The breakaway cable for my 2 ton twin axle braked trailer is looking a bit
worn so I am replacing it.

This cable is quite substantial - 3mm diameter metal core covered in
plastic.

All the cables in the shops are either 2mm or 3mm including the plastic,
and much more flimsy.

Anyway, after some Googling I read that the cable is supposed to snatch
the brake on then part.

Sensible, as if the trailer detaches at 60mph you don't want 2 tons of
trailer trying to stop itself and your towing vehicle.

Now I've had a couple of 'pop offs' where I've carelessly not made sure
the tow ball is fully locked on and the trailer has popped off as I
started off.

In both cases the trailer braked, and the cable also stopped the car
(which was only moving very slowly).

However the cable didn't part.

I am assuming that a greater strain would open up the clip holding the
wire to the trailer brake.

I think a more flimsy replacement would just snap.

What I didn't see was any advice (which should be obvious once you know
the cable is designed to part) that you should always carry at least one
spare cable.

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan) survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

Cheers

Dave R

"David.WE.Roberts" wrote:
The breakaway cable for my 2 ton twin axle braked trailer is looking a bit
worn so I am replacing it.

This cable is quite substantial - 3mm diameter metal core covered in
plastic.

All the cables in the shops are either 2mm or 3mm including the plastic,
and much more flimsy.

Anyway, after some Googling I read that the cable is supposed to snatch
the brake on then part.

Sensible, as if the trailer detaches at 60mph you don't want 2 tons of
trailer trying to stop itself and your towing vehicle.

Now I've had a couple of 'pop offs' where I've carelessly not made sure
the tow ball is fully locked on and the trailer has popped off as I
started off.

In both cases the trailer braked, and the cable also stopped the car
(which was only moving very slowly).

However the cable didn't part.

I am assuming that a greater strain would open up the clip holding the
wire to the trailer brake.

I think a more flimsy replacement would just snap.

What I didn't see was any advice (which should be obvious once you know
the cable is designed to part) that you should always carry at least one
spare cable.

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan) survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

Cheers

Dave R

You worry too much. Sheesh, do you carry spares for every bulb on your
car?

Tim

On Saturday 20 July 2013 20:26 Tim+ wrote in uk.d-i-y:


You worry too much. Sheesh, do you carry spares for every bulb on your
car?

Tim

I do. Takes up sod all space.

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://squiddy.blog.dionic.net/

http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

Reading this on the web? See:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Usenet

On Sat, 20 Jul 2013 20:26:41 +0100, Tim+ wrote:

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan)
survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

You worry too much. Sheesh, do you carry spares for every bulb on your
car?

I'd be more worried about the two tonnes of trailer doing 60 mph
unbraked and on it's own rather than being within the law...

--
Cheers
Dave.

Tim Watts wrote:
On Saturday 20 July 2013 20:26 Tim+ wrote in uk.d-i-y:


You worry too much. Sheesh, do you carry spares for every bulb on your
car?

Tim

I do. Takes up sod all space.


And are you sure you have the tools to do a roadside repair? Some modern
cars are an absolute bugger to change bulbs on.

Tim

On Sat, 20 Jul 2013 21:36:24 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Sat, 20 Jul 2013 20:26:41 +0100, Tim+ wrote:

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan)
survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

You worry too much. Sheesh, do you carry spares for every bulb on your
car?

I'd be more worried about the two tonnes of trailer doing 60 mph
unbraked and on it's own rather than being within the law...

In the event of the cable breaking I'd just put the boot down and get
where I'm going in a hurry, so as to not spend too much time with an
unbraked trailer on the car.

On Sat, 20 Jul 2013 22:00:08 +0100, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

You worry too much. Sheesh, do you carry spares for every bulb
on
your car?

I'd be more worried about the two tonnes of trailer doing 60 mph
unbraked and on it's own rather than being within the law...

In the event of the cable breaking I'd just put the boot down and get
where I'm going in a hurry, so as to not spend too much time with an
unbraked trailer on the car.

Er, if the breakaway cable has bust it means the trailer has parted
company from the towing vehicle. Like the OP said it's there to yank
the brakes on and then part should the hitch fail for any reason.

Assuming the trailer survives dropping off you could just hitch it
back up and carry on, it would still be braked for normal driving as
that is done via a mechanism in the drawbar. What you wouldn't have
is the brakes applied should the trailer part company again. This is
when you have two tonnes of unbraked trailer on the loose, it's going
to keep going until it either hits something or trys to do a tron 90
degree turn and flips. Either way it's going to be messy.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sat, 20 Jul 2013 22:31:06 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

Either way it's going to be messy.

Exactly; so gtf out of there as quick as possible.

On 20/07/2013 14:36, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
The breakaway cable for my 2 ton twin axle braked trailer is looking a bit
worn so I am replacing it.

