DVSA issuing illegal breakaway cable notices
Comments
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I cannot see the logic of the DVSA or The Caravan Club. Having read the regulations, how can looping the cable over the ball be legal if in all probability the cable will come off the ball with the coupling.
I can't quite see the grounds for your assumption that the cable will 'in all probability' come off the ball. I wonder whether there are any facts in support of such a statement.
It not so much a problem with swan neck bars where the cable generally sits low down around the neck but with the bolt on balls type and with a relatively stiff cable the cable can ride up over the top of the hitch where it would be no good if the trailer
became detached hence it has always bad practice to loop it around the ball.0 -
I have a detachable westfalia towbar, fitted locally. Mine has a dedicated anchor point also. It is hard to see, even hitching up coming home I had to lay on the floor to find it even though I attached it on the way out!
Many thanks to whoever mentioned this earlier on in this thread which I read days before my trip or I would never have known.
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Vulcan, can you point out the wording that that supports your assertion? What evidence do you have that looping over is ineffective? Are you also saying all the those cars without a separate eye to attach the cable are illegal and need a new tow bar retro-fitting,
(such as my 3 year old Westphalia detachable tow bar)? The inference in your comment suggests all the CC and C & CC trainers are advising members to break the law! I think it is your assertion that defies logic, however well intentioned it may have been meant.If you had taken the time to read my previous posts on this subject you would have seen my opinion regarding the law ( or the lack of it) on breakaway cables.It is not currently against the law to loop the breakaway cable over the ball so how can I infer
that members are been advised to break a non existent law.In my opinion common sense dictates that if the cable is is not held in position there is a good chance that it will part company with the towbar along with the coupling. For the sake of fitting a shackle/eyelet
on the towbar for the cable, is it worth it.0 -
Vulcan, can you point out the wording that that supports your assertion? What evidence do you have that looping over is ineffective? Are you also saying all the those cars without a separate eye to attach the cable are illegal and need a new tow bar retro-fitting,
(such as my 3 year old Westphalia detachable tow bar)? The inference in your comment suggests all the CC and C & CC trainers are advising members to break the law! I think it is your assertion that defies logic, however well intentioned it may have been meant.If you had taken the time to read my previous posts on this subject you would have seen my opinion regarding the law ( or the lack of it) on breakaway cables.It is not currently against the law to loop the breakaway cable over the ball so how can I infer
that members are been advised to break a non existent law.In my opinion common sense dictates that if the cable is is not held in position there is a good chance that it will part company with the towbar along with the coupling. For the sake of fitting a shackle/eyelet
on the towbar for the cable, is it worth it.I don't think you inferred law breaking at all.
Some of us have no alternative than to hook the cable over the tow ball. We do not have a towbar, just a retractable towball. The rest of the rear end of the car is plastic apart from emergency towing points which are 18" to the left or right of the tow
ball. Such points would be unsafe.i am in contact with BMW about this.
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As my BMW has no anchor point on the car other than looping over the towball, I have referred this whole thing to BMW for their comments. Will come back with their reply In due course.
My BMW has a factory-fitted retractable towbar with a dedicated anchorage point for the cable, albeit on the swan neck itself. When was your car built? Mine was built in November 2015. Perhaps there were some subsequent changes between yours and mine?
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As my BMW has no anchor point on the car other than looping over the towball, I have referred this whole thing to BMW for their comments. Will come back with their reply In due course.
My BMW has a factory-fitted retractable towbar with a dedicated anchorage point for the cable, albeit on the swan neck itself. When was your car built? Mine was built in November 2015. Perhaps there were some subsequent changes between yours and mine?
It's a US built, 2013 XDrive30d X3 Lutz. I have crawled around underneath but there is nowhere else I can see that can be used.
Peter.
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I fitted my Alko carabineer cable surprisingly easily in the end.
Plenty of access under the front of my Bailey Ranger. A flat screwdriver started the process of prising open the old cable loop, finished off using a tyre lever.
New cable loop closed quite easily using mole grips, doing it a bit at a time, adjusting the wrench tighter each time. I tried using two lump hammers with little success.
I WAS surprised at how easily I closed the loop, as I'd previously tried in my bench vice at home, and found that it needed quite a bit of effort to start it bending. Just hope I haven't stressed the metal too much.
I have now fitted mine as well. Thanks for the fitting info Richard. What I don't understand, having examined both clips, is why Alko say my old one is not suitable for direct attachment. Although it does not have a carabiner,the fitted hook is certainly
strong enough to outlast the strength of the cable and more importantly the swaging. Personally I would think it safer connected to a separate dedicated point, than looped over my detachable tow bar. Anyway academic now, as I have the approved version, which
is slightly easier to clip in due to its design.0 -
Yes have also fitted mine now as well. It takes a bit of doing, but a careful use of a pair of vice grips did the trick in the end, you just need to get it positioned correctly which is trial and error at first and gradually close the circular attachment
ring In small steps/graduations.For £8.50 and an hours grunting under the nose of my caravan, which I have to confess to enjoying (plus the odd expletive which I must admit to), I am also glad I made the effort.
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Our Sorento has a Witter detachable towbar. I cannot see any place to connect a carabiner type cable to, except for a hole in the bracket on which the 13 pin socket is fitted. This plate hinges up behind the bumper when not in use.
