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04-05-2011, 07:50 PM
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#1
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Retired Fishing Guide
2005 28' Classic
Port O'Connor
, Republic of Texas
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 279
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Break away brake cable
How much slack do you have in your break away brake locking cable ?
__________________
Cap-N-Red
2018 GMC CC D/A
2005 28' Classic
WBCCI # 3133
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04-05-2011, 07:57 PM
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#2
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Chief Chili Cook
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Bakersfield
, California
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 738
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Enough to not pull the switch while turning extreme left and right. Make sure it doesn't rub on the ground.
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04-05-2011, 08:31 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1977 31' Excella 500
West Sacramento
, California
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 731
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My cable is pretty long and I have to manipulate it around things so that it does not drag on the pavement or be too tight. Come to think of it, my umbilical cord is also too long.
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04-05-2011, 09:29 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1963 19' Globetrotter
Currently Looking...
Orion
, Illinois
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 714
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I was at the AS dealer today and they were just setting up a display that had a neat little coiled breakaway switch cables (like a phone cord) that you replace the original with. Had two sizes. Don't remember the company name but it looked like a good idea . Maybe someone else has seen these.
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04-05-2011, 09:37 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,656
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I'd rather have the "straight" version and connect it to something remote to any of the hitch stuff. ie., I connect a very long break-away tether to the spare tire wheel under the TV. If ANYTHING breaks on the hitch-up, I'm good with a brake apply.
A coiled tether gives no clear indication of break away point.
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04-05-2011, 10:04 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
Airstream - Other
2016 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Bosque Farms
, New Mexico
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 7,026
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Yes, it really does need to be enough for tight turns. As we found out.
Lynn
__________________
ACI Big Red Number 21043
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04-05-2011, 10:07 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,656
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eubank
Yes, it really does need to be enough for tight turns. As we found out.
Lynn
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Hmmmm. I see no tether..just a shovel and butts....sup wit dat?
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04-05-2011, 10:44 PM
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#8
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4 Rivet Member
1985 31' Excella
Fresno
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 307
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The brake away brake should be installed by the ball coupler close to center line of the hitch. It should be shorter than you have slack in your safety chains. You want the brakes to set on the trailer if you have a trailer tongue uncouple and falling into the cradle of the safety chains. With the cable slightly off to the drivers side of center of the ball you need very little slack to turn either direction. I wrap mine around the 2" solid stock bar behind on the TV side of the Ball until I have taken up slack and clip it back to itself.
Wes
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04-05-2011, 10:52 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1977 31' Excella 500
West Sacramento
, California
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 731
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I do similar to Wes except my receiver shank has a carrying handle bolted on to it. I loosely wrap the cable around that hande once to remove the excess slack.
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04-06-2011, 07:06 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,656
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wsmith
The brake away brake should be installed by the ball coupler close to center line of the hitch. It should be shorter than you have slack in your safety chains. You want the brakes to set on the trailer if you have a trailer tongue uncouple and falling into the cradle of the safety chains. With the cable slightly off to the drivers side of center of the ball you need very little slack to turn either direction. I wrap mine around the 2" solid stock bar behind on the TV side of the Ball until I have taken up slack and clip it back to itself.
Wes
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And if your reciever comes loose from the TV? I still say the tether should be attached to something other than the receiver. Yes, close to the center line, and of a length to apply if the coupler falls to the chain "cradle". Although, I don't think it is critical to apply the brakes unless there is a complete separation. I believe you can safely stop the combo if the coupler is in the chain cradle. A brake apply might save some tongue/bumper damage, but the trailer is not going anywhere if you have the chains set up properly.
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04-06-2011, 07:20 AM
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#12
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3 Rivet Member
1986 25' Sovereign
Plant City
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 228
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dznf0g
I'd rather have the "straight" version and connect it to something remote to any of the hitch stuff. ie., I connect a very long break-away tether to the spare tire wheel under the TV. If ANYTHING breaks on the hitch-up, I'm good with a brake apply.
A coiled tether gives no clear indication of break away point.
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I would think connecting to the TV spare tire could be dangerous. What if it comes loose? I know there are always the "what if" but it seems like something more stable like a bumper or frame bolt or mount might be better.
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04-06-2011, 07:27 AM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,656
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ck21084
I would think connecting to the TV spare tire could be dangerous. What if it comes loose? I know there are always the "what if" but it seems like something more stable like a bumper or frame bolt or mount might be better.
