RE: Breakaway Switch - Information

Tim5055 · Sep 28, 2003, 07:05 PM

Well, I was doing a little research for my [link=http://www.title-3.com/BreakAway.htm]Break Away Switch Web Page[/link] and found the specific requirements.

Here is the applicable federal safety standard, as published in the Code of Federal Regulation CFR:

Quote49 CFR 393.43 states:
Breakaway and emergency braking.

(a) Every motor vehicle, if used to tow a trailer equipped with brakes, shall be equipped with means for providing that in case of breakaway of such trailer the service brakes on the towing vehicle will be sufficiently operative to stop the towing vehicle.

(b) & (c) deal with tractor trailers

(d) Every trailer required to be equipped with brakes shall be equipped with brakes of such character as to be applied automatically and promptly upon breakaway from the towing vehicle, and means shall be provided to maintain application of the brakes on the trailer in such case for at least 15 minutes.

It seems very clear, if your pop up is required to have brakes, you must have a battery and breakaway switch.

While I doubt anyone would ever get into trouble for not having it, I can see an insurance company lawyer trying to deny a claim because you did not maintain the vehicle in the required condition.

Very interesting.

Ab Diver · May 18, 2003, 09:06 PM

tim5055Interesting point, Tim. Is there a differentiation between electric and surge brakes? One of our company trucks tows a trailer equipped with surge brakes, and the trailer *DOES* have a breakaway switch that activates them. Just wondering how this could affect boat trailers.

(the above left in place to show how deceptive the wording of the quoted regs truly is.)

Ok, wait a minute, I just re-read your post. The regs state that:

<<<Every motor vehicle, if used to tow a trailer equipped with brakes, shall be equipped with means for providing that in case of breakaway of such trailer the service brakes on the towing vehicle will be sufficiently operative to stop the towing vehicle.>>>

They are talking about the towing vehicle brakes, and not the trailer brakes. This doesn t make any sense at all. We *already* know the TV brakes can stop the TV! [:@] Taken word for word, these regs do not make *any* reference at all to the trailer itself being required to have a breakawy switch.[: (]

Sheesh... and they wonder why the average guy can t understand lawyerspeak.[

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Ok, now you have edited your post to include section (d). Much better![

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So, back to my original question: How would this relate to surge brakes? Is there any mention of a different standard for electric and surge brakes?

Tim5055 · May 18, 2003, 09:11 PM

tim5055Yea, it confused me the first few time too[&:]

Yes, according to the rules, if you are required to have brakes, it must have a breakaway. That should include surge brakes. As a matter of fact I found several letters on the NHTSA web site where they were telling companies that breakaway was required on surge brakes.

Again, I don t think CHP will be stopping anyone, but my fear is the insurance lawyer[: (]

wahoonc · May 18, 2003, 10:01 PM

tim5055Welllll I guess seeing how it is Federal Law and Fleetwood didn t install it and if I get in a wreck because we don t have a break away switch we can just add them to the lawsuit. It would appear to me that if it is required by law then they would be installed. Is perhaps the federal law being quoted aimed only at vehicles being used for interstate commerce? And because the popups are privately licensed and not being used for interstate commerce only have to meet the laws of the state they are registered in?

Aaron[

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Tim5055 · May 19, 2003, 05:26 AM

wahoonc

QuoteORIGINAL: wahoonc
It would appear to me that if it is required by law then they would be installed. Is perhaps the federal law being quoted aimed only at vehicles being used for interstate commerce? And because the popups are privately licensed and not being used for interstate commerce only have to meet the laws of the state they are registered in?

Aaron[]

I would think that they would be installed at the factory also.

As far as I can tell, these are teh same regulations that require air bags, seat belts and all that stuff, so I don t think commerce has anything to do with it.

