# Pulled The Emergency Breakaway Cable



## DANJOGAVINMO (Apr 17, 2004)

After leaving the PNW spring rally, we pulled into The Dalles to fill up on expensive petro and the craziest thing happened.

When we were pulling into the driveway of the gas station, making a gradual right turn (not a hard right turn), all the sudden we were stuck. The pickup couldn't move, gave it some gas, no go. I though maybe we had high centered the tongue or ran the camper tire hard up against a curb.

Got out and looked an couldn't find anything. Got back into the truck and tried again (stupid me, like it was going to magically start working). I started to worry that I had somehow locked up the tranny, transfer case, or rear axle. Got out again, looked at hitch and saw that the breakaway cable had gotten pinched in the dual cam connection (where the WD bar retainer plate fits onto the cam head)!!! I pulled it loose and reset the breakaway and all was better.

My question for everyone is, what do you do to make sure that cable doesn't get caught up in your dual cam or WD bars some how. I usually keep that cable on the outside of my cam/wd connection, but now am thinking I need to somehow better keep it away from those moving parts (attach to camper frame or something).

Hope this makes sense.
Thx
Danny


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Danny,

That sounds like a fun time!









I have my cable threaded through one link of one of the safety chains (near the middle). That keeps it off the ground and away from things like Dual-Cams, yet still allows the cable to move freely.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

I also loop the cable into the center of the saftey chain
And it's out of the way
So if need be it will pull out to apply the Emergancy brakes

Don


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

So on this topic where does everyone mount the break away cable. When we picked up our OB the break away cable was routed though a adjustment hole in the hitch on the TV and looped back onto the ball latch to secure. If ever I forgot to put the pin in the hitch the break away would be useless. Still haven't figured out the best plan yet. Maybe where the safety chains attach and looped back on the ball latch









Bill.


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## muliedon (Jul 6, 2005)

The dealer had ours run through the safety chain, and then looped through the hook on the safety chain. I thought this would serve the purpose, but would not activate until the saftey chain broke. Maybe this is not fine.


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

muliedon said:


> The dealer had ours run through the safety chain, and then looped through the hook on the safety chain. [snapback]107241[/snapback]​


So it runs through the safety chain through the hole for the safety chain on the receiver back connected to the safety chain









Bill.


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

muliedon said:


> The dealer had ours run through the safety chain, and then looped through the hook on the safety chain. I thought this would serve the purpose, but would not activate until the saftey chain broke. Maybe this is not fine.
> [snapback]107241[/snapback]​


Ours is the same way...threads through the safety chain links, with the cable loop end inside the chain hook (which is of course hooked to the TV hitch).

I do it this way because that is how it was presented to me at the dealer. Are we wrong?

Randy


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

It is not wrong to route it though the safety chain but it should be shorter then the safety chain.

In case the hitch comes up off the ball the chains will extend back and down. When the chains pull up tight the emergency brake wire should be just shorter then the extended chain. This way the pin will pull out as the chains go tight and the emergency brakes will be applied. If the wire is longer then the chain the brakes may never be activated.


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

I've read other threads on this matter and no one really seems to know what to do with the thing. My dealer thread it above the w/d bars and had the chains run below. He ran it through and around the hole housing the safety chain attachment and then looped it over the pin holding the receiver. Are you still with me? He said you don't want to attach it to the chains directly but his method did not seem secure. It wasn't really hooked up to anything.

I just purchased a carabiner clip (rock climbing type) that hooks onto the slot where the chains go on the TV hitch and I can clamp the brake cable onto that. Any thoughts?


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

DANJOGAVINMO said:


> After leaving the PNW spring rally, we pulled into The Dalles to fill up on expensive petro and the craziest thing happened.
> 
> When we were pulling into the driveway of the gas station, making a gradual right turn (not a hard right turn), all the sudden we were stuck. The pickup couldn't move, gave it some gas, no go. [snapback]107212[/snapback]​


At first I thought this was your trucks natural reaction to the high prices. Sort of like what happens when my DW takes me to the mall.


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

campmg said:


> I just purchased a carabiner clip (rock climbing type) that hooks onto the slot where the chains go on the TV hitch and I can clamp the brake cable onto that. Any thoughts?
> [snapback]107264[/snapback]​


I like that idea, simple and easy.

Bill


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## aplvlykat (Jan 25, 2004)

My cable was so long that it drag on the ground and almost was in two pieces. So after a trip to the hardware store where I picked up a small ell bracket, cable ferrells and a small snap hook the cable now has it's own connection. I screwed the ell bracket to the hitch, installed the snap hook on to the end of the cable and repaired the worn spot, works great and takes a second to hook up. Kirk


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Ditto - I loop it thru the safety chain.

