Random towing question

[{108361}]

Ive just got my first trailer and have been told that I shouldn't loop the breakaway cable over the tow bar.

As the cable has a big carabiner on it I cant fit it through the hole on the bump plate next to the tow bar so Im not sure where to loop it?

I don't know why its supposed to be wrong to loop it over the tow bar - surely it would work like that? Have been pondering this all day so hoping someone can enlighten me!

 

[mjcssjw2]

in case your tow ball comes off!!

 

[mjcssjw2]

can you fit a smaller carabiner onto it that will go through the hole

 

[tickety_boo]

It needs to be securely attached to the tow vehicle (and separately to the tow hitch). If it's over the tow bar, in an emergency it will just slip off over the ball and follow the detached trailer down the hill.

 

[Annagain]

If your trailer becomes detached from the vehicle, and you've looped it round the tow ball, there's nothing to stop the cable also coming off so the brakes won't go on. Either try to find somewhere safe to clip it or put a smaller clip on the cable so it will fit through the hole.

 

[{108361}]

can you fit a smaller carabiner onto it that will go through the hole

Ill give it a go. Thanks

 

[Bojangles321]

As the others have said, it’s because there may be a chance the tow ball sheers off or it slips off. I’ve just done my trailer test and they recommend you thread it through part of the tow bar behind tow ball and then attach it back on itself. I realise that’s now an overly helpful explanation, but if you you tube it I’m sure you’ll find it on there

 

[neddy man]

Drill a larger hole, or ask your local garage to weld a loop on for you , guess £20 ish.

 

[ROG]

Do you have one of the new one piece tow hitches or is it in two bits and bolted together ??

 

[Minny]

There is nowhere else for me to attach inmy new car. I either hitch over the tow bar or around the back but in either case if the tow bar sheared, I’d have a problem! My last car had a separate section to attach the brake cable to so if the tow ball sheared the cable was still attached but if the entire tow bar sheared....well, same issue. When I questioned land rover, they said place it over the tow bar????? So, rightly or wrongly that’s what I do.

 

[Equi]

I nearly failed my trailer test because of this. I was taught how to do it by instructor and his trailer only had a loopy thing. The tester asked the instructor before he signed my papers whos "fault" this was and instructor took the blame obviously (he said he had never once been asked/questioned about this before) but tester said it very nearly could have cost me my test because it was an entirely unsafe practice, but that i could not have known any better.

 

[phizz4]

There must be a frame that is bolted to the car, which the tow hitch is bolted to. Buy another breakaway cable from somewhere like Halfords, thread it round the tow bar frame and clip it to itself, then clip the trailer cable to that.

 

[Minny]

I located where the brake cable should be going!!!! Very useful thread for me....thank you. I have to move the electric point to reach it but as long as I connect the cable prior to connecting the electrics it is easy to reach.

 

[{108361}]

Thanks everyone - Ive changed the carabiner to a smaller one so it now goes through the hole under the tow ball safely and securely. Had our first outing on saturday and all travelling related things went ok (though my bloody mare decided to bolt round the warm up ring like a horse possessed and buck me off within 30 seconds of arriving, but that's another story!).

 

[{108361}]

There is nowhere else for me to attach inmy new car. I either hitch over the tow bar or around the back but in either case if the tow bar sheared, I’d have a problem! My last car had a separate section to attach the brake cable to so if the tow ball sheared the cable was still attached but if the entire tow bar sheared....well, same issue. When I questioned land rover, they said place it over the tow bar????? So, rightly or wrongly that’s what I do.

The advice for caravans seems to be loop over the bar but having read these posts I think its far safer to have the garage make a loop for you as advised by someone here - not worth the risk if the trailer did get detached.