hi all
in the old days a breakaway chain was just that a seamless chain attached to the brakes at one end with a loop at the other that you put over the ball.
in the event of the hitch comming off the ball the chain would apply the brakes and then break apart once its job was done, being a chain its loose links around the ball stem made sure it did not come adrift in use.
the modern cable type is much stiffer so it does not "hang" around the ball but sort of lasso's it with a big loop so yes in theory it could jump off also the attachments are really too weak to work having a key ring on the brake end and a dog clip on the other also the cable is about 12in too long and cannot be shortend,
last year I unhitched the van but forgot to unhook the cable and drove off result was the cable parted at the keyring end before the brakes applied fully so it actually wasn,t up to the job (and this was the one fitted by the manufacturer) not a cheapo replacement.
so the answer to the original question is, it probably does not matter how you attach the cable, chances are it won't work anyway.
and before anyone askes: yes I now have a 500kg breaking strain steel chain on mine attached with small D links and looped over the ball it is not standard issue but a darn site stronger.
colin