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06-09-2014, 10:56 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Oklahoma panhandle
Posts: 562
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Safety brakes cable
How many of you do not hook up the safety brake "pull away" cable to the tow vehicle, and why?
Shorty
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06-09-2014, 11:17 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Missouri City, The Republic of Texas
Posts: 5,063
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I hook it up every time. Just seems like a good idea.
__________________
Cheers,
T_
2013 F-350 CC SB 2WD 6.7PS
2013 Eagle Premier 351 RLTS
-SOLD- 2012 X23B
-SOLD- 2003 Ford Expedition 5.4, Bilstein shocks
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06-09-2014, 11:19 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 260
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I have no idea why you wouldn't hook up the safety
__________________
2013 Jayco Sport
Ontario, Canada
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06-09-2014, 11:27 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Bethel, Minnesota
Posts: 732
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I hook it to the same place I hook the chains on the truck.
__________________
HAPPY CAMPING!! :D
Daryl and Sandy
2013 Eagle 314BDS
2014 Ford F150 Platinum, 4 x 4 Crew Cab with Ecoboost
Equal-i-zer Hitch
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06-09-2014, 11:28 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: King George
Posts: 2,761
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It is actually a DOT SAFETY REQUIREMENT in every State I imagine if your trailer is equipped with electric brakes. It is also a DOT SAFETY REQUIREMENT for the Electric Brakes to be working with the trailer installed 12VDC power source as well.
Roy Ken
__________________
Roy and Carolyn
I claim Horse Creek Country in Southern Ill - Momabear is from North Texas
We live in King George VA
RETIRED DOD DOAF DON CONTRACTOR Electronics Tech 42YRS
"We're burning daylight" - John Wayne
2008 STARCRAFT 14RT OFF-ROAD POPUP with PD9260C and three 85AH 12VDC batteries
2010 F150 FX4 5.4 GAS with 3.73 gears - Super Cab - Towing Package - 2KW Honda EU2000i Gen
K9PHT (since 1957) 146.52Mhz
"We always have a PLAN B"
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06-09-2014, 12:26 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Boston
Posts: 664
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Not sure why you would not connect this. Its just part of my set up.
__________________
2013 White Hawk 28 DSBH
2011 Jay Feather X23J (traded-in)
2011 Ford F-150 XLT w/towing package
RoadMaster Active Suspension
Reese Trunnion Bar WDH w/Dual Cam sway control
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06-09-2014, 12:28 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: South Texas
Posts: 7,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emjayuu
I have no idea why you wouldn't hook up the safety
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+1. What's to gain by NOT hooking up? It's just automatic along with the safety chains...
__________________
-2018 Greyhawk 29MV
-2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (JLU) (Primary Toad)
-1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ (Secondary Toad)
-2014 Jay Flight 28BHBE & Ram 2500 6.4L CC 4x4 (sold)
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06-09-2014, 12:40 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sebastian FL
Posts: 196
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I always hook it up, but did have it pull out on a hard turn in a parking lot and lock up the trailer. So perhaps those times when you would remove the friction sway bar, one might want to unhook the brake cable as well.
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John & Nancy
Jay Feather 25Z 2007
Ford F-150 XLT 5.4 Triton 2008
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06-09-2014, 12:50 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Dayton
Posts: 378
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Always hook it up. You want the trailer brakes to come on if it breaks away from the TV. It is also part of my hooking up routine
__________________
Craig & Terry in Tennessee
2018 Pinnacle 36 KPTS,
2012 F350 CC LB King Ranch, 6.7L TD, Ford 25K hitch, TM TPMS, Diesel Site Coolant Filtration System
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06-09-2014, 02:10 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,431
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The real question is, why wouldn't you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoyBraddy
It is actually a DOT SAFETY REQUIREMENT in every State I imagine if your trailer is equipped with electric brakes. It is also a DOT SAFETY REQUIREMENT for the Electric Brakes to be working with the trailer installed 12VDC power source as well.
Roy Ken
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Thank you. This is what I was going to post also!
__________________
Chuck
2013 Jayco Jayfeather X20 E (sold)
2016 Chevy Silverado LTZ 2 Z71 Crew Cab (sold, and dearly missed)
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06-09-2014, 02:44 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Oklahoma panhandle
Posts: 562
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The reason I ask. Like "Teamfoxy" states. In hard turns, twice I've had it pull out and lock up the brakes. That got me to thinking, what happens if it pulls out while traveling at highway speed? I was talking to another camper who told me never hooks it up. His logic, If the trailer/camper brakes loose from the tow vehicle, locking the brakes is not going to save anything.
I always hook it up, but was just wondering who else thinks like the camper I was talking to?
Shorty
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06-09-2014, 02:48 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,431
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shorty Cox
The reason I ask. Like "Teamfoxy" states. In hard turns, twice I've had it pull out and lock up the brakes. That got me to thinking, what happens if it pulls out while traveling at highway speed?
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If its locking up then you are hooking it wrong or the cable is too short. You should have enough slack to turn without issues.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shorty Cox
I was talking to another camper who told me never hooks it up. His logic, If the trailer/camper brakes loose from the tow vehicle, locking the brakes is not going to save anything.
