The 8" adjustable channel makes it easy to match your trailer height to your hitch setup. With 3 mounting positions, you can mount a ball coupler, lunette ring, or clevis attachment (sold separately) and get a perfectly level tow. The channel-up design gives you extra rise, which helps line up low trailers or handle setups where the hitch sits higher. It’s a clean way to dial in your trailer’s stance without extra parts or guesswork.
This actuator is made from heavy-duty steel and comes primed, ready for paint or direct use. The primed coating protects the metal from rust and gives you the freedom to match it to your trailer. You can bolt it on or weld it in place—either way, it’s solid and ready for years of work.
The composite master cylinder uses glass-reinforced nylon that resists rust and corrosion, even in tough environments. Inside, an acetal copolymer lining keeps the actuator telescoping smoothly as braking force is applied. The large fluid reservoir helps maintain steady hydraulic pressure, while the automotive-style diaphragm cap seals out contaminants for reliable performance every time you slow down or stop.
If the trailer ever separates from the tow vehicle, the built-in breakaway system automatically applies the brakes to bring things to a stop. It’s simple protection that adds peace of mind whenever you’re towing heavy loads up to 12,500 lbs with hydraulic drum brakes.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hello everybody, this is Jeff at etrailer.com. Today, we're gonna take a look at this Demco eight inch adjustable channel up hydraulic drum brake actuator, has a 12,500 pound gross towing weight capacity. Now, this is a hydraulic actuator designed to activate your trailer's brakes when your tow vehicle slows or stops. Basically what happens is when you apply the brakes in your tow vehicle, deceleration occurs and the momentum will push your trailer toward the rear of your vehicle. So with a surge brake system, this actuator is triggered as the trailer moves forward once your tow vehicle starts to slow down. Basically when this happens, this actuator will apply force to the master cylinder back here.
Basically, this inner slide goes into the outer case, provides the force back here in the master cylinder. This in turn supplies the necessary hydraulic pressure to engage your trailer's brakes. This one here has an acetal copolymer lining, helps provide a nice smooth operation as the actuator telescopes in and out. This one is an adjustable channel design, has three different mounting positions for your coupler. Now, the coupler's not included.
We do sell those separately. We had mentioned, as you can see, this is a channel up design, so it allows for greater rise for low riding trailers. The height on the channel itself, if we measure from the bottom to the top, is right at eight inches. The channel width is three inches inside to inside. And this is a heavy duty steel construction.
As you can see, it has a nice prime finish on it. Now, the master cylinder in the back here, it is a composite master cylinder. It's very durable and efficient. It's a glass reinforced nylon construction so to resist rust and corrosion, and it gives you a large reservoir that provides increased capacity for the brake fluid. If you notice right up the top here, it has this automotive style diaphragm cap, which will create a completely enclosed system, help prevent contamination of your brake fluid.
The breakaway cable right here and the hook is included. Now, this is required by law and basically what this does is prevents the trailer runaway situation. So you'll take this hook here with the latch, hook this to the tow vehicle, and if by chance this does come detached from your tow vehicle, it'll pull this cable, which will activate this lever, which will again apply pressure to the master cylinder to apply the brakes on the trailer. So again, it's required by law and it does prevent a runaway situation. Now, this is a bolt-on or a weld-on installation. It is designed to mount to a straight three inch wide trailer top. This part is made in the USA. Now the application, again, this is for trailers with hydraulic drum brakes, gross towing weight capacity of 12,500 pounds, and a maximum tongue weight of 1,250 pounds. The model number on this part is DA10. Now, one note I do wanna mention is because this actuator, you can see in the back here it does not include a reverse lockout, it is recommended that you equip your trailer with either a reverse lockout solenoid that would screw in right back here, or to have free backing brakes on your trailer so that you can drive in reverse without the actuator triggering your trailer's brakes. But that should do it for the review on this Demco eight inch adjustable channel up hydraulic drum brake actuator with the 12,500 pound gross towing weight capacity.
Ratings & Reviews
Everything arrived in advance of expected delivery date and customer service was excellent.
Heavy duty steel, quality product. Thank you
Great customer service. Product arrived lightning fast! We would buy again. Thanks!
Very nice working with you guys. Timely response and delivery. Thank you
I purchased the 20k lbs surge brake.So far really good. Heavy duty.
Thanks you! a great experience with the ordering and receiving my parts that I needed. I would recommend Etrailer.com to anyone needing competitively priced and quality parts fast.
Etrailer is the best store for parts.best prices,fast deliver,on time and safe,300 per cent hapy.the etrailer be mi store for ever.
Really happy with customer service and flexibility with shipping to Hawaii.
I think the demco actuator is grate
excellent quality, unbelievable delivery time.
Excellent product,service and price. I was notified at every stage where my item was on its journey without contacting etrailer other than placing my order. They have their "stuff " together.
Package wasn't the greatest, it was a heavy item and should have been packaged a little better, box was torn and one of the clips that holds the pins in place was missing
We're replacing old brake units on our fleet of tank trailers. These Demco actuators have a longer adjustment channel than the ones we could get locally, and they were cheaper. Great customer service also!
It worked out very well for us and was very affordable.
It does the Job. I tried to talk them in to going with an electric over hydraulic Disc system but the did not want to spend the money with this set up at least is has some brakes.
Anna did a GREAT job on getting the trailer parts I needed give her a raise :-)
Great quality excellent service
The product delivered was exactly what we ordered. It arrived within only a few days and the package showed up with zero damage. We will continue to order from eTrailer. 5 Stars!!
Quality is great and exactly what I was looking for in a Brake Actuator. Customer service was super friendly and online invoice and tracking was speedy and easy to obtain! Highly recommend.
Worked perfect, exactly as described.
A perfect fit and it took paint beautifully. Upon brake testing, it performed as an OEM! Customer Service was extraordinary.
Welded it together, haven't used it yet.
I am building a very strong utility trailer for a Mustang Skid Steer- I'm a welder by many years- and strong matters. I will put a 'dully' axel under a dump truck body with hydraulic breaks- thus you product was a perfect fit- strong, functional and safe. Thank you for your design intelligence and craftsmanship. I am set up for two trucks- a big one, Mack B-81SX, and a pick-up.
Well built just replaced a old unit that been sitting for years and had been jackknifed
we received in the hitch, we installed it without a problem.
the tech tried to beleed the brakes.
the tech was having problems with the master cylinder sticking.
we ordered in a replacement master cylinder in. after the new master cylinder was installed the tech bled the brakes with no issue. we received the hitch in with a bad master cylinder
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