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Yeah, I know. Problem is so many modern TVs have nice slick fascias over the bumpers and no place to hook anything to. Sometimes I find someplace on the back of the bumper reinforcement, etc. I use many different tow vehicles. However, if a spare tire hanger, made for heavy truck tires, isn't strong enough to pull the pin, I think I got bigger problems than an emergency brake apply.
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04-06-2011, 07:38 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2005 25' International CCD
Fleetwood
, North Carolina
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 687
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breakaway cable length
We have friends whose receiver separated entirely from truck -- how's that going to work if the breakaway switch cable is attached to the receiver? Not good. And if the trailer decouples from the ball hitch but remains attached to the tow vehicle via the chains, why "pull the plug" and apply full breaking power to the trailer's wheels? The umbilical cord, still attached, provides proportional control to the trailer's brakes and will allow controlled turning and braking.
This has been covered in the forums before, the one I remember is here
The literature (manufacturers of brakes, switches, controllers, RVs, hitches) doesn't provide a clear answer on any of this. And we are all over the map on the issue. We end up deciding for ourselves our own setup. I'm happy with mine, and am sure you will find one you like too.
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04-06-2011, 09:33 AM
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#15
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4 Rivet Member
1985 31' Excella
Fresno
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 307
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DreamStreamr
We have friends whose receiver separated entirely from truck -- how's that going to work if the breakaway switch cable is attached to the receiver? Not good. And if the trailer decouples from the ball hitch but remains attached to the tow vehicle via the chains, why "pull the plug" and apply full breaking power to the trailer's wheels? The umbilical cord, still attached, provides proportional control to the trailer's brakes and will allow controlled turning and braking.
This has been covered in the forums before, the one I remember is here
The literature (manufacturers of brakes, switches, controllers, RVs, hitches) doesn't provide a clear answer on any of this. And we are all over the map on the issue. We end up deciding for ourselves our own setup. I'm happy with mine, and am sure you will find one you like too.
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Did they forget to put the head pin in? I can't see any part or the hitch assembly coming off without a warning unless you are in some kind of major accident.
I don't want anyone to get hurt from my rig running wild so I obey the law and use the chains and safety devices. I had a trailer blow over on its side south of Cheyenne. A major cold front blew in on us, we had slowed down to about 40 mph and the top of one hill had been used in the valley to bridge to the next hill. The 70 mph wind coming up that valley along with the same side wind got under the floor of the trailer and flipped it on it side. I had no control of anything and it almost pulled us off into that 200' deep valley area.. The trailer did not separate from tow vehicle it twisted the trailer tongue.
Wes
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04-06-2011, 09:44 AM
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#16
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Chief Chili Cook
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Bakersfield
, California
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 738
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Wes, was that an Airstream that was blown over?
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04-06-2011, 10:00 AM
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#17
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Mantua
, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
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Some earlier year GM trucks had recievers break, would be interesting to know what year they corrected the problem. zz
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04-09-2011, 10:34 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2005 25' International CCD
Fleetwood
, North Carolina
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 687
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Wes,
No, they had their hitch head pinned securely to the receiver. The receiver broke and separated from the truck, so the hitch head and its trailer were still securely attached to the square hole of the receiver. But the square hole, the chains, the hitch head, the trailer were completely unattached from the truck. Pretty much worse case scenario, eh?
We heard of the receiver socket welds cracking on several otheer GM receivers. Ours didnt crack, it was just flexing enough that we could no longer get enough weight distribution to the truck front axle. So we bought and installed a very robust Curt class V receiver. Works well!
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04-09-2011, 10:37 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2005 25' International CCD
Fleetwood
, North Carolina
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 687
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Yeah, ZZ, i dont know when they made changes. My truck is 2006 2500HD Chevy, and in 2008 i showed Chevy dealer the drawbar pin hole was wallowing out significantly. They readily replace the entire receiver as warranty -- i think they had heard or read enough to watch out for any sort of receiver defects.
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04-09-2011, 10:55 PM
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#20
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2 Rivet Member
2010 23' FB Flying Cloud
Fayetteville
, Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 94
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 63air
I was at the AS dealer today and they were just setting up a display that had a neat little coiled breakaway switch cables (like a phone cord) that you replace the original with. Had two sizes. Don't remember the company name but it looked like a good idea . Maybe someone else has seen these.
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I just purchased one of those today and placed it on my breakaway pin. It's neat and will avoiding dragging the lanyard around the ground.
__________________
Benjisgal
WBCCI #1122
Top of Georgia Unit #52
“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it; I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
---Diane Ackerman (Author, poet, essayist, naturalist)
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