This cable is quite substantial - 3mm diameter metal core covered in
plastic.

All the cables in the shops are either 2mm or 3mm including the plastic,
and much more flimsy.

Anyway, after some Googling I read that the cable is supposed to snatch
the brake on then part.

Sensible, as if the trailer detaches at 60mph you don't want 2 tons of
trailer trying to stop itself and your towing vehicle.

Now I've had a couple of 'pop offs' where I've carelessly not made sure
the tow ball is fully locked on and the trailer has popped off as I
started off.

In both cases the trailer braked, and the cable also stopped the car
(which was only moving very slowly).

However the cable didn't part.

I am assuming that a greater strain would open up the clip holding the
wire to the trailer brake.

I think a more flimsy replacement would just snap.

What I didn't see was any advice (which should be obvious once you know
the cable is designed to part) that you should always carry at least one
spare cable.

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan) survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

Cheers

Dave R


I think that if the car and trailer part company at any speed, you're
likely to end up with at least some damage which may make resuming
towing difficult or impossible anyway.

I would err on the side of a heftier cable. I would rather have the
cable *not* break than have it break *before* it had fully applied the
trailer brakes.

I only ever broke one - and that was when I forgot to disconnect it
after unhitching my caravan! The caravan brake was already fully applied
(manually) so the cable didn't need to do this. It snapped very easily
when I drove off - I didn't feel any resistance through the seat of my
pants - so I worried a bit about whether it would have done the business
if I'd had a real disconnect.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

Roger Mills wrote:
On 20/07/2013 14:36, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
The breakaway cable for my 2 ton twin axle braked trailer is looking a bit
worn so I am replacing it.

This cable is quite substantial - 3mm diameter metal core covered in
plastic.

All the cables in the shops are either 2mm or 3mm including the plastic,
and much more flimsy.

Anyway, after some Googling I read that the cable is supposed to snatch
the brake on then part.

Sensible, as if the trailer detaches at 60mph you don't want 2 tons of
trailer trying to stop itself and your towing vehicle.

Now I've had a couple of 'pop offs' where I've carelessly not made sure
the tow ball is fully locked on and the trailer has popped off as I
started off.

In both cases the trailer braked, and the cable also stopped the car
(which was only moving very slowly).

However the cable didn't part.

I am assuming that a greater strain would open up the clip holding the
wire to the trailer brake.

I think a more flimsy replacement would just snap.

What I didn't see was any advice (which should be obvious once you know
the cable is designed to part) that you should always carry at least one
spare cable.

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan) survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

Cheers

Dave R


I think that if the car and trailer part company at any speed, you're
likely to end up with at least some damage which may make resuming towing
difficult or impossible anyway.

I would err on the side of a heftier cable. I would rather have the cable
*not* break than have it break *before* it had fully applied the trailer brakes.

I only ever broke one - and that was when I forgot to disconnect it after
unhitching my caravan! The caravan brake was already fully applied
(manually) so the cable didn't need to do this. It snapped very easily
when I drove off - I didn't feel any resistance through the seat of my
pants - so I worried a bit about whether it would have done the business
if I'd had a real disconnect.

Did it actually snap? I seem to recall that they all have a hefty split
ring that is designed to unbend and open after the trailer brakes have been
pulled on. The cable itself doesn't normally break.

Here's a typical one.
http://www.npautoparts.co.uk/travel-...isting+ads#324

I know that when we dropped a van off the hook the ring "unwound" releasing
the cable before it snapped.

Tim

Dave Liquorice wrote:

I'd be more worried about the two tonnes of trailer doing 60 mph
unbraked and on it's own rather than being within the law...

I've never been able to square break away cables with the idea that a
trailer travelling at speed is going to dig its hitch in and
flip/slew/explode almost immediately!

Broke one once - forgot to unhitch it after unhitching the trailer, d'oh
- and heard it as a vague pwang sound. It worked as intended and then
broke at the handbrake end. I simply shortened the cable a bit - must
have crimped a new end on or similar.

--
Scott

On Sat, 20 Jul 2013 23:27:51 +0100, Tim+ wrote:

Roger Mills wrote:
On 20/07/2013 14:36, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
The breakaway cable for my 2 ton twin axle braked trailer is looking a
bit worn so I am replacing it.

This cable is quite substantial - 3mm diameter metal core covered in
plastic.

All the cables in the shops are either 2mm or 3mm including the
plastic, and much more flimsy.

Anyway, after some Googling I read that the cable is supposed to
snatch the brake on then part.

Sensible, as if the trailer detaches at 60mph you don't want 2 tons of
trailer trying to stop itself and your towing vehicle.

Now I've had a couple of 'pop offs' where I've carelessly not made
sure the tow ball is fully locked on and the trailer has popped off as
I started off.

In both cases the trailer braked, and the cable also stopped the car
(which was only moving very slowly).

