Breakaway switch Question

Hello,

I damaged my previous breakaway switch and am replacing it. The switch has two wires, both black. I know that one wire goes to the brakes. I am assuming the other would go to the hot wire to the battery so that it has power if disconnected from my truck? Is this accurate?

Thanks for any help.

Kevin
 

jeffdee

Well-known member
I can tell you that if you are making a hard 90 degree right turn, the safety cable is long enough to slip under the Reese Elite Hitch thus pulling the safety pin out of the switch. The brakes will set immediately and the trailer will not move. It is pretty unsettling until you realize what happened.

I now use a rubber band to keep the cable elevated but still functional for a real emergency.
 

JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
I did a 'newbie' when we took our 5th-wheel out for the first time . . . forgot to unhook the breakaway!

I put the plunger back in . . . and thought all was OK.

But when I hooked up to leave, I got a trailer break error code on the dashboard!

I messed around with it for a few minutes with no luck.

The truck was running and the trailer plugged in to the truck.

I don't know what made me think of it, but I shut the truck off . . . unplugged the trailer . . . then started the truck and plugged the trailer back in with the motor running and it reset itself!
 
Top