Like I said, very interesting

AustinBoston · May 19, 2003, 08:28 AM

wahoonc

QuoteORIGINAL: wahoonc
Welllll I guess seeing how it is Federal Law and Fleetwood didn t install it and if I get in a wreck because we don t have a break away switch we can just add them to the lawsuit. It would appear to me that if it is required by law then they would be installed. Is perhaps the federal law being quoted aimed only at vehicles being used for interstate commerce? And because the popups are privately licensed and not being used for interstate commerce only have to meet the laws of the state they are registered in?

Aaron[]

The breakaway rule is a federal rule, but only applies to trailers required to have brakes. That is where state rules come in. In Massachusetts, only trailers over 10,000 (yes, ten thousand) pounds are required to have brakes. I don t know of anyone making a 10,000 lb. pop-up! That weight varies from state to state, so the requirement varies. The pop-up manufacturer doesn t know who is going to buy their camper, so it really is up to you. They would probably weasel out of the suit fairly easily.

Austin

wahoonc · May 19, 2003, 08:43 AM

tim5055

QuoteIn Massachusetts, only trailers over 10,000 (yes, ten thousand) pounds are required to have brakes. I don t know of anyone making a 10,000 lb. pop-up!

Gee Austin if I come to " Taxachusets" I can disconnect my brakes and be legal[:@]

As far as the 10K# popup, anybody want a piece of the action? I bet Fleetwood could do it with out even trying![8D]I think they might have trouble weazeling out of it based on the fact that all of their popups now come equipped with brakes.

Aaron[

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Steve-o-bud · May 19, 2003, 09:29 AM

tim5055

Quote49 CFR 393.43 states:
Breakaway and emergency braking.

(a) Every motor vehicle, if used to tow a trailer equipped with brakes, shall be equipped with means for providing that in case of breakaway of such trailer the service brakes on the towing vehicle will be sufficiently operative to stop the towing vehicle.

This applies to the towing vehicle, and is meant for vehicles such as tractor-trailer rigs, that use air brakes. What it means is, if the air brake system is severed where it connects between the tractor and trailer, the system must still be able to operate the towing vehicle s service braking system.

Quote(d) Every trailer required to be equipped with brakes shall be equipped with brakes of such character as to be applied automatically and promptly upon breakaway from the towing vehicle, and means shall be provided to maintain application of the brakes on the trailer in such case for at least 15 minutes.

If the trailer is REQUIRED to have brakes, then it is REQUIRED to have breakaway activation. The way this is written, if the brakes were NOT REQUIRED, but were nonetheless installed, they would be legal without the breakaway switch.

Just my take on this...

Gamecock Camper · May 19, 2003, 09:40 AM

tim5055Ok, this is very interesting indeed. I looked at my owner s manual and there are no references to a breakaway switch. Where would it be, what would it look like, how difficult would it be to add one, how much would it cost etc..... It seems like a logical safety feature that would be good to add, even though I hope it is never used..... kinda like the fire extinguisher, I have one, but hope I never have to use it.

Ab Diver · May 19, 2003, 10:01 AM

Gamecock CamperStopher, if your trailer is equipped with brakes, but doesn t have a breakaway switch, it s cheap to add one. All you need is the switch itself and a 12V dry cell battery. Total cost: about 20-25 bucks.

This " self-contained" dry-cell powered breakaway switch can be added to trailers not equipped with a heavy flooded-cell 12V deep cycle battery. Every once in a while someone posts about their pop-up not having a battery, but having brakes. This is just the ticket for them. Here is an example:

http://www.mobile-mart.com/brkawayswitch.htm

Our old Starcraft had one of these installed on it s A-frame. Funny thing was, it was installed *in addition to* the on-board group 24 battery. The group 24 battery wasn t hooked to the brakes. Go figure...

Gamecock Camper · May 19, 2003, 05:45 PM

tim5055I do have a deep cell battery on board the Rockwood. I ll look at it next time (this coming weekend) when we go up to the lakehouse. Thx for the reply Dave.

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