Breakaway Systems
Let a trailer come off the hitch at highway speed and a breakaway system is the one thing standing between you and a runaway. A pin pulls out of a switch, the switch dumps the onboard battery into the trailer's electric brakes, and the trailer brakes itself to a stop. The Tekonsha Shur-Set III here bundles the switch, a 12-volt battery, and a charger that keeps it topped off from the trailer wiring.
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Choosing and maintaining a breakaway system
A breakaway sits idle until the one moment it earns its keep. A cable tethers a pin to the tow vehicle; if the trailer separates, the pin pulls from a switch that connects the onboard battery straight to the electric brakes, locking them so the trailer stops rather than rolling free. Most states require one above a set trailer weight, so it counts as required equipment, not an add-on.
- Battery health decides everything. A breakaway only works if its battery still holds a charge. The Tekonsha Shur-Set III ships with a sealed 12-volt 5Ah battery sized to hold the brakes long enough to bring a loaded trailer to a stop.
- Onboard charger. Better kits top the breakaway battery off the trailer's 12-volt line while you tow, as the Shur-Set III's built-in charger does — so it's ready when you need it, not flat from sitting between trips.
- Switch and pin quality. The switch rides out on the tongue in road spray. Look for a sealed body and a cable and pin that release cleanly in a real separation yet stay put over bumps and tight turns.
- Test it before every trip. With the trailer hitched, pull the pin and try to roll — the brakes should grab. Skip that check and you find out it failed at the worst possible moment.
The breakaway battery backs up the same electric brakes your brake controller runs, and both lean on solid connectors and wiring down the tongue. Sorting out the tow connection itself? Start at the hitch and coupler.