 | Home > Off Topic > DVLA Open consultation on HGV/BUS and removing trailer tests |
 
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20546  
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I would imagine it’s a new regulation backwards compatible, but as I said I’m not entirely sure if it was just a press statement that was thought of the author or an actual proposal or legislation.
I could be wrong on this, it may have only been ideas created but I thought I read something about breakaway cables or chains regarding adding a secondary. Sadly I can’t remember exactly where or when this was, probably on the Gov pages associated with these new proposals that have finally been passed. Take this as a pinch of salt my suggestion here as it may well have been advisory to add a second breakaway as precaution, perhaps mentioned to increase safety and as a reminder due to new proposals. On mine the standard breakaway loops just over the tow ball, however, I add a secondary which I loop though the NAS tow step as well. Though I suppose you could use the pin assembly too but that is still the same structural assembly as the tow ball it’s self. Personally, whether required as a secondary or not I prefer the extra peace of mind of it. In other words it’s a fail safe if one doesn’t work the other does, it could make all the difference. Obviously, if you have a heavyweight trailer, the breakaway chain(s) or cable would need to be equally heavy duty. A lot of the eBay specials are only for light unbraked trailers, there needs to be enough length for free articulation of the trailer to towing vehicle too without being too long. Out of curiosity which trailer lighting cables are you using all using? If 7 or 13 pin are you using straight cable to trailer plug, to Defender tow socket or a ‘curly’ or ‘Suzy’ cable, I’m thinking of changing over to the latter sometime. KEEP CALM AND Drill ON 🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪 |
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17th Dec 2021 9:01pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17516 
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An unbraked trailer's breakaway cable is intended to keep the trailer attached to the towing vehicle in the event of coupling separation. A braked trailer's breakaway cable is designed to pull on the brakes and then snap, it does not keep the vehicle and trailer joined. For this reason it will be strong enough to apply the brakes but not tow the trailer.
Personally when towing heavy trailers I usually like to have an additional mechanism which would keep the trailer and vehicle together after coupling failure, and for this purpose I will use a chain. The chain must, however be long enough to allow the breakaway cable to apply the brakes fully then snap before the chain comes up tight, otherwise the trailer brakes will not be applied. For this reason I usually bunch the chain up with a (weak) cable tie to keep it off the ground in normal use, knowing that the cable tie will break and allow the chain to extend fully without affecting the operation of the breakaway cable. Whether this is a sensible precaution or just paranoia I don't know, but my worry is that a disconnected trailer even with its brakes applied could do a lot of damage, and the chain might allow me to keep it behind the towing vehicle until it comes to a stand. I have never yet had, and hope that I never have, a trailer become detached, there is really no excuse for it happening. My trailers are all fitted with curly cables ("suzies" strictly are curly air brake hoses. not electrical lines). |
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17th Dec 2021 9:19pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3528 
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7 pin straight cable. I wish it was 13 pin. I may get it changed one day but there’s other stuff that needs attention first
I have never seen a car or van style trailer with susie cables but, I don’t know why not? There’s so little cable on my 6x4 trailer, those style would be more of a hinderance but for a larger trailer, why not? |
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17th Dec 2021 9:23pm |
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| Jabberwocky Member Since: 27 Oct 2021 Location: Luxembourg Posts: 223 
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Most trailers are pulled badly because the majority of people pulling them don’t do it regularly. They also don’t care, which is also a symptom of not doing it regularly.
Training only enables you to pass a test, a test only means you can do something legally. Experience is everything, competence comes with experience, trailers have always been badly driven, there’s just more of them on the roads now so we notice them more. The conclusion? Don’t get rid of training, I’d rather have people on the roads with training than not, and bring back plod on the roads to catch the badly driven ones, this part obviously won’t happen. |
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19th Dec 2021 9:15pm |
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