheels are in a skid then you have no control at all.I feel that if the wheels on the trailer are still rolling you can now apply the trailer brake by hand with the manual stop on the brake controler and not to hit the car brakes because the trailer will then hit the car.But again I dont know if it should work that way so far I get different answers,and I have asked everyone I know who tows a trailer. I cant find anything on line that gives me a right answer. But If I do then I will go with that way.
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Old 01-29-2004, 04:48 PM   #7
Dixielou
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

Dear notrailends,

I have never heard of a situation where "the ball should fail", although I suppose just about anything is possible in this life. The more likely scenario would be that a trailer hitch comes off the ball when not properly seated or locked in place.

Excellent discussion has been provided to factor into your travel preparation. However, if you want a fail safe solution to the possibility that your hitch may come off the ball, buy and install a TRAILER GUARDIAN. Check their web site: www.trailerguardian.com

Good luck and safe RVing.
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Old 01-29-2004, 05:01 PM   #8
notrailends
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

Dixielou,
No I never herd of a ball failing I was just useing it as a example. I just came from that site funny that you mention that ,I am going to look into that trailerguardian
it looks like a good product Thanks
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Old 01-30-2004, 09:14 AM   #9
Bruce
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Default Re:Brake Away Switch

Don't forget the break away switch will not be able to engage the trailer brakes if the power cord from the vehicle becomes disconnected and you do not have a battery on board the trailer.

Bruce
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