The breakaway cable should be long enough so that it doesn’t attempt to apply the brakes when towing, particularly around corners, but not too long or slack that it drags on the road or becomes wrapped around some part of the front of the caravan when in use. Also make sure that the cable isn’t or can’t be entangled with the electrical cable and/or any external stabiliser in place. It’s best practice to make sure the breakaway cable is fitted to the designated mounting point or around the framework of the tow bar and to also make sure that it’s in a straight line so it can work most effectively.Īlso make sure the cable goes through the guide on your caravan chassis as this helps to keep it in a straight line so it can apply the handbrake if it’s pulled with force. What’s the best practice when connecting the breakaway cable? If you’re hitching up on a slope it’s essential that you make that connection before releasing the handbrake. When hitching up it’s important not to lose control of your caravan or trailer tent so if YOU connect your breakaway cable to your towing vehicle before connecting the electrics etc, it’s unlikely the caravan or trailer will roll away. When should I connect the breakaway cable when I’m hitching up? How does the breakaway cable work?Ī caravan breakaway cable is designed to snap after it’s pulled on the caravan’s handbrake and brings your caravan to a standstill in the event of a detachment, leaving it in a safe position, so it doesn’t cross or leave the road or carriageway and cause injury to other road users, pedestrians or nearby properties. This is because the ‘tug’ on the cable can cause the clip to stretch rather than activate the handbrake, whereas with the cable ‘clipped’ around the whole tow bar assembly the cable will achieve its potential of pulling the handbrake on. The other type of breakaway cable is a spring clip, which always has to go back onto the cable and cannot be connected to a fixed mounting point.
This type of breakaway cable can either clip to a dedicated mounting point on the towbar – or pass around the towbar assembly and clip back onto the cable. There’s a new standard for 2018 caravans – all breakaway cables will have the carabiner clip, with a view to helping users in the correct fitting of this caravanning safety device. Legally, if you’re towing a trailer over 750kg it needs to have a breakaway cable to activate the braking system in the event of a detachment. A caravan breakaway cable is designed to take a two tonne strain.
#TRAILER BRAKE BREAKAWAY CABLE HOW TO#
In this video, Leisure Vehicles Officer and caravan safety expert Tim Booth goes through how important the breakaway cable is when caravanning the different types of breakaway cables available, and how to attach them to different types of towbars and the importance of looking after your caravan’s breakaway cable. Here at Caravan Guard, we’ve dealt with detachment claims where the breakaway cable has failed and on roadside checks breakaway cables are regularly are incorrectly attached to the tow bar or not at all! It’s therefore really important to check your breakaway cable has been correctly fitted before every caravanning trip to avoid a serious accident or injury, as detachments are more common than you might think! It’s the one thing that will apply the caravan brakes should your tourer become detached from your tow car when towing. Not only is a breakaway cable an essential, life-saving piece of kit when towing a caravan (or any other braked trailer), it’s also a legal requirement to have one fitted to your outfit. Trailer tent and folding camper reviews.
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