(bart w) wrote in message om...
Sounds to me like it would be a good practice to secure the brake
handle in the down position by some means while hooked up. Mine does
pull up rather easily and I'd hate to find out there's a problem by
some fellow honking and gesturing from the next lane!

That's part of the non-US disconnect protection. A gas strut keeps
the handle down by over-center pressure, then if the cable attached to
the bottom gives a tug on it, the handle lifts up and the gas strut
ensures the brake is applied. Older trailers didn't have the gas
strut and just rely on the safety cable to apply full brake.

In the US, chains are required to attach the trailer to the tow
vehicle. I have the chains a bit longer than the brake actuation
cable, so if the hitch comes off the ball, the cable will actuate the
brake, and the chains will keep the brakes-on trailer attached to the
vehicle.

-Tom