However the cable didn't part.

I am assuming that a greater strain would open up the clip holding the
wire to the trailer brake.

I think a more flimsy replacement would just snap.

What I didn't see was any advice (which should be obvious once you
know the cable is designed to part) that you should always carry at
least one spare cable.

Otherwise if you snap your cable but the trailer (or caravan) survives
then you cannot legally resume towing.

Cheers

Dave R


I think that if the car and trailer part company at any speed, you're
likely to end up with at least some damage which may make resuming
towing difficult or impossible anyway.

I would err on the side of a heftier cable. I would rather have the
cable *not* break than have it break *before* it had fully applied the
trailer brakes.

I only ever broke one - and that was when I forgot to disconnect it
after unhitching my caravan! The caravan brake was already fully
applied (manually) so the cable didn't need to do this. It snapped very
easily when I drove off - I didn't feel any resistance through the seat
of my pants - so I worried a bit about whether it would have done the
business if I'd had a real disconnect.

Did it actually snap? I seem to recall that they all have a hefty split
ring that is designed to unbend and open after the trailer brakes have
been pulled on. The cable itself doesn't normally break.

Here's a typical one.
http://www.npautoparts.co.uk/travel-...ing-electrics-
c202/caravan-break-away-cable-1m-x-3mm-p157?
utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=maypole-caravan-break-away-
cable-1m-x-3mm-mp501&utm_campaign=product+listing+ads#324

I know that when we dropped a van off the hook the ring "unwound"
releasing the cable before it snapped.

Tim

Many and varied are the cables of breakaway :-)

I bought

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...s_o01_s00_i00?
ie=UTF8&psc=1

as a spare - I intend to order something more meaty as a replacement.

This one has a snap hook on both ends so something apart from the fixings
will need to part.

I suspect the cable will pull out of the metal grip used to make the loop
onto the hook.

Even if it straightens out the ring on your example, at a minimum you
would have to carry a spare ring.

Trailer supplier recommends the AL-KO cable part way down this page which
looks quite close to the one I have, with the hook fixing to the brake.

I suspect most time the cable gets used is just after hitching or
unhitching - so low speed incidents.

Still musing on why there isn't a prominent notice with these which says
"Always carry a spare" or similar.

It could almost double the sales of the cables (for a short while).

Cheers

Dave R

On 20/07/2013 23:27, Tim+ wrote:
Roger wrote:


I think that if the car and trailer part company at any speed, you're
likely to end up with at least some damage which may make resuming towing
difficult or impossible anyway.

I would err on the side of a heftier cable. I would rather have the cable
*not* break than have it break *before* it had fully applied the trailer brakes.

I only ever broke one - and that was when I forgot to disconnect it after
unhitching my caravan! The caravan brake was already fully applied
(manually) so the cable didn't need to do this. It snapped very easily
when I drove off - I didn't feel any resistance through the seat of my
pants - so I worried a bit about whether it would have done the business
if I'd had a real disconnect.

Did it actually snap? I seem to recall that they all have a hefty split
ring that is designed to unbend and open after the trailer brakes have been
pulled on. The cable itself doesn't normally break.


Oh yes, the cable itself snapped. The split ring was totally unaffected.
It was hefty enough not to be opened up by any force the cable could
exert on it before breaking.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On Sunday, July 21, 2013 10:09:38 AM UTC+1, Scott M wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:

I'd be more worried about the two tonnes of trailer doing 60 mph

unbraked and on it's own rather than being within the law...

I've never been able to square break away cables with the idea that a
trailer travelling at speed is going to dig its hitch in and
flip/slew/explode almost immediately!

do multi axle trailers do that?

Jim K

On 21/07/2013 11:23, Roger Mills wrote:


Oh yes, the cable itself snapped. The split ring was totally unaffected.
It was hefty enough not to be opened up by any force the cable could
exert on it before breaking.

When I had a trailer tent with brakes I used a thick cable with the
intention that it wouldn't break.

I reasoned that I would still be able to bring it to a controlled stop
if I let it do the braking.

My current un-braked trailer came with a fixed chain to keep the thing
attached to the car if it came unhitched.
Its probably a good idea, a new bumper is better than having it go
somewhere bad.

In message , Jim
K writes
On Sunday, July 21, 2013 10:09:38 AM UTC+1, Scott M wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:

I'd be more worried about the two tonnes of trailer doing 60 mph

unbraked and on it's own rather than being within the law...

I've never been able to square break away cables with the idea that a
trailer travelling at speed is going to dig its hitch in and
flip/slew/explode almost immediately!

do multi axle trailers do that?

Jim K
If yo mean closed coupled twin axle properly loaded then they tend to be
more stable (or less unstable) in both pitch and yaw. There is a damping
effect through the suspension. Single axle trailers are inherently
unstable.
--
bert