BACK TO MY ORIGINAL POST. 1) THE BRACKET SUPPLIED ONLY HAS TO COPE WITH AN UNBAKED TRAILER FULLY LOADED TIMES 2, IE.1500KGS. THEN BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITH THE TRAILER STILL ATTACHED.

2)THE BRACKET ONLY HAS TO LAST LONG ENOUGH ON THE HEAVIEST BRAKED TRAILER TO APPLY THE TRAILER BRAKES BEFORE THE BREAKAWAY CABLE SNAPS.

IN SUMMARY,THIS WHY TWO DIFFERENT METHODS ARE REQUIRED.

Phew. Which is exactly how I read it and said as much in my post 63 above! I should have been a lawyer!

Surprised this bracket isn't a standard fit when fitting the towbar.

Surprised this bracket isn't a standard fit when fitting the towbar.

Which is why the OP started this thread and also why he (I suspect) was the one pestering SUK to get their towbar to be legal and thus make this bracket available only now.

If dealers don't fit this bracket as part of a standard towbar installation from now on I suspect they will be in the hot water with SUK...

Which is why the OP started this thread and also why he (I suspect) was the one pestering SUK to get their towbar to be legal and thus make this bracket available only now.

If dealers don't fit this bracket as part of a standard towbar installation from now on I suspect they will be in the hot water with SUK...

We shall see. Elsie is in at Allams at the moment having a Skoda towbar fitted as I write this.

A little off topic: I'm driving around in an Alfa MiTo 1.3jtd stop/start courtesy car. lovely looking car but awful to see out of...... taking a little to get used to. The Yeti just feels so right to drive....

I love the Alfa DNA, but it needs to be in dynamic all the time......It's like a switchable remap that alters a few other things as well.

Phew. Which is exactly how I read it and said as much in my post 63 above! I should have been a lawyer!

Nice to have a kindred spirit Johan. One final comment, the waters have been further muddied by a comment about the tow ball digging into the ground on a breakaway. if the BREAKAWAY CHAIN is fitted correctly to an unbraked trailer, quote requirements,"the chain or retaining cable must be tight enough to give full sideways freedom of movement but not long enough to allow the towball to touch the ground".

I rest my case your honour. I am going to lay down in a darkened room.

Elsie the Helipad was fitted with this 'new' bracket when I collected her today....

I'm waiting for mine from James.

As we are off on Tuesday I think it might end up being fitted whilst we are in France!!

I'm getting my thingamabob fitted on the 7th of June.

Thingamabob now fitted and here is it with my trailer attached:

Now: is that breakaway cable meant for an unbraked or braked trailer?! All the unbraked ones I see out and about has this sort of cable. But is it correct?

Thingamabob now fitted and here is it with my trailer attached:

Now: is that breakaway cable meant for an unbraked or braked trailer?! All the unbraked ones I see out and about has this sort of cable. But is it correct?

I would say braked - it doesn't seem strong enough and looks as if it will break/part if a breakaway occurs!!

I am assured by my local(when UK based)Ifor Williams depot that their breakaway cable, a figure 8 in 10mm cable about 350 - 400mm oal length when permanently attached to the trailer with a robust mounting and just hooked over the towball adheres to legal requirements, it is designed for an unbraked trailer of 750kg but the breaking strain is of the order of 1500kg!

Photos if required can br mounted

I'd agree with Frenchtone.

I'd agree with Frenchtone.

Maybe 2 lines of thought here:-

1 Thin cable - braked trailer/caravan etc -- hitch fails, trailer a frame drops cable under increasing tension, applies trailer brake and breaks trailer safely stop - pity any following vehicle!!

2 Thick cable - hitch fails but the trailer does not break away and is 'safely' contrllable(?) if a thin cabl;e used and it breaks, the trailer could carreer off and cause no end of problems!

For piece of mind if towing unbraked invest in a Williams breakaway cable at a cost of £15 inc p&p or less!! You know it makes sense!

Tony

For piece of mind if towing unbraked invest in a Williams breakaway cable at a cost of £15 inc p&p or less!! You know it makes sense!

