TAB: Wire that runs through chain and is attached to hitch

Rudibuck

Hi all, Can anyone please confirm what the wire running through the hitch chain is for? It is connected under the hitch and is not part of the electrical wiring harness. Is it some sort of anti static line? Our walk thru with the new trailer was dismal at best

Nomad

Only wirery thing I can think of is the wire going to the electric emergency brake pin.
Got a pic? If that's what it is, it shouldn't weave "thru" the chains.

Rudibuck

Thank you, thank you. Fixing now!

Honaker35

Actually I have owned campers my whole life and running that cable through the chain links is perfectly fine. 

RZRBUG

Honaker35 said:

Actually I have owned campers my whole life and running that cable through the chain links is perfectly fine. 

Sorry, disagree.  The emergency brake cable should be attached so that if the hitch and chains fail, it will engage the brake.

Verna

I have not seen an emergency brake cable inside the safety chains. The cable and the safety chains have two different functions, and must be separate. (When I got my T@B last summer, I had never paid attention to the emergency brake cable, and now I notice evety one!)

RZRBUG

I posted this once before, but perhaps it bears repeating, especially for those who may have missed it the first time around.  It is a study on trailering published by the extension service at Purdue University.  The section on emergency brake cables starts of page 58.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ppp/ppp-92.pdf

Ratkity

Thanks RZ. I missed that one the first go-round! Never too edumacated to learn new stuff.

ScottG

Yeah, thanks RZ. I appreciate a comprehensive and thoughtful resource that goes beyond telling you what to do and tries to explain why--including discussing opposing arguments for divergent practices (like the proper length of the cable). 

In my limited experience, even dealers make these mistakes when sending new owners down the road. It's easy to see how bad practices are perpetuated. 

Rudibuck

We are very grateful for all the members of this forum. As new owners of a trailer, and new to camping, all the expert and well informed comments have been a BIG benefit to us. Thank you!

Nomad

We were all newbies once :-)
I personally find it amazing how much knowledge there is here in the forum and a lot of just good, helpful people.

Honaker35

ST_Bob said:

Honaker35 said:

Actually I have owned campers my whole life and running that cable through the chain links is perfectly fine. 

Well you've been lucky then.  When the hitch becomes uncoupled the chains will snap tight and capture that cable so it cannot possibly pull out the emergency brake switch on the trailer.  It's dangerous and could result in an unguided 2000 pound trailer flying across the highway and median possibly killing someone.  I politely as possible suggest that you READ THE MANUAL for the safety switch and cable.  If your trailer doesn't have one - get one.

Not lucky just an understanding how things work. You run the cable in such a way that when it does become unhooked and the chains become tight it is still able to pull that cable and work properly 

Nomad

Sorry, I'll go with the freely hanging wire - Sounds chancy thru the chains and I can't see "any" advantage doing it that way.

jkjenn

My tech at the dealer specifically said not through the chains.

Jeanne

Having bought our T@B a year ago from previous owner, I think there is probable still a lot we don't know. Had a great servicing done locally a month ago and they checked everything for us. Put a connector on the brake cable and told us to attach it to the vehicle separate from the chains. I would have never thought to even ask. 

Honaker35

Well I think it is safe to safe for everyone to do what they feel is right. As me I'll keep my cable ran throughout the chain because my cable is much long than my chains so if I do become unhooked when it tightens up on the chains my cable will be loose and be of no use to me at all. 

Nomad

Do what works for ya Honaker but think it's risky for the average bear.

Verna

Honacker35 has our best and honest advice. What he does with it is up to him.  Ths is enough on this subject. 

Allie

I saved this to my documents file in case I have a question later down the road.  This was a very informative document in all aspects of towing.

Tabaz

Special thanks to RZRBUG for the Purdue article. Learned a lot.

Norbert1223

Glad I caught this thread.  The dealer ran my electric brake wire through the chain and attached it to the hook that hooks the chain to the hitch.  I asked on a second visit to the dealer if that was the way it was suppose to be because it didn't seem right to me. If the chain breaks away the electric brake cable goes with it and I kept thinking that made no sense.  What do you use to connect it to the hitch?  Could someone post a picture of theirs?  

Mouseketab

I put mine kind of resting above the chains, but not through them. On my original tow vehicle, it was on the same loops the chain hooked too, but on my current tow vehicle, the loops are too fat to get the hook around, so I purchased another hook that is on the loop, and then the breakaway cable is hooked onto that.

RollingLagrima

Norbert1223 said:

Glad I caught this thread.  The dealer ran my electric brake wire through the chain and attached it to the hook that hooks the chain to the hitch.  I asked on a second visit to the dealer if that was the way it was suppose to be because it didn't seem right to me. If the chain breaks away the electric brake cable goes with it and I kept thinking that made no sense.  What do you use to connect it to the hitch?  Could someone post a picture of theirs?  

Ditto. Pictures please.

jkjenn

Norbert1223 said:

  What do you use to connect it to the hitch?  Could someone post a picture of theirs?  

Quick links can be found at the hardware store. Use one to connect it to the metal loop that holds the safety chains on the hitch.



It's also a good time to remind people that you should cross the safety chains when hooking up.

Cyclonic

@RZRBUG, great find, thanks for posting.

Just a note, the photos of the accident on the first few pages are from an accident that occurred on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 2007.  A trailer broke loose in the worst possible place and killed three people.

Norbert1223

OK thanks.  I have a quick link,  the dealer used the quick link to hook it to the chain.  

Verna

Bobbo said:

A snap link like this works too.

The snap link typically does not have the 5,000 lb strength of the quick link. 

jkjenn

Verna said:

Bobbo said:

A snap link like this works too.

The snap link typically does not have the 5,000 lb strength of the quick link. 

Plus, having worked in ropes course facilitation, you would never use something with a snap link where there is the possibility of it being inadvertently open. Trust me, in an accident, the could easily, inadvertently open.

Nomad

Maybe a good time to remind people to lock the hitch once hooked up. If locked, the only way the safety cable comes into play is if the whole hitch receiver breaks away.

Honaker35

This is how I do mine and have done it this way on every camper I have ever owned  I do it this way if trailer becomes unhooked it will pull the cable out of the box and engage the brakes  even if the chain breaks because now the cable has been shortened up  

2canoe

RZRBUG said:

I posted this once before, but perhaps it bears repeating, especially for those who may have missed it the first time around.  It is a study on trailering published by the extension service at Purdue University.  The section on emergency brake cables starts of page 58.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ppp/ppp-92.pdf

Thanks for posting this site.  I learned a lot and we will be reviewing a couple of our practices--like twisting the chain to take up slack.  You can teach an old dog new tricks.