Break away cable problem

There was a thread a bit back where the Dutch police were insisting the cable should be looped through another carabiner attached to the eye lug. Could you not purchase a suitably rated carabiner and do this. I would think it easier to loop through rather than attach to the eye, if it is in a difficult position.

With care, and done properly, it is possible just to loop cable around tow ball and attach making a loop. See below

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/advice-and-training/technical-advice/breakaway-cables/

You need to assess which is safest and easiest for you. Hitch on towball should not interfere with cable, nor should it be either too tight, or slack enough to trail on ground.

Edit: if towing overseas, you need to check out any restrictions.

Happily loop over a fixed tow ball but not so happy if I had a detatchable one

Never had a detachable ET, but a good point. 

Thanks for your replies.  As suggested by Steve L I also wondered if I could buy a second caribena clip and attach this to the fixing point on towbar.  I could then fasten my break away cable caribena directly onto the second cariben that would be permanently fixed to the towbar.  Unsure if this would be safe or legal to do?  I don't think Alko make an attachment for such a purpose.  Does anyone know if there is a purpose made one on the market?

Unless your towbar as a dedicated fixing point, it is advisable to loop around the towball. had a westfalia detachable fitted to my GC and chester trailers and towbars said to wrap around towball. why would people think that its different from a fixed towball as if strong enough to tow a caravan then strong enough to take breakaway cable.

This <BREAKAWAY LINK> is the thread SteveL was referring to I believe, there is a photo what the Dutch inspectorate fitted as suitable for the breakaway cable to pass through. Looks to be the heavier duty carabiner and not the flat spring device.

If it is something to allow pass through and loop, then any substantial carabiner will do, even those with thread closure.

why would people think that its different from a fixed towball as if strong enough to tow a caravan then strong enough to take breakaway cable.

It is - until the detachable towball falls off . . !  Which is one of the reasons for having a break-away cable.

Never had nor wanted a detatchable towbar Lorna. The reason that I would not want to loop a breakaway cable over a detatchable ball is simple. I read of caravans coming off the hook; I read of detatchable tow balls becoming detatched but I have never read of a bolted tow ball coming unbolted. It is nothing to do with the strength of detatchable kit.

I have a similar problem as we have a detachable tow ball and as there is no attachment point for the cable so over the tow ball it goes. 

How often do detachable tow bars actually detach during towing?

I have tried to find how many detachable tow ball fail during towing, I have only come across literally two reported incidents on the internet and nothing 'official' Funnily enough both of these happened when going downhill?