Where do you attach the break away cable?

[hrcarver]

Just curious as to where the break away loop should be attached. I have done under the ball and on the truck end of the safety chain. It seems like under the ball would be best, but figured it would better to ask.

What's right?

 

[kevinj]

Just curious as to where the break away loop should be attached. I have done under the ball and on the truck end of the safety chain. It seems like under the ball would be best, but figured it would better to ask.

What's right?

It should be tied to the truck separate from the other connections.

What if the ball breaks, no e brakes.

Safety chain breaks or unhooks, no e brakes.

 

[CurlyDave]

It should be tied to the truck separate from the other connections.

What if the ball breaks, no e brakes.

Safety chain breaks or unhooks, no e brakes.

I used to attach it to the safety chain clip until just last week when a mechanic friend pointed out the error of my ways. Now I use a small spring clip from home depot and thread it through one of the "ears" that the safety chain attaches to.

The small clip doesn't go over the "ear". The wire goes through the ear and the clip is used to make a slip loop between the fixed loop on the end of the wire and the wire itself.

 

[Willl]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...82-where-connect-battery-breakaway-cable.html

 

[skipmarcy]

I would never put the cable around the ball - could very easily get pinched between the ball and hitch and cut that small cable. Attaching it to the hitch in any way is not the best idea either as hitch failure is pretty common I guess, especially when towing heavier trailers/items and there would be a chance that you could lose the cable then. When towing my 12K or 14K trailers I always just threaded the loop end down thru my rear bumper in front of the license plate and slipped the pin end thru it like a noose and back to the switch on the trailer. You just have to make sure your cable is long enough to do this, I had to buy a longer one for my Hurst trailer but the one that came with my Anderson dump trailer was plenty long enough. I guess if your bumper or lack of one won't work I would use the same noose around the rear frame member.

 

[Diamondpilot]

It needs to be seperate from all other connections.

Chris

 

[Reg]

Separate from all other connections.....
Hmmm, HOW separate ?

I took the frame hitch off an '87 Suburban one time, 4 bolts and they weren't exactly HEFTY or high grade ones, not thread deforming "one time" bolts.
Subjective opinion, but a typical frame hitch could easily detach from bolt loosening - ball, safety chains, safety chain securing loops, trailer tongue; would all drop to the ground very quickly and the brakes would likely NOT actuate.

The scary accident that I read about seems to happen all too often around here; horse trailer detaches from tow vehicle and goes a long way before stopping, farther than I would expect if the brakes, break away mechanism and safety chains are all up to spec.
This is PURE speculation, but my guess is that there are folk towing horse trailers around with their runabout boat trailer ball still on the truck, IOW 2 5/16 couplers over 2 inch balls.
I have read that some folk deliberately leave the safety chains unhooked - if the trailer comes off the ball they want to be AWAY from it - let it become someone else's problem.

.

 

[bigtiller]

I wrap the cable around the bumper and hook it back on its self with a carabiner.

I bought my trailer new and the pic shows how the dealer did it. But I don't like the way he ran the power cable so I just let it hang. I think he was afraid it was to long.

 

[JB4310]

Separate from all other connections.....
Hmmm, HOW separate ?

I took the frame hitch off an '87 Suburban one time, 4 bolts and they weren't exactly HEFTY or high grade ones, not thread deforming "one time" bolts.
Subjective opinion, but a typical frame hitch could easily detach from bolt loosening - ball, safety chains, safety chain securing loops, trailer tongue; would all drop to the ground very quickly and the brakes would likely NOT actuate.
.

I think he meant seperate from the receiver insert or the break away chains, but ok to the break away chain loops on the hitch's frame? That's how I do it, I think that's legal.
I use a spring type caribiner so it can't just bump out, also thread it through the retainer clip for the pintle lock to keep it centered, less slack and less chance of snagging something.

Maybe a seperate attachnent point to trucks frame seperate from the hitch will someday be required.

Just read the linked thread by willl, pretty well hashed out there.

jb.

 

[JB4310]

I wrap the cable around the bumper and hook it back on its self with a carabiner.

I bought my trailer new and the pic shows how the dealer did it. But I don't like the way he ran the power cable so I just let it hang. I think he was afraid it was to long.

I think the way it is in your picture looks good, that's what I do with my break away cable as mentioned in prev post. I don't put my electric cable in there, but in your pic it looks nice and neat and less chance of snagging it. I would do as your dealer did as long as it's not binding and pulling out or chaffing etc.

JB.