I have the other cable but I am not sure that the socket plate is that strong.
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Our Sorento has a Witter detachable towbar. I cannot see any place to connect a carabiner type cable to, except for a hole in the bracket on which the 13 pin socket is fitted. This plate hinges up behind the bumper when not in use.
I have the other cable but I am not sure that the socket plate is that strong.
That hole is to put your finger in to pivot the electrics down
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That is what I thought. I will have to crawl underneath and see if there is a place for the cable tucked away!
We have always looped the cable around the hitch and have towed since 1981
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I have just received my 'replacement' cable from Alko, to 11 days from purchase to delivery (fairly poor compared to most companies these days)
Replacing it as I clip onto a hole in the Witter towbar and the standard fit cable was the type that clips back on itself.
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Well I've received my new caribiner and cable in the post. It gave a website for fitting instructions. Low and behold, the only "fitting instructions" on the website show the dog clip type being wrapped around the tow ball. Well done Al-Ko. It's about as
usefull as their spare wheel carrier. I'd better not get people started on that issue again!!0 -
Message to Community Manager:-
Has the club received any feedback from DVSA, perhaps confirming new instructions have been sent to their inspectors? Would be nice to know.
Hello East Grinstead, any answer on this from DVLA over the last two weeks please .
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DVSA is there to enforce legislation and not to make it up as they go along!
Write your comments here... But that is exactly what they seem to be doing, think i will ignore the commands of anyone who isnt a Bone Fide Police Officer.As these other bods are not proficient enough in the law to be allowed to enforce it.
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I cannot see anywhere on our Witter detcahble to connect the cable, guess I'll have to e-mail Witter!
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I have emailed the Dept of Transport ( I was told it is their responsibility) and had a less than satisfactory reply. see below
Dear Mr Usher
Thank you for your email dated 8 July to our IVS enquiries inbox. I have been asked to reply.
The presence and use of a breakaway cable is an important safety feature. In the event of the primary coupling failing the secondary coupling performs an important task. We consider that where there is no suitable alternative to utilising the towbar it is
satisfactory, however ultimately this interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts based on the individual facts of any particular case.We are not in a position to comment on the issue of a prohibition notice and Regulation 86A of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations lays down specific requirements for the attachment of secondary couplings. The braking system on all trailers
must include a device which will automatically stop the trailer if the trailer becomes separated from the main coupling. This is normally achieved by a breakaway cable which is attached to the parking brake mechanism of the trailer and which operates if the
trailer becomes detached from the towing vehicle.However, for trailers of up to 1500kg laden weight, it is permitted to use a secondary coupling (chain, wire rope etc.) which in the event of separation of the main coupling will keep the trailer attached to the towing vehicle, will prevent the nose of the
trailer from touching the ground and will provide some residual steering of the trailer.I hope this reply is helpful.
Mr James Brown | International Vehicle Standards, Department for Transport
1/29 - 1/33 | 020 7944 2091 |
I then sent
If there is no other method of attaching the breakaway cable is it acceptable to loop it around the swan neck?
The reply I got beggars belief
Dear Mr Usher
Thank you for your email dated 21 July to our IVS enquiries inbox. I have been asked to reply.
I am sorry but there is nothing more I can add to my previous reply.
Interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts based on the individual facts.
Yours sincerely
James Brown
Department for Transport
Is it possible for the caravan club to get an answer to quite a simple question
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As an addition to this debate. I was talking to someone who's friend suffered a detachment when the breakaway cable was looped and clipped to itself. It also failed to ppy the brakes on the caravan.
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I have a Tow Trust detachable towbar on a Passat that sounds similar to the Witter with the only obvious attaching point being on the pull down electric socket bracket.
The bracket doesn't appear to be particulary substantial so I have emailed Tow Trust to see what they say.
My only concern re the electric bracket would be that any accidental deployment of the breakaway cable (specifically forgetting to detach it when unhitching - we've all done it at least once, haven't we??) could cause serious damage to the said bracket,
the electrics and /or the bumper. Potentially quite a costly mistake.Given the ongoing ambiguity relating to the subject should the Club consider removing or amending this You Tube video -
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It could probably do with updating, to bring it in line with other advice, re direct attachment if available and a correct cable fitted. Also very interesting was the video that came up next, showing the system required in the USA.
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My thoughts were, off topic I know, would it be possible for a UK manufacturer to do somthing similar using the caravans ATC and onboard battery. So that rather than the breakaway cable mechanically putting on the brakes. It would operate an electronic switch,
as in the US example. Not sure we have room for all those chains though. So might need to leave that bit out.0 -
.... with the only obvious attaching point being on the pull down electric socket bracket. ......
That's purely to put your finger in to pull down the plug socket, if like mine, it's held on with a M6 bolt which will snap way way before the caravan's brakes are applied
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..... Also very interesting was the video that came up next, showing the system required in the USA.
If that's a 'small tandem axle trailer' .... what's a big one look like?
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..... Also very interesting was the video that came up next, showing the system required in the USA.
If that's a 'small tandem axle trailer' .... what's a big one look like?
that's what I thought too‼?
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