Quote: Originally posted by navver on 03/7/2016
So is it OK to loop it round the flange of the tow bar. It's a fixed type with 2 bolts holding the tow ball on.
Yes, providing that you have enough slack in the cable as usually the breakaway cable is too short to be able to coil around the bolt flange. That's why towbar manufacturers provide a designated hole in the flange plate for the breakaway cable clip to attach to.
Also Failure to have a properly attached & functioning breakaway cable on your caravan or trailer could invite a £60.00 fixed penalty notice & 4 points from those nice people at VOSA or the Police.
If you read section 2 of the above document it doesn't actually clarify where the breakaway cable should be attached to, it just states to make sure it is undamaged and correctly connected (refer to manufacturers advice) which is basically a few words of worthless information. If it's the law then they need to be more specific in detail what the legal requirements are on the grounds of road safety at least.
If a prohibition notice was issued, was it issued against the car or the caravan as when seperated both are perfectly roadworthy?
IMHO it was an over zealous DVSA jobsworth and it would never stand up in court as there is no legilsation to back it up.
Also Failure to have a properly attached & functioning breakaway cable on your caravan or trailer could invite a £60.00 fixed penalty notice & 4 points from those nice people at VOSA or the Police.
If you read section 2 of the above document it doesn't actually clarify where the breakaway cable should be attached to, it just states to make sure it is undamaged and correctly connected (refer to manufacturers advice) which is basically a few words of worthless information. If it's the law then they need to be more specific in detail what the legal requirements are on the grounds of road safety at least.
You may be right tango. that was on there own site as well.
As i say opened another can of worms.
Towbars became type approved in Aug 1998, and I believe that from that time a dedicated attachment point had to be provided to attach the break away cable. Attachment here requires a caribiner type cable clip.
Obviously there would have been (and still are) cars around with earlier non type approved towbars, so the advice was to loop around the towbar, not just the hook. In this case a non caribiner break away cable is fitted. Cables of either type come in two lengths.
Today there is a desire to maintain the towcar's clean lines when not towing, so towbars are hidden behind plastic bumper trims. I don't get the impression that many owners fit their own towbars, so may not even be aware that their cars have a dedicated cable attachment point, hence getting caught out in these roadside checks.
So now we have the official evidence from AL-KO (the manufacturer's advice) as to how to attach the breakaway cable correctly, any patrol checks on the highway that suggests otherwise with an applicable prosecution could be appealed against in the courts. Providing that the cable is safely secured around the ball or to a designated anchorage point then a penalty fee should not be given.
Just checked under the car. There is a sort of loop that could be an attachment point. The tow bar was fitted by a main agent and this was not shown to me, neither were any instructions handed over. It really is hard to find and it's a long way under.
Looks like the flange bolts in to the tow bar and it could just as easily have a swan neck etc. bolted in in its place.
My feeling is that if there is an attachment point it should be used and it should only be wrapped round the tow ball if there is no attachment point.
That alkoadvice says it is for the extended neck alko towball and it shows the older type clip rather than the caribbiner type. I use the carribiner type and clip onto a bracket. At the end of the day it activates the handbrake and doesn't keep the two vehicles together. It would be dangerous if it did.
My feeling is that if there is an attachment point it should be used and it should only be wrapped round the tow ball if there is no attachment point.
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I think all would agree with that, it makes common sence after all.
I changed my cable to a heavy duty one used on 3500kg trailers. reason being on the discovery 3 you have the welded ring in the middle of the electric sockets, and are higher than the tow ball, so made sence to upgrade the cable. fits a treat and does not catch anywhere. But that was for my own peace of mind.
The reason being.
An old friend of mine, wife, was going down Station Road in Ilkeston years ago. Range rover, pulling a car trailer. Tow bar failed, Trailer detached from car, cable failed because around tow ball. And people got hurt, rare i know but it happens.
Thinking about what looks like an attachment point underneath. If the flange section pulls out of the tow bar the clip will go with it. Can't see the point of that.
