I bought a new Bailey senator louisiana last June, on our first outing the caravan became detatched from the car, the breakaway cable broke but did not engage the hand brake resulting in the caravan being damaged. I complained to the dealer who said it was my fault for not conecting the caravan correctly, this was disputed, the dealer was not interested that the system did not work, I lodged a small claims action in court stating that the system did not fulfill its descibed purpose and was not of satisfactory quality, the dealer then arranged for Alko to inspect the system, this was done in a very cursory manner, the guy who came didn't even bring any tools, the end result of a very long story was that Alko ststed the system would only work in ideal conditions and wasn't a safety device. The case ws called in February and I was awarded damages and costs approx £3000. This may be of help to other caravaners.
breakaway cables
- Thread starter T666
- Start date
Well done Terry.
I think you took exactly the right action.
If the breakaway cable is so sensitive to conditions such that it is more likely to fail than work, then the trailer manufacturers should be giving far more precise information and advice on how to use the cable to increase its likelihood of working to stop a detached caravan.
They should also be doing more in design terms to improve it effectiveness in all driving conditions.
I think you took exactly the right action.
If the breakaway cable is so sensitive to conditions such that it is more likely to fail than work, then the trailer manufacturers should be giving far more precise information and advice on how to use the cable to increase its likelihood of working to stop a detached caravan.
They should also be doing more in design terms to improve it effectiveness in all driving conditions.
Hi Terry,There has been much discussion on different forums regarding the right & wrong ways of connecting breakaway cables.
There are 2 different types of cables & each has a different way of being connected.
Please may I ask you to describe what the clip end of your cable looks like & how you fixed it to your tow bar?
1 cable has a clip with a solid moving section,(much like a climbers carabina & the other type has a clip with a spring steel moving section.
The second type must be clipped back on it's self & not clipped direct to the tow bar/fixing as conditions can arise when exactly what you have described can occur
There has been reported occasions in the past of van's fitted with an ALKO stabilizer comeing of the tow ball& it appeares that each time the van owner has been accused of incorrectly hitching up even though they strenuously deny this
There are 2 different types of cables & each has a different way of being connected.
Please may I ask you to describe what the clip end of your cable looks like & how you fixed it to your tow bar?
1 cable has a clip with a solid moving section,(much like a climbers carabina & the other type has a clip with a spring steel moving section.
The second type must be clipped back on it's self & not clipped direct to the tow bar/fixing as conditions can arise when exactly what you have described can occur
There has been reported occasions in the past of van's fitted with an ALKO stabilizer comeing of the tow ball& it appeares that each time the van owner has been accused of incorrectly hitching up even though they strenuously deny this
I am very surprised at AlKo's reaction that the breakaway cable system would only work under ideal conditions and wasn't a safety device. What are "ideal" conditions? Of course the system is supposed to be a safety device and it is therefore their responsibility to state what conditions are necessary for it to work properly. Perhaps that was why the damages were awarded, not because the breakaway cable system has potential faults.
It is relatively easy for an expert to subsequently establish whether the AlKo coupling was correctly engaged on the towball, so one shouldn't jump to a premature conclusion that the AlKo stabiliser has potential technical flaws. The system will work properly if it has not been tampered with in any way.
Hi Tony
The cable had a spring clip and it was fastened to the tow bar structure as advised by the dealer. I have been towing for 26+yrs and have never had a single incident, the caravan was connected correctly, these modern systems are pretty idiot proof, I live on a farm and have to travel down a very rutted track before I get to the road, the van did not become detached until I was a fair distance up the road, the worrying aspect is that although I won the court case I still have no explanation as to why the van became detached, and nobody seems to care.
Hi Lutz
Alko sent a guy up to alledgedly inspect the system, he gave it a cursory visual examination, didn't even bring any tools with him, he stated that the system had partially worked because when the cable broke it alerted me that something was wrong, other explanations as to why it did not engage the hand brake were, I was going too slow (20mph), I was going up hill, My reactions were too quick, the outfit was not in a perfectly straight line or perfectly level. Both Alko and the dealer (Discover) kept saying there was no fault and that I should just claim on the insurance, the fact that the van had become detached was totally dismissed as a error on my part. If everybody claims on the insurance then these companies do not have to investigate and potential faults do not get recognised, I was lucky, I was on a quiet country road, if I had been on a busy road or motorway the end result could have been a lot worse than a hole in the front of the van.
