Pulled the plug

[traveler44]

I was trying to back into our site down here at Houston yesterday and I had the Bighorn going the right way but for some reason it just did not want to cooperate. So I did everything I could think of including pulling up and backing from the other side. That's when one of the guys watching me said I believe you pulled the plug on your safety brake cable -emergency brakes for the fifth wheel. He said I've been watching you skid those wheels every since you tried backing in from the other side. I told him it was starting to make sense to me what was going on now. I got out and plugged the cable back in and the brakes let go. After that backing it in was simple again. I think that from now on I will unhook the end of that safety brake cable from my hitch before I start to back around into a parking spot. Tom

 

[FlyerChief]

I found the standard straight cable on my Bighorn was constantly coming unplugged at the worst time. It was 4'long. I got a 6' coiled cable from CW and haven't had another problem.


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[danemayer]

I think that from now on I will unhook the end of that safety brake cable from my hitch before I start to back around into a parking spot.

Tom,

If your cable comes unplugged in tight turns, there could be other situations (more dangerous ones) where it does so. Bill's suggestion to get a longer cable is a good one.

 

[happykraut]

That happened to me on my last Montana a couple of times. I found that the emergency cable was getting hung up in the bed of the truck. Now I always pin the cable to the top of the hitch with two clippies to keep the cable from getting hung up. Have used this method for several years now without incidence.

 

[jbeletti]

I've been close to have this happen. What I have found with 3 trucks, 2 hitches, 2 pin boxes and 4 RVs is that the geometry of each setup can be a bit different. In my current setup - I've had zero issues. So, I don't think there's one fix for all. The ideas I've seen given in this thread are great ones though (longer cable, coiled cable, clips to hold it up...).

Another thought is to rethink the attachment point of the looped end. In my various configurations, I've used an eye-bolt in the bed rail, the hitch handle and now, a hole in a plate at the back of the hitch. It just depends on a best-fit for each setup.

My funny story of snagging the break-away cable on something in the truck bed as I unhitched is that later, when I figured out what happened, I was such a greenhorn, I didn't know those could be re-inserted. I didn't know what to do and that switch box was real HOT. I snipped the 2-wires! What an idiot - me Later, I found out the black thingy plugs back in. Oops

 

[Netem]

I agree with the coiled cable. My straight one that came with the trailer would get caught sometimes. I hook my coiled one to the rear bed rail.

 

[jolar3329]

Mine has come out about half a dozen times. Every time it was a sharp right turn. The cable catches on the lower part of the hitch. I shortened the cable before leaving for Florida and haven't had a problem since. (Knock on wood). I shortened it with a cable clamp and have not cut the end off yet.

 

[TXTiger]

My brake cable came unplugged on my first trip leaving the dealers lot, (towing 101), when making a turn. I knew right away that it was unplugged because the tires on the trailer were dragging. The cable was catching on a corner of the hitch in the bed of the truck. The dealer put a few zip ties on the end of the cable to make it longer and it has worked fine ever since. The coiled cable sounds like a good idea too.

 

[traveler44]

I am drilling a hole in the side of the bedsaver for an eyebolt and will use a double ended dog leash snap on the end so I will be able to snap it on farther back. This should give me plenty of extra length if needed and put it far enough behind the hitch to keep it from getting snagged on the hitch. Thanks for all of the good ideas and suggestions. Tom

 

[porthole]

I use an eyebolt on the front of the pin box. Several times I have caught the cable on one thing or another.

and since they are cheap, I keep a spare actuator in the tool box. They melt too easily.

 

[Walkerstv]

Okay, I'll share a funny story too... I've pulled 5th wheels with no issue for many years. THEN one day pulling into a gas station making a hard right turn toward the gas pump my rig stopped like it never had before. I thought I must have hit something and I leaped out of the driver seat to see what had happened. Nothing under any wheels so I checked the hitch and there it was--the break away cable laying on the floor of the truck bed. Like a dummy I stepped up on the tire, leaned way in to retrieve the cable and slid the pin back into the little black box. Imagine my horror when the whole rig lurched forward moving straight toward the gas pump!!! I had no chance to pull the pin again as the rolling wheel tipped me off balance and lowered me quickly to the ground. In a split second my head was full of thoughts of how big the explosion would be when my truck ran over the gas pump. I sprinted to the cab and used my hand to depress the brake pedal. WOW!!! No harm done but my heart took an hour to slow down!!! Talk about a learning moment--NEVER Leave the drivers seat without setting the parking brake and ALWAYS make sure that break away cable is suspended away from anything it might catch on... Words to live by!

