brakeaway switch

[bdewitt]

Well, I'm feeling kind of stupid for having to ask this but here is what has happened. After a recent tow i noticed the lanyard/wire connected to the esco brakeaway switch has been broken by dragging on the ground. My question comes in two parts.
1. where can i get a replacement lanyard
2. looking at how the dealer set this up ( the lanyard threaded thru the saftey chain) and the extra slack in it it seems as if the chain is shorter than the cable so it would never get pulled. Is this normal?

[logicsrealm]

From my understanding, the breakaway cable is there in the event of a catastrophic separation of the trailer from the TV. Personally, I have never seen a breakaway cable threaded through the safety chains. That just seems to open up the possibility of a snapping chain having the ability to sever the breakaway cable before it can do it's job in a catastrophic event. I typically secure my breakaway cable through the safety chain slots on the TV tow hitch and secure back on itself with a carabiner. I would think that any local trailer supply store or Google should be able to help you out with finding a replacement for your damaged cable.

[Dayle1]

If the plastic switch plunger has been damaged, you will probably have to buy a complete breakaway switch. If it is just the steel wire that is damaged, you can buy wire and crimp clamps at any hardware store. Or again, just buy a breakaway switch and use only the lanyard.

The wire should be longer than your safety chain, BUT hooked to the tow vehicle, NOT the safety chain. It should only operate if both the hitch and safety chain have failed. Ideally, it shouldn't even been hooked to any part of the hitch, but to some other point on the vehicle.

[anaro]

Do not loop the cable through the safety chains. If you have too much length simply coil it up and either zip tie it or run it through itself. You want enough length that it will not pull tight when making sharp turns. You want to run it so it doesn't get pinched. I use the carribbeaner to hook it to the same loop on my receiver that I hook my safety chains to. Make sure the pigtail for your lights are free from everything and not dragging as well. The safety chains should be criss-crossed under the hitch so the left chain hooks to right side of hitch and vice versa.

Here are some replacement options for you. fastway cable

etrailer.com search resultsEdited by: anaro

[NH Horseman]

My lanyard broke too. I replaced it with the "FastWay Cable" and I love it. The coil keeps the lanyard away from everything and the huge clip on the end attaches to the same spot the chain does.

[coastn]

What Jim B. said.

I replaced the lanyard on both trailers with the FastWay and been happier since.