Tony

Thanks Frenchtone... I can't see anything like you describe on the IWT website:

http://www.iwt.co.uk/15314.file.dld

You have a link to what it looks like? Thanks.

Thanks Frenchtone... I can't see anything like you describe on the IWT website:

http://www.iwt.co.uk/15314.file.dld

You have a link to what it looks like? Thanks.

Pics attached, thought I had a part number, cant find it, but if you contact IWT or a local distributor they should know the part as its std kit on an unbraked trailer supplied by them!

Overall length 30 cm

Pics attached, thought I had a part number, cant find it, but if you contact IWT or a local distributor they should know the part as its std kit on an unbraked trailer supplied by them!

Overall length 30 cm

3rd pic

Ah thank you very much Frenchtone... Looks very sturdy....... BUT how does it connect to the little hook Å koda has now attached to the innards of my towbar?! Shown here in post #46.

Ah thank you very much Frenchtone... Looks very sturdy....... BUT how does it connect to the little hook Å koda has now attached to the innards of my towbar?! Shown here in post #46.

Don't ask me - I don't know, I just hook mine over the swan neck!!

Butch D shackle in stainless? - normally a boating/yachting bit!

With your arrangement the loop might not be long enough! - hence the swan neck solution.

Tony

BUT how does it connect to the little hook Å koda has now attached to the innards of my towbar?! Shown here in post #46.

Try one of these, any colour

I would say braked - it doesn't seem strong enough and looks as if it will break/part if a breakaway occurs!!

I am assured by my local(when UK based)Ifor Williams depot that their breakaway cable, a figure 8 in 10mm cable about 350 - 400mm oal length when permanently attached to the trailer with a robust mounting and just hooked over the towball adheres to legal requirements, it is designed for an unbraked trailer of 750kg but the breaking strain is of the order of 1500kg!

Photos if required can br mounted

Defo with Frenchtone here, that is definitely the breakaway cable for a braked trailer, it should be looped through the attachment point and clipped to itself. An unbraked cable should be quite thick like the ones shown in the pictures and capable of controlling the trailer and keeping it attached to the car so it can be brought to a stop safely.

Ian

Thingamabob now fitted and here is it with my trailer attached:

Now: is that breakaway cable meant for an unbraked or braked trailer?! All the unbraked ones I see out and about has this sort of cable. But is it correct?

Johann, on the left of the picture the red breakaway cable goes through another loop which looks like it is attached to something, do you know what that is and where it leads to?

Ian

Johann, on the left of the picture the red breakaway cable goes through another loop which looks like it is attached to something, do you know what that is and where it leads to?

Ian

It goes through the only point to thread something and then attach the ring back on itself: the bracket of the jockey wheel.

Defo with Frenchtone here, that is definitely the breakaway cable for a braked trailer, it should be looped through the attachment point and clipped to itself. An unbraked cable should be quite thick like the ones shown in the pictures and capable of controlling the trailer and keeping it attached to the car so it can be brought to a stop safely.

Ian

The trailer had had a normal cable that was short and just hooked over the towbar. BUT following the discussions here it was not correct to do so since my towball is detachable. Also the downstand metal thing it was attached from (similar to Frenchtone's where he showed the Ifor cable) was in the way of the hitch lock. So I had to remove that. Seems something similar has to be attached again to get a thicker cable to attach to the new thingamabob next to the towbar. How I really do not know. :no: Maybe I must just buy a braked Ifor Williams and be done with it! hehehe

The trailer had had a normal cable that was short and just hooked over the towbar. BUT following the discussions here it was not correct to do so since my towball is detachable. Also the downstand metal thing it was attached from (similar to Frenchtone's where he showed the Ifor cable) was in the way of the hitch lock. So I had to remove that. Seems something similar has to be attached again to get a thicker cable to attach to the new thingamabob next to the towbar. How I really do not know. :no: Maybe I must just buy a braked Ifor Williams and be done with it! hehehe

Rock on, good for the UK economy!!

Joking apart see my recent post on trailer security - this soln may solve one of your problems!!

salut

tony

Rock on, good for the UK economy!!

Joking apart see my recent post on trailer security - this soln may solve one of your problems!!

salut

tony

LOL

Where is this post?