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[vauxfan2k]

One of my co-workers was stopped by a commsioner and had his van and trailer checked, whilst in the presence of a police officer.

all was fine except the cable that activates the trailer brake if it becomes detached was hooked round the tow ball (which I have allways assumed as correct)

But my workmate has been given a spot fine of £60 and faces 3 points.

this cant be right surely?

there is no other place to hook this cable, so what is the correct proceedure?

and is this a new "thing" they have introduced?

cheers
 

[Psychoca]

I think it is meant to be clipped by a D-Link to the tow bar directly (or other suitable fixed location), so, should the tow hook come detached the brake is still activated...

I guess with the advent of removable tow hooks, it makes this more feasible of coming adrift should it nor have been fitted correctly...

[Vamps]

I think it is meant to be clipped by a D-Link to the tow bar directly, so, should the tow hook come detached the brake is still activated...

That's right, notgood round the tow ball, what if it became detached?....cable would also come off......

[vauxfan2k]

what I meant was it was looped round the base of the tow ball, and the d-link clipped back on the the cable, so if the tow hitch came off the cable would tighten round the tow ball, pulling the brake on.

[r1]

One of my co-workers was stopped by a commsioner and had his van and trailer checked, whilst in the presence of a police officer.

all was fine except the cable that activates the trailer brake if it becomes detached was hooked round the tow ball (which I have allways assumed as correct)

But my workmate has been given a spot fine of £60 and faces 3 points.

this cant be right surely?

there is no other place to hook this cable, so what is the correct proceedure?

and is this a new "thing" they have introduced?

cheers
 

hasnt he been shown how to use the trailer?
did he have any training on the kit?
i think to many people just hook up a trailer and off they go,most dont know they cant use the outside lane of a moterway or what size trailer they can legally tow and as for reversing......

[Vamps]

what I meant was it was looped round the base of the tow ball, and the d-link clipped back on the the cable, so if the tow hitch came off the cable would tighten round the tow ball, pulling the brake on.

But what if the Tow Ball comes off the car.....? Has to be separately fitted to the tow bar, either wrapped round it or some have a d ring to put the cable through....

[vauxfan2k]

my wokmate is in his mid 50's and has been towing since he passed his test, so isnt stupid my any means.

some of the young guys that had to sit their trailer test had their trailer set up in the exact same fashion and passed no problem. so hence why I am questioning the comissioners problem

[Psychoca]

If you look at the towbar, you have the cable going around below the towball of the hook, the the trailer hooked above on the ball...

In the worst case situation driving along, the actual tow hook fails and parts company with the towbar, the cable would still be attached to the tow hook and as such the brake would not be activated...  Attaching the cable to the towbar (the main frame that is attached to the vehicle directly) should the same scenario happen, the brake would be snatched on...

[vauxfan2k]

there is no clearance round the tow bar bracket to allow the cable to wrap round or be clipped to, not only that but the cable length would be insufficient even if it was possible, the only other thing on the towbar frame is a pig tail type bracket, which doesnt look strong enough to pull the cable.

I can see similar problems for people with swan neck to bars that have nothing showing below the bumper apart from the neck and the sockets.

[Psychoca]

In those cases you would either need to use an extension wire from a suitable fixed point...

[tidla]

the loop or similar in the piccy.

whats the 3 points for/come under?

[vauxfan2k]

um, our van tow bars look nothing like that, and ive never seen one on any omega like that either, so unless its related to a certain age of car onwards.

seems he was warned that he could recieve 3 points, but was given the £60 fine for towing an insecure trailer.
 :-/

Ill take a pic of our vans towbar tomorrow and let you see why we are stumped.

[tidla]

ignore the tow bar. its the plate with the hole in which is for the strawaway cable or a welded on "d".
seperate from the tow hitch.

[Andy B]

um, our van tow bars look nothing like that, and ive never seen one on any omega like that either, so unless its related to a certain age of car onwards.

seems he was warned that he could recieve 3 points, but was given the £60 fine for towing an insecure trailer.
 :-/

Ill take a pic of our vans towbar tomorrow and let you see why we are stumped.

it's different cos that's a picture of a USA tow bar.

I'd question the fine & points cos Al-ko - chassis manufacture - recommend that it's looped over the towball. http://92.52.96.201/faqs_detail.asp?id=1713

[vauxfan2k]

um, our van tow bars look nothing like that, and ive never seen one on any omega like that either, so unless its related to a certain age of car onwards.

seems he was warned that he could recieve 3 points, but was given the £60 fine for towing an insecure trailer.
 :-/

Ill take a pic of our vans towbar tomorrow and let you see why we are stumped.

it's different cos that's a picture of a USA tow bar.

I'd question the fine & points cos Al-ko - chassis manufacture - recommend that it's looped over the towball. http://92.52.96.201/faqs_detail.asp?id=1713

hooray thankyou, so we werent that wrong after all