Bone question time - What's the purpose of a break-away cable?

[Tosh_374320091]

I hold a C + E licence (HGV 1), though I haven't drove a truck in years; but I can tow safely.

But that aside, I know a break-away cable is mandatory and assumed that it was a last resort to keep the caravan behind the towing car in the event of an uncoupling between the car and caravan.

However, on my second outing with my caravan, when parked up on a pitch, I disconected the caravan from my car, but forgot to remove the break-away cable and when I drove off, it snapped; easily!

Unfortunately we had an audience too; one fellow who clapped, and I did retort that I was 'new to this!'. He said 'I'd learn!'

Anyway, I replaced the cable before I returned home, but what are break-away cables for?

 

[Chrisbee]

Should the caravan become detached from the towing vehicle the breakaway cable, which is fixed to the underside of the handbrake lever, will become taut thereby applying the caravan park brake.The cable will then break supposedly allowing the caravan to come to a halt safely under it's own braking. Personally I've never heard of a caravan becoming detatched so how safely the caravan will stop I don't know.

 

[Gafferbill]

Tosh

The break- away cable is supposed to activate a mechanism that applies the caravan brakes when the caravan seperates fom its towing vehicle when being towed.

Sounds as if your mechanism may not work or the old cable had been weakened to such an extent it broke before activating the mechanism.

I would check it out.

 

[ScouseIan]

You had an audience, and he clapped?

I hope this is not indicative of a snidey nasty streak amongst fellow caravanners, laughing at the newbies. I'm afraid I'd have had to take him down a peg or two.

 

[Tosh_374320091]

Thanks,

That explains why the cable broke so easily; being a Geordie, I thought it was to keep the caravan behind the vehicle in the event of an uncoupling.

Ian, the bloke who clapped works on the site; a great site by the way; but the management does get some critisism from regular customers, though I couldn't fault it.

 

[T666]

I bought a brand new Bailey Senator Louisiana in June, first time out the caravan came of the tow bar, the cable snapped and didn't apply the handbrake, the caravan then ran into the back of the car causing damage to the front of the caravan. I have been towing a caravan for 26yrs and never had an accident. I am in the process of complaing to the dealer as the safety was not fit for purpose. As anybody else had this happen.

 

[TD42]

just reading the thread re breakaway cable's I was told that there are 2 types of cables, one designed to clip direct to a seperate secure point & another that is designed to clip back on its self, on reading my 05 pagent handbook the cable fixing instructios indicate that the cable fitted should be clipped back on its self, this could posibly be the cause of failier of the cable in some cases if the cable is fitted incorrectly

 

[Bannedtom]

Strewth !! This is SCARY stuff. I am a relative newcomer to all this but this borders lunacy.