Break Away Switch

[MNash56]

Would my 1970 Suntrail have an emergency break away switch for the brakes? I don't see any evidence of one and no mention of one in the owners manual.

Thanks for any input.

[silverloaf]

Would my 1970 Suntrail have an emergency break away switch for the brakes? I don't see any evidence of one and no mention of one in the owners manual.

Thanks for any input.

Your trailer may have been built before breakaway switches were introduced.

Like most, mine is located on the tongue near the battery for both access and power supply. One wire gets connected to the power supply; the other to the positive wires of the electric brakes. The rip chord is attached to one of the safety chains.

Here is a website that lists latest requirements by State:
https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/trailer-brakes/

Don't leave home without one.

[KYAvion]

I think pretty much every trailer I've seen has the breakaway ripcord connected the way you described, and I use to install mine just the way you mentioned. I could be mistaken, but I think ideally the ripcord is suppose to be attached to a place on the vehicle separate from the hitch. The idea being that if trailer somehow becomes detached from the trailer (e.g., receiver failure, chain breakage), then the breakaway switch will activate and prevent a runaway trailer.

So in this case, the breakaway ripcord should be longer than the chains, so the activation of the breakaway switch is the last thing to happen. As long as the umbilical is long enough, the tow vehicle brake controller would still handle the trailer brakes if only connected by the chains.

If the breakaway switch isn't attached directly to a point on the tow vehicle, I'd think the next best place would be the hitch.

[silverloaf]

Mine was torn up when I bought it. I bought a new one and will install it soon. I wasn't aware the chord was long enough to connect to the receiver. I'll check it out.

[KYAvion]

You may have to extend the cable. Here's s pic I found online. I don't know about those chain hooks being installed upside down, but the pic does show the breakaway cord attached to a separate point on the tow vehicle.

IMG_2723.JPG (68.33 KiB) Viewed 1441 times

[MNash56]

Thanks for the link Silverloaf. Given the weight of my trailer (<3000lbs) I may not be required to have one. But I guess I’ll research what it would involve to wire one in.

[KYAvion]

The wiring is really simple so there's really no reason not to install one. It's simply powered by your trailer battery. The breakaway plunger piece is simply a switch--when it's pulled out power is supplied to the trailer brakes.

[KYAvion]

This pic shows two splices. You could also run a dedicated wire from the breakaway switch to the positive terminal of your battery, and just splice the other wire from the breakaway switch with the wire feeding your trailer's brakes.

Just think of the breakaway switch as a basic light switch. When that plunger is pulled, it's just connecting two wires together so that 12v can be supplied to your trailer brakes.

IMG_2724.JPG (29.59 KiB) Viewed 1437 times

[silverloaf]

Thanks for the link Silverloaf. Given the weight of my trailer (<3000lbs) I may not be required to have one. But I guess I’ll research what it would involve to wire one in.

You're sure your trailer even has electric brakes?

I have a utility trailer rated at 3000lbs and no brakes.

[MNash56]

Definitely. Just tested them yesterday with my tv and they’re working.