 

[TravelTiger]

Okay, I'll share a funny story too... I've pulled 5th wheels with no issue for many years. THEN one day pulling into a gas station making a hard right turn toward the gas pump my rig stopped like it never had before. I thought I must have hit something and I leaped out of the driver seat to see what had happened. Nothing under any wheels so I checked the hitch and there it was--the break away cable laying on the floor of the truck bed. Like a dummy I stepped up on the tire, leaned way in to retrieve the cable and slid the pin back into the little black box. Imagine my horror when the whole rig lurched forward moving straight toward the gas pump!!! I had no chance to pull the pin again as the rolling wheel tipped me off balance and lowered me quickly to the ground. In a split second my head was full of thoughts of how big the explosion would be when my truck ran over the gas pump. I sprinted to the cab and used my hand to depress the brake pedal. WOW!!! No harm done but my heart took an hour to slow down!!! Talk about a learning moment--NEVER Leave the drivers seat without setting the parking brake and ALWAYS make sure that break away cable is suspended away from anything it might catch on... Words to live by!

Wow, my heart started racing just reading that!!!


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[boatto5er]

Mine got pulled out pulling out of my son's driveway at a near 90 degree angle. The trailer wheels locked up tight as a drum (pun intended)! It was dark and I was able to see that the cable was pulled out, but my dead battery holders (sometimes called flashlights) weren't working and I couldn't locate the plug to reinstall it. I had the wife run up to my son's house to get another flashlight. Meanwhile I had traffic blocked in both directions on a narrow country road. DW finally came back with a flashlight about five minutes (and several irratated motorists) later and I got the cable reattached. Now I always make sure I have it positioned so there is plenty of slack and it's away from any area it could catch on. It is reassuring though to know that it works!

 

[wildwolfproducts]

That cable can cause lots of issues. Buddy of mine 3 years ago, called us while we were on our way to meed them at a campground. There camper was stuck in the yard. And there 4x4 could not pull it out, so they got a tow to get it out to the road. But then found out the wheels were locked. He could not figure it out so told him it was the cable. He could not find it and thinks the neighbors kids took it.
Told him to unhook the battery to get the camper out of the road. And he just took off down the road the 20 miles with no brakes on the camper. Now this was a 26ft bumper pull camper on a Toyota 4x4. But he made it to the campground. We could not find one that weekend to fix his. So I rigged up one for him out of wood. He made it back home with it.
So now I have an extra one in the camper just in case I need it or someone else does.
Pete

 

[traveler44]

Okay, I'll share a funny story too... I've pulled 5th wheels with no issue for many years. THEN one day pulling into a gas station making a hard right turn toward the gas pump my rig stopped like it never had before. I thought I must have hit something and I leaped out of the driver seat to see what had happened. Nothing under any wheels so I checked the hitch and there it was--the break away cable laying on the floor of the truck bed. Like a dummy I stepped up on the tire, leaned way in to retrieve the cable and slid the pin back into the little black box. Imagine my horror when the whole rig lurched forward moving straight toward the gas pump!!! I had no chance to pull the pin again as the rolling wheel tipped me off balance and lowered me quickly to the ground. In a split second my head was full of thoughts of how big the explosion would be when my truck ran over the gas pump. I sprinted to the cab and used my hand to depress the brake pedal. WOW!!! No harm done but my heart took an hour to slow down!!! Talk about a learning moment--NEVER Leave the drivers seat without setting the parking brake and ALWAYS make sure that break away cable is suspended away from anything it might catch on... Words to live by![/QUOTE

I had mine nearly jackknifed when I inserted the pin on mine and it is very scary when the truck and the fifth wheel make that sudden jump. I was in a very tight position-laying on my back-half out of the back of the truck and it really does something to your nerves to feel the truck and the fifth wheel buck like that. The truck was in park position and so it didn't go anywhere after the brakes released. Tom