Terry, not sure if you are still an active member of this forum, if not does anyone know how to contact Terry. I have just had a similar occurrence.
Parksy
Moderator
Hi Andy
I could try forwarding your email address to the email address that we have on our records for him, but if he's changed his email address since 2009 we're stumped.
I could try forwarding your email address to the email address that we have on our records for him, but if he's changed his email address since 2009 we're stumped.
Speaking froms a friends experience they were convinced that the van was connected, but on further inspection realised it was sat onto of the towball but you couldnt really tell.
I had a conversation with Alko at the NEC and they showed me on there demo model there that with both levers down and correctly placed on the towball it cannot come off unless you lift both levers which does do take some force.
I had a conversation with Alko at the NEC and they showed me on there demo model there that with both levers down and correctly placed on the towball it cannot come off unless you lift both levers which does do take some force.
Its quite alarming reading about breakaway cables that do not apply the handbrake when the the cararavan becomes detached from the towball. was the correct towball ie Alko fitted if alko hitch involved,
I like the original comments have always connected my breakaway cable to the towball frame.
I have often wondered with looping the cable round the towball is dangerious in the fact that if the Caravan hitch is not connected correctly to the towball then the cable could lift the hitch away,resulting in the handbreak not being applied because the cable was loose
I have seen a few hitches coming adrift on sites due to the hitch not being secure, I always reverse the handwheel on the jockey wheel when hitch connected to see whether the rear of the car lifts slightly, ensuring correct hitch towball connection.
Is the breakaway cable checked for fit for purpose during the anual caravan service.
I like the original comments have always connected my breakaway cable to the towball frame.
I have often wondered with looping the cable round the towball is dangerious in the fact that if the Caravan hitch is not connected correctly to the towball then the cable could lift the hitch away,resulting in the handbreak not being applied because the cable was loose
I have seen a few hitches coming adrift on sites due to the hitch not being secure, I always reverse the handwheel on the jockey wheel when hitch connected to see whether the rear of the car lifts slightly, ensuring correct hitch towball connection.
Is the breakaway cable checked for fit for purpose during the anual caravan service.
My breakaway cable has a spring clip but it is too large to be able to loop back on itself through the hole in the Thule towbar. So rather than loop it around the towball I bought a climbing carabiner which I fasten through the hole in bracket on the tow bar. Then by opening the carabiner I can fix the breakaway cable looped back on itself. The carabiner is rated and comes with a strength certificate and has a screw type opening rather than spring lever. This means it cannot open and allow the cable to jump out and it is considerably stronger than the breakaway cable thus allowing the latter to function correctly.
MIT was a stainless steel Maillon Rapide similar to this one on Amazon but available from numerous climbing suppliers.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B008UUL0KQ/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
MIT was a stainless steel Maillon Rapide similar to this one on Amazon but available from numerous climbing suppliers.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B008UUL0KQ/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
I am fairly that by law it has to be a safety devcie otherwsie why is there a law stating that it must be attached tot eh towing vehicle. If you are a member of either club, get their lawyers to pursue the issue.
I've proven twice that breakaway cables work (and break), once on the new van and once on the previous van
Notice to self - I must remember to disconnect the breakaway cable from the car after I have unhitched the van and BEFORE I move the car forward!!!
(I think I've renewed my Woosie membership for the next few years)
Notice to self - I must remember to disconnect the breakaway cable from the car after I have unhitched the van and BEFORE I move the car forward!!!
(I think I've renewed my Woosie membership for the next few years)
I've just done the same thing today. Do I have to get a cable from a witterhoff dealer or can I go to say Towsure and just buy one as I've a witterhoff hitch fitted to van. Thanks Ann
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