Could Road Debris Pull the Pin on Trailer Breakaway System

Updated 03/11/2010 | Published 03/10/2010

Question:

Hi, What are the consequences of a switch being pulled accidentally - say from road debris hitting the cable and pulling it? Does this ever happen?

asked by: Erik

Expert Reply:

Once the pin on the break away switch is pulled, the brakes on the trailer will engage. I have not heard of this occurring, but it is possible.

I would recommend routing the cable that pulls the pin as close as possible to the trailer frame. You can use a few strips of electrical tape to hold the cable in place so that it is not hanging down and easily snagged. If the trailer should come loose and the safety chains should fail, the tape would not prevent the cable from pulling the pin and engaging the brakes.

expert reply by: Mike L