Once a Trailer Breakaway Switch Pin has Been Pulled is the System Reusable

Question

Question:

once a breakaway has been pulled is it reusable ? thank you

asked by: Gaelen

0

Expert Reply:

Yes. The way that a breakaway switch such as # HM20010 works is that the pin inside holds two pieces of metal apart. Once pulled out it allows the 2 pieces of metal to touch completing the circuit between the breakaway battery and the trailer brakes. All you would have to do to reset the system is put the pin back into the switch. I have included a couple of helpful links on breakaway systems for you.

expert reply by: Michael H

0

Caroline

7/18/2020

How difficult should it be to pull the emergency trailer pin out? I recently bought a used travel trailer and wanted to check it. I could not pull it out. Also, is there any maintenance that needs to be done to the system? You mentioned a battery. Does it have it’s own battery or is it hooked to the main battery?

Reply

Chris R.

7/23/2020

It should be a little difficult to pull the pin out (it's not something you want coming loose during travel) but with a good yank you should be able to get it out. A breakaway switch should have its own dedicated battery.

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Caroline

7/23/2020

What kind/size of battery is used?

Reply

Chris R.

7/28/2020

You would just be looking for a small battery like the 5-amp hour Curt # C52023.

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Paula

6/11/2020

My trailer breakaway pin came out when I was storing the trailer. I couldn’t put the pin back in all the way. Does the trailer need to be connected to power for the pin to reinsert?

Reply

Chris R.

6/15/2020

The trailer shouldn't need to be hooked up to push the pin back in. Make sure there isn't any debris inside the switch that could be preventing it from fitting all the way. Also keep in mind that most pins are "keyed", which just means that it'll only fit when in a certain orientation. Try rotating it a bit as you push it in to make sure you have it in the right position.

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Rodney

11/13/2021

@ChrisR pulled pin put it back but brakes activated from truck for trailer want work now

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Les D.

11/18/2021

@Rodney I think you are saying that you pulled the pin out of the break away switch, then reinserted it fully. However now the trailer brakes will not work when you press the brake pedal in the truck? When you say that, the trailer brakes do not work, is it that they don't engage, or that they engage but won't release? When you pull the pin, do you hear a hum at the brakes indicating they are engaged? Does your trailer have a small dedicated battery for the trailer brake away switch, or does it have a large battery for electrical equipment in the trailer,and the trailer break away switch works off of that? Have you checked the voltage on the brake away battery and/or the trailer battery? Have you used a continuity tester to see if the brake away switch is bad? Let me know. We can sort this out.

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See All (8) Replies to Paula ∨

Answer 1

Pushing the pin back into the breakaway switch should allow the brakes of the trailer to release. You may have to back the trailer up slightly to get the brakes to release. If you have tried that and are still having problems you may need to…

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Answer 2

If you still have the plunger end that goes in the break away switch, then you can simply insert the plunger back into the switch and that should cut off the power to the brakes on your trailer. If you no longer have the plunger, then you can…

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Answer 3

I have listed out the options that we have for your 1-hole kitchen faucet with a 31.5mm (1-1/4") diameter hole below. - Empire Faucets RV Kitchen Faucet w/ Pull-Down Spout #EM42HR - Empire Faucets RV Kitchen Faucet w/ Pull-Down Spout #EM34JR…

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Answer 4

If you have electric brakes then the only thing you will need to do to reset a breakaway system would be to place the pin back into the switch. This will then release the brakes and allow the trailer to roll freely. You will not need to replace it…

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Answer 5

If the trailer brakes activated when the pin was pulled on your breakaway you would have noticed. You would have heard the trailer dragging, felt it while towing, or seen the smoke coming off of the tires as you dragged it along. More than likely the…

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Answer 6

There is a way to bypass the breakaway system of your trailer but I would only recommend you do so to get your trailer to a dealer so that it can be fixed. If you were to get pulled over and the breakaway system was to be tested you would get in…

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Answer 7

There really isn't a particular maximum trailer weight that is used to determine when brakes need to be added to both axles of a tandem axle setup. While I do still recommend checking your local laws, I am also not aware of any general laws that…

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Answer 8

It can be a challenge some times to determine the correct replacement parts for a given trailer or brake assembly. I did some checking and brake magnet #BP01-110 is correct for Hayes/AL-KO 10 x 2-1/4 inch brakes. To be honest I am not certain what…

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Answer 9

Dexter Right Hand Trailer Brake Actuating Arm #BP02-180 replaces this item on right brake assembly #23-27. The correct magnet for both the left and right brake of this type is indeed the part you referenced, #BP01-110. When wiring in the new magnet…

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Answer 10

If you have a 7-Way on both your trailer and tow vehicle you will first want to make sure that you have a brake controller, like the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 #90195. A brake controller is what is used to send power from the tow vehicle and tells the…

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Answer 11

Yes you can put the breakaway pin back into the switch of your breakaway setup. While they sometimes can end up damaged if they are pulled at an angle they are not considered to be one-time-use switches. In event yours is damaged you could replace…

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Answer 12

Since the zerk fitting of your spindle is clogged and the fittings of most spindles are hard to remove and replace you can try taking the trailer to a local trailer shop to you that has experience working on axles to see if they can unclog it. One…

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Once a Trailer Breakaway Switch Pin has Been Pulled is the System Reusable

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