How Long Should Trailer Breakaway Cable be That Attaches to Vehicle Hitch

Updated 09/17/2019 | Published 09/16/2019

Question:

Hi all, my friend and i have been going back on forth on where to clip the carabiner connected to the emergency brake to. She thinks that it should be on the chains- that way while turning the emergency brake doesnt get accidentally pulled. However i have a spring coil line from the brake to the carabiner and i always connect it to the hitch itself- that way if the trailer actually breaks free it will engage but honestly i dont even think its short enough to engage if the chains managed to hold. can you help explain how this should be set up?

asked by: Haylee

Expert Reply:

This is a really good question that we've debated here a few times but the final word was determined to be that you want the breakaway cable to attach to the vehicle hitch/frame and should be longer than the safety chains according to RVIA Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. This will activate the brakes in the event you lose the trailer connection and the safety chains fail.

Most of the ones we carry are between 4 and 6 feet long.

expert reply by: Jameson C