Thor


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

2500Ram said:


> campmg said:
> 
> 
> > I just purchased a carabiner clip (rock climbing type) that hooks onto the slot where the chains go on the TV hitch and I can clamp the brake cable onto that.Â Any thoughts?
> ...


Thats what I do also.

John


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

Sounds like its time for a new 3/4 ton truck that way you can drag the trailer wheels locked off to the side









John


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

campmg said:


> DANJOGAVINMO said:
> 
> 
> > After leaving the PNW spring rally, we pulled into The Dalles to fill up on expensive petro and the craziest thing happened.
> ...


It's not my brakes that tighten up when I pull up to the pump.








Forgot to add you better check out your brake controller. On my first tt the dealer accidentally set off the emergency brakes and it screwed up my control box. They finally had to replace it and all was well.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

johnp2000 said:


> Sounds like its time for a new 3/4 ton truck that way you can drag the trailer wheels locked off to the side
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LOL...


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

2500Ram said:


> So on this topic where does everyone mount the break away cable.


We currently connect it to the receiver in the same spot where the safety chains attach.

But, with the recent thread on the GM receiver failing







... I'm thinking of finding a different place on the frame to connect it. That way the receiver isn't a single point of failure.

Ed


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

LarryTheOutback said:


> 2500Ram said:
> 
> 
> > So on this topic where does everyone mount the break away cable.Â
> ...


Good point there Ed
You just never know what could happen

Don


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

CamperAndy said:


> It is not wrong to route it though the safety chain but it should be shorter then the safety chain.
> 
> In case the hitch comes up off the ball the chains will extend back and down. When the chains pull up tight the emergency brake wire should be just shorter then the extended chain. This way the pin will pull out as the chains go tight and the emergency brakes will be applied. If the wire is longer then the chain the brakes may never be activated.
> [snapback]107260[/snapback]​


Thanks for the explanation, Andy.

Randy


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

CamperAndy said:


> It is not wrong to route it though the safety chain but it should be shorter then the safety chain.
> 
> In case the hitch comes up off the ball the chains will extend back and down. When the chains pull up tight the emergency brake wire should be just shorter then the extended chain. This way the pin will pull out as the chains go tight and the emergency brakes will be applied. If the wire is longer then the chain the brakes may never be activated.
> [snapback]107260[/snapback]​


I also didn't realize this (but in retrospect it certainly should have been obvious). Another thing to check before we take off this year.

Thanks Andy!


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

Castle Rock Outbackers said:


> Ours is the same way...threads through the safety chain links, with the cable loop end inside the chain hook (which is of course hooked to the TV hitch).
> 
> I do it this way because that is how it was presented to me at the dealer. Are we wrong?
> 
> ...


Same here...


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## OutbackPM (Sep 14, 2005)

CamperAndy said:


> It is not wrong to route it though the safety chain but it should be shorter then the safety chain.
> 
> In case the hitch comes up off the ball the chains will extend back and down. When the chains pull up tight the emergency brake wire should be just shorter then the extended chain. This way the pin will pull out as the chains go tight and the emergency brakes will be applied. If the wire is longer then the chain the brakes may never be activated.
> [snapback]107260[/snapback]​


 CamperAndy
I am not sure I agree with you on this one. As I see it the chains are a first level back up and only should these fail and the trailer have no attachment then the trailer brakes apply in emergancy mode.

I think it is safer to have the chains controlling the trailer if it were to come off the hitch rather than instantly the brakes come on and you are then unable to slowly bring everything to the side of the road. With the chains you should still be connected to the trailer so the brake controller will still work the brakes.

As to where to attached the cable I am still not sure on my truck and having seen the recent thread on GM hitches







I should pay more attention and find an independant point to attach the cable should the whole hitch fail.

David


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

I hook mine on the bumper of the truck with a carabiner clip, I've read about others hooking it to the frame of the truck. I want the breakaway to be attached to something other than the hitch. I figure if the hitch comes apart I don't want the breakaway cable going with it.

I agree with Andy about the length of the breakaway cable. If the trailer hitch comes apart with only the chains holding the tv and trailer together you want the breakaway to activate the trailer brakes asap. If the breakaway does not activate the brakes on the trailer, it could start whipping around due to only the chains holding the tongue. If the trailer pulls tight against the chains and wants to stop, it won't start to sway, or not as badly as if the brakes did not come on.

Mike


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## DANJOGAVINMO (Apr 17, 2004)

thanks to all for the input. think I am going to run the cable through the chain loop as many suggest.

I also liked the TV upgrade suggestion :^)


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

DANJOGAVINMO said:


> I also liked the TV upgrade suggestion :^)
> [snapback]107623[/snapback]​


Then I expect to see a brand new 3/4 ton TV pulling your Outback down the road. And this time when you pass me and honk and wave...I'll know who you are.


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