Can any body post a link to the legislation governing trailers and connections? I can't find anything in the Roads Act
After spending hours reading up on all sorts of legislation I have come to the conclusion that there is NO legislation regarding a breakaway cable as all that is required is a device to brake the trailer in the event of the trailer disconnecting from the towing vehicle.
There is absolutely NO reference to a breakaway cable or any cable for that matter to brake the trailer in the event of a disconnection.
I've just checked, and my 2014 Swift Challenger Sport has an original cable which it says is NOT designed to clip directly onto the towbar. It says to loop around the towball once and clip onto itself. Given that it was serviced yesterday I can't believe such a law got past the entire caravan trade.
Legal advice says that Holland's laws concern only its own citizens: EU law prevents it from prosecuting other EU citizens who are complying with their own laws (this has a shelf-life for obvious reasons).
Having said that, I'm not going to go toe-to-toe with the Old Bill when off on holiday: I'd comply then fight it out on my return.
------------- Camping Gear expands so as to fill the space available for its transportation.
Secondary Braking Cable (breakaway device)
Purpose: To apply a trailer’s brakes if it becomes separated from its towing vehicle.
Having done this, the cable assembly is designed to part, allowing the trailer to come to a halt away from the towing vehicle.
Construction; A thin steel cable, coated in red plastic and fitted with a means of attachment for connection to the towing vehicle.
CARAVAN AND TOW VEHICLE
Operation; In the event of the main coupling of the trailer separating from the towing vehicle, the cable should be able to pull tight, without any hindrance, engaging the trailer’s brakes.
The breakaway cable should never become taut during normal use.
Correct procedure for use:
Regularly check the cable and clip for damage.
If in doubt, contact your trailer or towbar supplier or your service agent.
Make sure the cable runs as straight as possible and goes through a cable guide underneath the trailer coupling.
Determine whether or not the towbar has a designated attachment point (i.e. a part specifically designated by its manufacturer for a breakaway cable).
Where a designated attachment point is provided on the towbar:
• Pass the cable through the attachment point and clip it back on itself.
• Where no designated attachment point has been provided on the towbar:
• Fixed ball: Loop the cable around the neck of the tow ball. If you fit the cable like this, use a single loop only.
• Detachable ball, You must seek guidance on procedure from the towbar manufacturer or supplier.
Other means of attachment:
In some instances it may be possible to attach the cable assembly:
• To a permanent part of the towbar structure, as long as this meets the approval of the towbar manufacturer/supplier,
• To an accessory sold for the specific purpose of breakaway cable attachment.
When the breakaway cable is attached, check to ensure:
a. That the cable cannot snag in use on the Caravan coupling head, jockey wheel, or any accessory, e.g. a stabiliser, bump shield, cycle carrier, etc.
b. That there is sufficient slack in the cable to allow the towing vehicle and caravan to articulate fully without the cable ever becoming taut and applying the brakes. For peace of mind you might wish to check the state of the cable by positioning the caravan and towing vehicle at extreme angles before setting off.
c. That it is not so slack that it can drag on the ground. If left loose, the cable may scrape along the ground and be weakened so that it subsequently fails to do its job. The cable may also be caught on an obstacle when in motion, thus engaging the caravan’s brakes
prematurely.
Having followed this advice, should you feel that a satisfactory coupling arrangement cannot be achieved, consult your trailer or towbar supplier or service agent.
It is a legal requirement that the secondary breakaway cable is used when towing.
As above. Determine whether or not the towbar has a designated attachement point and where no designated attachment point has bene provided on the towball, if detachable seek guidance from towbar manufacturer.
NONE of this law and only guidance so cannot be enforced in a court of law.
It is NOT a legal requirement that the secondary breakaway cable is used when towing as that is not what the law or legislation states. The legislation does not refer to a breakway cable at all. The legislation refers to a device to brake the trailer in the event the trailer becomes detached which in the case of a trailer under 35000kgs is a breakaway cable. There is no legislation stating how the device should be connected.
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Topic: Breakaway Cable
