Dexter DX7.5L A-60 Brake Actuator - Weld On - Drum - 2" Ball - Primed - 7,500 lbs

Video Transcript for Review of Dexter Axle Brake Actuator - Surge Brake Actuator - DEX94FR

Jeff: Hello everybody. This is Jeff at etrailer.com. Today, we're going to take a look at this Dexter DX 7.5 L weld-on drum brake actuator for a two inch hitch ball. Has a 7,500 pound weight capacity.Now, this actuator you use to synchronize your trailer brakes with your tow vehicle brakes. This hydraulic actuator will activate your trailer brakes when your tow vehicle slows or stops. Basically what happens is when you apply the brakes in your tow vehicle, deceleration will occur and then the momentum will push your trailer toward the rear of your vehicle.

So it's a surge brake system. This actuator is triggered as your trailer moves forward while your tow vehicle slows down.The inner tube or inner portion of this actuator will telescope back and that'll apply force to the master cylinder back here, which in turn supplies the necessary hydraulic pressure to engage your trailer brakes. On this one, you can see it has a front here, a nice low profile coupler latch to ensure easy, secure connection. And being low profile, what's nice about it, there's no damage. Some of the couplers you'll see have a latch up here that'll stick up pretty high and it can sometimes get damaged or bent.

This one has no latch. Everything's incorporated into it. It is an over center latch mechanism so it'll only engage when that actuator is fully seated on your two inch hitch ball.And I want to demonstrate that. I happened to pull this two inch hitch ball that it fits on and what you want to do to install it, what you want to do first is pull out this tethered safety pin. That'll release the latch.

And then to open the latch, all you have to do is slide this little button up at the top here over and the latch will open up.Now, you're ready to install it. So once you get over your hitch ball, it'll drop right into place like that. Flip your latch down and it secures it. And then for extra safety, you slide this safety pin through there, and that'll prevent that latch from opening all the way. So what's nice is if this happens to hit something and it moves it and opens that latch, you can see it won't go all the way.

It'll keep it attached. And then you just push it back down. And then when you go to disconnect, just pull that pin back out to release it, open your latch all the way, and your coupler will come right off the ball. So it's very easy and simple way to connect to the ball and to disconnect.Also, if you notice on this actuator, it includes this breakaway cable. Now breakaway cable is required by law and what this does is it prevents a trailer runaway situation. This hook on here will attach to your tow vehicle. And in the case of where this would come disconnected from your tow vehicle, it would pull this breakaway cable, which would in turn activate the master cylinder to apply the brakes on the trailer and prevent a runaway situation.Now, the master cylinder, which is underneath here, let me flip it over and you can probably see the end of it right here. The master cylinder is constructed of aluminum rather than plastic or steel. Gives you increased strength and corrosion resistance.And on top right here, it has a flush brake fluid filler cap on the top. So you just twist this to open it, put fluid brake fluid in, or to check your brake fluid and twist it back to close it. It doesn't stick up real high like on some of them where again, it could be damaged or broken.You can see it as a nice prime finish. It is a weld on installation and it is designed to fit three inch by five inch straight tongue trailers. This part is made in the USA. Application for this, again, is hydraulic drum brakes. The hitch ball size it fits is two inch diameter and the capacity is 7,500 pounds.Last thing I do want to mention is because this model does not include a reverse lockout on the back, it is recommended that you equip your trailer with either that electric reverse lockout solenoid that'll screw into your master cylinder or use free backing brakes on the trailer so that you can drive in reverse without triggering your trailer's brakes.But that should do it for the review on the Dexter DX 7.5 L weld-on drum brake actuator for a two inch hitch ball and this has a 7,500 pound weight capacity.