Why They Put Breakaway Brake Cables on Trailers

[Chilidan]

I'm new to this forum and a newbie to RVing summer of 2016. I am a believer in the breakaway emergency brake cable! Just had the TT out this weekend. Entering the campground driveway, on a decent uphill grade, went over a speed bump, heard a BANG, looked in my mirror and saw the trailer much farther back than it should have been! Breakaway cable deployed and stopped the trailer almost in its tracks (before it could roll downhill into the unit behind me.) Both safety chains failed in the process. Very lucky no one was hurt and no damage (except to the safety chains). The only thing those of us at the scene can figure is the trailer was not fully engaged on the ball. We somehow managed to get from home to the campground without incident until the speed bump. I've learned to thoroughly test the hitch/ball mount connection before moving - and making sure the breakaway cable is ready to go.

[oldmanAZ]

WOW! Thank goodness it happened when and where it did.

One of the things I like about using the tongue jack to lift the trailer to install the weight distribution hitch load bars, is that I'm also testing that the coupler is firmly latched onto the ball.

BTW, welcome to the forum.

[Jagiven]

Welcome aboard!

Glad you where going slow, and not on the hiway. What kind of camper where you pulling? Can you post any images of the failed safety chains, and what failed?

Once my tongue did not lock onto the ball. Never did figure out what happened. I caught it whill still in the driveway. Visually something looked a miss.

I did my usual connection to the ball. Then lifted the tongue while attached to the tv, to connect the bars. All seamed fine. Pulled the jack all the way up, as I was hooking up the chains and whatnots, it did not look right, it just looked liike there was just much space between the tongue and hitch. I lower the jack and started to lift the tongue and the tv did not come with. Reconnected, and all was well. For most of the rest of that season, I double checked the tongue, as we hooked up.

[Chilidan]

Good advice to raise up the tongue jack to make sure the connection is secure. I don't have photos of the chains, but on one side, the chain link pulled out of the S hook somehow, but I can't force it back in, and on the other side, the S hook snapped completely off. The chains were properly crossed. I'm going to replace with 2 new chains and S hooks. The unit being towed is my Jay Flight Swift XLS 20'.