Video Transcript for Review of Dexter Brake Actuator - Surge Disc Brake Actuator - DX79FR

Hello everybody, this is Jeff at etrailer.com. Today, I'm gonna take a look at this Dexter DX7.5L A-60 weld-on disc brake actuator with the electric reverse lockout for a two-inch hitch ball, has a 7,500 pound weight capacity. Now, you're gonna use this actuator to synchronize your trailer brakes with your tow vehicle brakes. It is a hydraulic actuator so it will activate your trailer brakes when the tow vehicle slows or stops. So basically, what happens is when you apply the brakes in your tow vehicle, deceleration is gonna occur and the momentum's gonna push your trailer towards the rear of your vehicle. So with this surge brake system, this actuator is then triggered as your trailer moves forward while the tow vehicle slows down.

Basically, the inner slide of this actuator is gonna telescope back, applies force to the master cylinder in the back here, which internal supply the necessary hydraulic pressure to engage your trailer's brakes. On the front here, you notice it's a low profile coupler latch, so it ensures easy, secure connection. Doesn't have a tall trigger latch or anything that could get bent or broken. It's very low profile. So if anything goes over it, it'll ride right over and not cause any damage.

And it is an over center latch mechanism. So it's only gonna engage when the actuator is fully seated on a two-inch hitch ball. And just to show you what we're talking about, it includes this pin right here that secures the ball in the socket once it's installed. Now, you can take the pin out and actually even put a coupler lock through there if you want extra security. Coupler locks, we do sell separately.

But I just wanna demonstrate how this installs. So I happen to pull out a two-inch diameter hitch ball right here. So again, just to open it, just slide this pin out. And then up here at the top, there's a little round, oval-shaped thing with a cutout. You just push that over.

And when you do that, it'll release the latch and it flips in the open position. Now, you're ready to go down over the ball just like that. And it connects over the ball. And then to close it, all you have to do is just slam it shut and it'll automatically lock in place. And then again, or just to show you for security, you want to take this pin, slide it through that hole all the way through. And once you get it all the way through, that'll keep that ball locked into place 'cause now you can even see if something moves this over, it's not gonna open it enough to dislodge or disconnect it. Basically, it's gonna keep it connected. All you have to do is just push down on that. And just like that, it'll be locked into place. And then to remove it, which we'll do, slide your pin out, slide this over to open it. And then with it open, all you have to do is lift it up over the ball and you're ready to go. So it's very easy install, very easy disconnect. Right our pin back through there. Now, also it does include this manual lockout. Basically, this one will come with a reversal solenoid on the back here that if you connect it to your trailer connector, when you go into reverse, it'll automatically keep it from putting the brakes on when you're going in reverse. If you don't have a trailer connector, you don't wanna use that solenoid, it does even have a manual option. And what the manual lockout does is you just slide it in behind that pin like that and it'll keep that inner slide from moving back. So when you go into reverse, this manual lockout will keep it from applying the pressure. Now, it does include this breakaway cable, right here you can see with the S hook on it. Now this is required by law 'cause it does prevent a trailer runaway situation. Basically, what you'll do with this is when you hook up to your tow vehicle, you'll hook this hook to your tow vehicle also. And then if by chance this becomes disconnected from the hitch ball, it's gonna pull this cable, which when it does that, it's gonna activates the master cylinder in the back here to apply pressure, to apply the brakes. So it prevents the trailer runaway situation. And again, it is required by law. Now the master cylinder, which is buried back here inside here, it is constructed of aluminum rather than plastic or steel. Gives you increased strength and corrosion resistance. Now, we mentioned earlier that this model here does include an electric reverse lockout solenoid on the back here, and that'll let you back up without actuating your trailer brakes. The solenoid, you can see the wires there, they'll connect to your trailer connector and it'll activate automatically when you shift into reverse. And as we mentioned, if you don't use the solenoid, you can use the manual lockout. Now, this does have a nice black prime finish to it. It's very easy to weld and paint. It is a weld-on installation. It is designed to fit a three-inch wide channel tongue trailer. And again, the application, this will fit trailers with hydraulic disc brakes, a ball size fits two-inch diameter, weight capacity of 7,500 pounds, and a tongue weight of 750 pounds. Now, if you do have any additional questions regarding this part or any other item that we carry, please feel free to reach out to us so that we can help you get all of your questions answered. But that's gonna do it for a look at this Dexter DX7.5L A-60 weld-on disc brake actuator with the electric lockout for a two-inch hitch ball.