Break away safety cable for brakes

[a70eliminator]

Hi, I made a mistake uncoupling my trailer, forgot to detach the breakaway cable and jacked the tongue not just off the hitch but all the way up before I noticed, it pulled the cable banjo tight, I lowered the trailer immediately and normalized it up, I notice the cable has a little crimped on bead that came out from the little metal tab, can anyone tell me what it's all about and is there anything I need to re-set, like I say it seems like the cable either streached a little or didn't retract completely once I removed the tesion. This is a surge brake set up with hydraulic drum brake shoes.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Break away safety cable for brakes

If your trailer brakes aren't locked up they should be. That bead is to keep the brakes energized after a breakaway. Yes, you will need to reset...the bead needs to be on the other side of the latch to let the pressure off the brakes.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Break away safety cable for brakes

Oh crap, thanks. I'll need to go out and take another look at it, I'm planning a short trip tonight.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Break away safety cable for brakes

Went out and jacked up a wheel, brakes are free, spun tire and used a big screwdriver to compress actuator lever at tongue, brakes grab good and stop tire rotation. All seems fine, followed cable to the actuator lever and I can see where pulling the cable would actuate the lever but that little crimped on bead that you say locks the brakes on is outside of the spring clip, I just can't say for sure that it hasn't always been like that, the brakes do actuate if the cable get pulled hard enough, it's whatever locks them on that I'm not understanding for that crimp bead wont even fit behind the spring clip.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Break away safety cable for brakes

So right now, if the trailer became separated from the car, the trailer brakes would only be on until the cable broke free of the car? How about a picture?