Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

[dmoss8928]

Last weekend we took the boat out to the lake and I got my wife to back the truck and tailer up and get me and the boat in the water. I then trusted her to pull the truck up and drop / unhook the trailer and pull thr truck back around to the cabin where I would pick her up.

She did everything like I told her put she thought there was only 2 safety chains. I have a third one that is a black cable that goes to waht my cousin said to my brakes? Well she went to pull away and it jerked that cables a good bit out and now it won't retract back in.

I have to wrap it around the hitch so it won't hit the ground while driving. Everything works fine so my question is whats the black cable for? and does all Tahoe trailers have this cable?

Thanks guys

David

 

[Tim in TN]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

The smaller, "third" safety cable is attached to the brake actuator. It's so if your trailer becomes disconnected on the highway the trailer brakes will lock up. It also has a "knot" on the cable to keep it from retacting once it's pulled out.

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

The smaller, "third" safety cable is attached to the brake actuator. It's so if your trailer becomes disconnected on the highway the trailer brakes will lock up. It also has a "knot" on the cable to keep it from retacting once it's pulled out.

SO i have to replace the whole thing or is there something else I can do to fix it?

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

If its pulled out and not retracting your trailer brakes should be locked. I think your have more issues. I would also assume it is a one time use item although there might be a way to manually reset it. I am certain that it won't reset itself or the brakes would unlock as soon as it came off the truck and that would defeat its purpose.

 

[whitey224]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

My trailer has a plastic cover right behind the hitch with a lever inside and you can flip the lever back to the normal position. I have never done this but I remember when I bought my boat the dealer explained that to me.

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

My trailer has a plastic cover right behind the hitch with a lever inside and you can flip the lever back to the normal position. I have never done this but I remember when I bought my boat the dealer explained that to me.

You think you can post a picture of this for me?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

which trailer actuator - they are all different.

best bet is to go to the manufactures web site and get the actuator manual.

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

If its pulled out and not retracting your trailer brakes should be locked. I think your have more issues. I would also assume it is a one time use item although there might be a way to manually reset it. I am certain that it won't reset itself or the brakes would unlock as soon as it came off the truck and that would defeat its purpose.

I was thinking the same thing but the brakes work.... she didn't take off and pull the trailer she felt it and stopped so she might not have jerked it all the way out?

 

[FastFission]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

I was thinking the same thing but the brakes work.... she didn't take off and pull the trailer she felt it and stopped so she might not have jerked it all the way out?

The breakaway cables are not normally a one-time system. Depending on the actuator, there is typically a latch of some kind that you can manually use to reset it unless you've actually broken something. If you go to the manufacturers' website (for the actuator) there should be some instructions on how to reset the system.

For instance, on my unit, there's a ball on the cable that comes through a little spring plate on the side of the actuator. The spring plate catches the ball and holds it engaged. To reset, you just pry up the spring plate with a screwdriver until the ball can pop back inside.

Pictures would help.

 

[whitey224]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

Here is what mine looks like. I don't know if yours is the same.

 

[PrinceValium]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

Here is what mine looks like. I don't know if yours is the same. View attachment 156409View attachment 156410

Yep mine is like that too. That is where you would unlock the trailer breaks after the cable has activated them. Unless it breaks off or damages the unit in some way it is reusable.

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

Thanks for the replys guys I found this book let online about all types of Tahoe trailers mine is on page 16 and 17 so I will try this once I get home today.. Thanks for the help ..

 

[dmoss8928]

Re: Extra Trailer Safety Chain... Please Help

For some reason my chain will not retract back in? Any ideas? who would I contact for support / repair Tahoe? Tracker Maine? Bass Pro?