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Probably nothing. Except maybe someone else's life. Some people's thinking is really scary.
__________________
Chuck
2013 Jayco Jayfeather X20 E (sold)
2016 Chevy Silverado LTZ 2 Z71 Crew Cab (sold, and dearly missed)
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06-09-2014, 04:59 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kalamazoo, West Michigan
Posts: 1,817
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Mine gets hooked up along with the safety chains every time. I won't even go into the hypothetical lawsuits that one might face.
__________________
2006 23B Hybrid with 10k round bar WDH
2011 F150 4x4 SCREW Ecoboost, Max Tow, Integrated TBC, 3.73 LS axle, Firestone Ride Rite airbags.
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06-09-2014, 06:24 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 552
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I think the first post was a trick post..
__________________
2010 22FB(Ret)
2013 F250 XLT
I now have a Keystone Outback, but I try to help when I can.
---------------------
Bitter Gun Owner
Bitter Clinger
Armed Infidel
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06-09-2014, 06:38 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 394
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shorty Cox
His logic, If the trailer/camper brakes loose from the tow vehicle, locking the brakes is not going to save anything.
I always hook it up, but was just wondering who else thinks like the camper I was talking to?
Shorty
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Not gonna save anything? How 'bout it could save it from crossing lanes of traffic and hitting someone head on. If the brakes lock up, it will stop the camper, maybe not immediately, but they are designed to stop it. Why would anyone not want to lock the brakes on a large 3000 - 5000 pound free wheeling box?
If you're cable is too short, buy a replacement.
http://www.fastwaytrailer.com/shop/zip-breakaway-cable/
__________________
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HEMI
2̶0̶1̶4̶ ̶J̶a̶y̶ ̶F̶e̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶X̶1̶9̶H̶
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06-10-2014, 07:39 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: South Texas
Posts: 7,217
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I've often thought about what would happen to a trailer going down the road and becoming disconnected from it's TV. In that case, is immediately locking the brakes really the best solution?
I remember when Antilock brakes first became available on production vehicles. My father has been in rental fleet management for his entire career and part of his training on ABS when it was first introduced was to watch videos of vehicles (police cruisers) going through various scenarios with and without ABS. The vehicles without ABS did some crazy stuff when the drivers would stomp on the brakes and lock them up including doing multiple 360* skids. All while the vehicles with ABS just simply stopped, in a straight line, with little intervention from the driver other than standing on the pedal.
So here's my point: do you really want to LOCK the brakes of an out of control vehicle such as a detached trailer? Most likely the answer is NO. This would cause an EXTREMELY unstable and unpredictable situation that could include the vehicle rolling over at high speeds. The best that you could hope for in this situation would be for the brakes to drag just slightly more than the tongue digging into the pavement. Brake lockup is NEVER the best answer, but it may be slightly better than nothing, and is probably the best we have for now...
__________________
-2018 Greyhawk 29MV
-2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (JLU) (Primary Toad)
-1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ (Secondary Toad)
-2014 Jay Flight 28BHBE & Ram 2500 6.4L CC 4x4 (sold)
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06-10-2014, 07:58 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 394
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I have to respectfully disagree on "slightly better than nothing". I do agree that anti-lock brakes would be a much better option than locking brakes, but being that we don't have them (that I'm aware of), my opinion is stopping the trailer is better than not stopping it.
Yes, locking the brakes could cause an extremely unstable and unpredictable situation, but a 2 ton free-wheeling out of control hunk of metal & fiberglass would be just as, if not more so, unpredictable and unstable. Just my opinion.
Perhaps this could be our road to millions, invent and implement anti-lock brakes on trailers?
__________________
2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 5.7 HEMI
2̶0̶1̶4̶ ̶J̶a̶y̶ ̶F̶e̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶X̶1̶9̶H̶
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06-10-2014, 08:16 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: South Texas
Posts: 7,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by howie
Perhaps this could be our road to millions, invent and implement anti-lock brakes on trailers?
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I'm no engineer, but I AM an accountant, and this could be a serious money maker!
Really, it's out of control either way, but the more I think about it, the more I think brake lockup might be preferable. If you think about it, what's the first thing that will happen when it becomes disconnected? The tongue will drop to the pavement and likely begin digging. This will cause the front of the trailer to stop very quickly. The only thing to keep the trailer straight is brake lockup to attempt to stop the rear of the trailer at the same or greater rate than the tongue.
Regardless, I will ALWAYS leave my brake disconnect cable attached; if nothing else, it's the law and I don't want a ticket. I will also continue to triple check and keep in good repair all the connections between my trailer and my truck.
__________________
-2018 Greyhawk 29MV
-2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (JLU) (Primary Toad)
-1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ (Secondary Toad)
-2014 Jay Flight 28BHBE & Ram 2500 6.4L CC 4x4 (sold)
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06-10-2014, 08:34 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: OKC
Posts: 403
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Ya, i hook em up too.
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2016 Road Warrior 355
2015 Ram 3500 Cummins SRW 4x4 MegaCab ShortBed
2011 F150 ecoboost - Traded
2015 Jayflight 28 BHBE (sold)
2009 Jayflight 26 BH (sold)
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