Prevent Disaster: All About Trailer Breakaway System

[@wadecashman4466]

Drove OTR for years grew up on a farm and hauled horses and livestock and I'm still learning a lot of stuff from your KZbin video I appreciate it. my question is where do you find the paperwork on rules for breakaway system?

[@geoffreynaylor8861]

My 2013 RV has the breakaway switch's power lead directly hooked to the RV house battery (there is no controller box). When the lanyard is pulled the brake system gets the batteries full 12 VDC power. Assuming the brakes are adjusted and in good condition it would potentially lock up the trailer brakes as the DOT had mentioned to you. Thanks for all the great videos they have been a big help verifying what I already know and teaching me things that I should know.

[@skipman4735]

I only use my trailer a couple of times a year. The battery is never charged up when i need it. I mounted a ammo box to the frame and put a dewalt battery adapter in it. Now when i need to use it i just put my charged battery in and go.

[@alvinmitchell6799]

The standard wire colour for trailer brakes is blue. So on our trailers we would have three blue wires, one from the trailer plug, one from the battery, and the third to the breakaway switch.

[@jaybrooks2502]

Man what a great explanation! Most people have no idea. And I did get pulled and a warning for the cable not being connected once. They do look for this!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

If DOT pulls you over while you're pulling a trailer, they will look it over. Thanks for watching!

[@TheBuddy1939]

Your guys are fortunate to have a knowledgeable boss.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Thanks for that vote of confidence! Hopefully they see it that way.

[@AzzKicker-bz1cb]

@@TheTrailerSmith I think you’d know if they didn’t. I have a question about that breakaway lanyard, I bought a Liberty tandem axle trailer with brakes on both axles, however; the breakaway lanyard that was/is installed on the trailer looks like it’s well over 6’ in length and for all intents and purposes, I can hook it up to my truck without taking the zip tie off that contains all the excess lanyard material. Should I buy a shorter lanyard and why would the trailer manufacturer supply the breakaway system with such a long lanyard?

[@rodolfoguerrero8345]

On the end of your video you were talking about the brake away cable for safety, another thing for safety you hook up your safety chains straight from trailer to the bumper pull rings instead of crossing your chains if you don't cross your safety chains DOT will give you a ticket don't get me wrong like every thing you but the way you hook up your chain someone seeing your show could hook up the chains the wrong way 👍👍👍👍

[@daviscrt]

Awesome explanation of the break away system. Don

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Thank you for watching!

[@kevincameron8437]

Great info for all of us. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Hope it was a help! Thank you for watching!

[@rodolfoguerrero8345]

By crossing your chains you prevent your trailer not sway more then it has too if ever it comes off your ball hinge

[@bernardstevens3613]

Great Teaching Video! Thanks for sharing!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Thank you for the feedback! Hope the video was helpful for you. Thank you for watching!

[@rodgergagnon9617]

You are very knowledgeable and I have learned a lot from them. How does DOT test them during a stop? Thanks for the great videos!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

In my area DOT will pull the clip from the system and instruct the driver to pull forward. If the trailer moves and the brakes don't lock up, they issue a citation based on the misunderstanding that the breakaway system should lock up brakes when engaged. When the reality is that the breakaway system is designed to engage the brakes in a way that helps to bring the trailer to a slow stop. It should not be a lock up situation. Thanks for watching the channel!

[@vitekcrimea]

@@TheTrailerSmiththey catch me with same problem.He told me to change for new battery and it’s not really help

[@TheJasonmurphy2005]

What is your experience with the aftermarket coiled lanyards?

[@michaelkelley1626]

Can you make a video on how to use the house battery of an rv as the breakaway battery. I don't want to risk the battery power backfeeding into my tow vehicle.

[@michaelanthony3816]

Show a print of the breakaway wiring PLEAse!!!! Thanks..

[@TraconWizard]

Good stuff, all to easy to ignore. What about maintenance. I pull the plug once after packing bearings and spray contact cleaner where plug goes. Any problem with that?

[@wemedeeres4105]

What would you suggest for an attachment point in the box of a pickup if you’re towing a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer?

[@dtaber01]

I hook my break away to the bumper. If you lose your hitch and your break away is hooked to the hitch your brakes will never engage.

[@GibsonCRG]

What do you recommend on testing (timing and method) of the system? I mean, it's not like I test my fire extinguishers, but I do look to see if the needle is "in the green."

[@axl151]

I have heard that the breakaway lanyard should never be connected to the safety chain loop of the receiver as the chain snapping tight could cut the lanyard. I loop my lanyard under the bumper, over the main tube of the receiver, and attach it back to itself with a carbineer. This also reliably takes up the extra length of the lanyard. Has anyone else heard this?

[@TheTrailerSmith]

This is covered in the video toward the end. I don't recommend connecting it back to itself

[@mikeadler434]

👍👍