Trailer breakaway cables :eh:

CJL · 18 January 2006, 22:18

I have recently changed the pathetic small break away cable on my trailer to something more substantial.

The monkey (No I am not being harsh, he REALLY is!) at the local chandlers tells me its suicidal to have a bigger cable on here as I'm towing a big boat with a little car (6m Ribtc with an A3).

The monkey says the idea of the cable is to pull the break on and snap, leaving the car and trailer to separate and go their seperate ways.

Now my impression was that the cable is to STOP the rig separating and saying ta ta to each other whilst applying the brake.

My employer uses pin and eye hitches, brake away cables and webbing straps halfway down the drawbar to prevent seperation and some of these are BIG trailers on Land Rovers/Mitsubishi's/Toyota's. Overkill if you ask me

If anybody has got any ideas on which is the correct understanding of the system please let me know cause I'm a bit confused!!!

Cheers in advanced people!!!

Chris

Rogue Wave · 18 January 2006, 22:23

monkey correct!

Emnployer norty

not overkill just kill

Honest upon hitch separation you have no directional control of trailer so it can go one way and the car goes another Trailer will flip car over very easily or spear the rear end and possibly fracture the tank.

You owe the monkey a Banana

Sorry

CJL · 18 January 2006, 22:29

If you look in the attachment the extra straps are wound around the draw bar not in use for moving round the yard.

Nasher · 18 January 2006, 22:33

Have to agree with the Monkey on this one.

Nasher.

Rogue Wave · 18 January 2006, 22:33

Is that a 6M searider!

If that strap goes from the trailer to the tow vehicle it's dangerous and shouldn't be deployed

CJL · 18 January 2006, 22:34

If that is the case I'm tempted to put the pathetic little cable back on (wy did I use wire cutters???

), but I do see people using chains as break away cables.

Are these people party to a secret I don't know or suicidal??

Chris

Nos4r2 · 18 January 2006, 22:37

Just pointing something out here. If you have an unbraked trailer then the cable linking the car and trailer has to be strong enough not to break so your boat can't bugger off across 6 lanes of the m6 at 60mph if it becomes disconnected.

That might well be the chains you see as breakaway cables. My unbraked snipe trailer has one like it.

Nasher · 18 January 2006, 22:37

Stuart

Don't worry, once the boats jumped off and its just the trailer thrashing around behind the car, then the car will slow down enough to collect the trailer up the rear end and stop it doing any more damage.

Nasher.

CJL · 18 January 2006, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Is that a 6M searider!

Well spotted that man!!!! Give him a banana!!!

Thats a work rib with the straps on the draw bar. Our entire fleet has them fitted and every vehicle with a tow bar has extra eyes either side of the pin and eye coupling.

My rig is a bit less industrial as you can see;

Rogue Wave · 18 January 2006, 22:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Just pointing something out here. If you have an unbraked trailer then the cable linking the car and trailer has to be strong enough not to break so your boat can't bugger off across 6 lanes of the m6 at 60mph if it becomes disconnected.

That might well be the chains you see as breakaway cables. My unbraked snipe trailer has one like it.

correct Unbraked is the operative word. Is is a very short chain/cable which effectively emmulates the towing hook but without slack. if you have no brakes then the tow is less than 750k and that doesn't have doesn't have such a dramatic effect as a bigger payload when attached but not secure.

Rogue Wave · 18 January 2006, 22:51

that's still very butch for a ribtec looks good.

Do you need any drivers for those seariders?

Downhilldai · 18 January 2006, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

correct Unbraked is the operative word. Is is a very short chain/cable which effectively emmulates the towing hook but without slack. if you have no brakes then the tow is less than 750k and that doesn't have doesn't have such a dramatic effect as a bigger payload when attached but not secure.

In unbraked trailers, the (short) length of the chain should also prevent the trailer coupling from dropping to the road. This will maintain some degree of attachment between the tow vehicle and trailer (but may scratch your bumper)

CJL · 18 January 2006, 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

that's still very butch for a ribtec looks good.

Do you need any drivers for those seariders?

Cheers for your nice comments and help.

We are always looking 4 staff but the kushti jobs like rib driving go to all the old boys who have work for us for years!!!

Now what the hell can I re-use a 2ft wire strop for???

Chris

Downhilldai · 18 January 2006, 23:29

Go back to the monkey and ask if he'll take it in part/ex for a breakaway cable

Rogue Wave · 18 January 2006, 23:36

Rogue Wave · 18 January 2006, 23:37

you could make a towing bridle out of it

CJL · 18 January 2006, 23:47

Not long enough for a towing bridle plus I don't want to take the paint off the outboard shaft!

I'm sure I can find something to use it for.

CJL · 19 January 2006, 00:13

PS Here is the monkey

and here is its banana

jyasaki · 19 January 2006, 04:00

Apparently, I've got things differently than you guys on the other side of the pond.

In my opinion, the chains are not there to protect your boat, the tow vehicle, or the operator, but rather, their job is to protect all the other people who happen to be on the road at the time your hitch decides to take a vacation.

The laws in the UK may be different, but I believe this is the way it's supposed to work here in the US (or "there in the US", depending on your locale):

Safety chains should be short enough to prevent the coupler from hitting the pavement if the tongue comes loose from the hitch. They should be long enough to allow for max turn without getting taut. Breakaway cable (brake activation device, if equipped with brakes) should be short enough to trip before the weight of the trailer is supported by the chains.

Unbraked or braked, when the hitch fails, the weight of the trailer falls onto the chains. If adjusted correctly, there will only be a few inches of sideways play, so the trailer will still be steered by the tow vehicle. Tow vehicle may take a battering from the trailer surging underneath under braking, but should still be somewhat controllable. If it is a braked trailer, the brakes will be applied, which will aid in keeping the trailer straight, as the drag from the wheels will keep the tongue in-line.

Alternative is to have 2000 to 6000 lbs or more of boat and trailer wandering down the road looking for a victim (which, no doubt, it will find.)

jky

Jono · 19 January 2006, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyasaki

The laws in the UK may be different...

Yup... they are...