This surge brake actuator is built to handle serious weight with a 12,500-lb gross towing capacity and 1,250-lb maximum tongue weight. Whether you’re hauling equipment or a big boat, the heavy-duty steel construction keeps things solid mile after mile. It’s designed for trailers with hydraulic drum brakes and can be bolted or welded on top of a 3" wide straight tongue using 1/2" x 4-1/2" Grade-5 bolts. Once mounted, it delivers smooth, dependable braking without needing a brake controller in your tow vehicle.
The EZ-Latch coupler takes the guesswork out of connecting your trailer. Just lower the coupler over your 2-5/16" hitch ball and listen for the metallic click. That sound means you’ve got a solid connection—no extra wiggling or forcing the latch into place. The latch locks automatically when seated, so you’re ready to roll faster and with more confidence. If you want extra security, there’s even a hole for a locking pin to deter theft.
The master cylinder is made from glass-reinforced nylon with an automotive-style diaphragm cap that helps keep fluid clean and moisture out. The large reservoir holds more brake fluid, which cuts down on maintenance and helps prevent air from getting into your lines. Together, these parts keep braking pressure consistent and reliable through stop-and-go traffic or long downhill grades.
The primed finish makes this actuator ready for welding or painting right out of the box—no stripping or prep needed. Inside, the moving parts glide on a self-lubricating acetal copolymer liner that’s tough, smooth, and long-lasting. That means less friction, less wear, and a better feel when braking or maneuvering in tight spots.
A built-in breakaway cable with snap hook is included to stop your trailer if it ever separates from the tow vehicle. It’s a simple safeguard that gives you peace of mind every time you tow.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi everybody, Andy here with etrailer.com. And today we're gonna take a look at this Demco Hydraulic Drum Brake Actuator. Now this is a DA10 hydraulic actuator that will activate your trailer's brakes when your tow vehicle slows or stops. And as you probably know, when you apply the brakes in your tow vehicle, deceleration occurs and momentum pushes your trailer towards the rear of your vehicle. With surge brake systems, the hydraulic actuator is triggered as your trailer moves forward once your tow vehicle starts to slow down. When this happens, this actuator contracts applying force to its master cylinder.
This in turn is going to supply the necessary hydraulic pressure to engage the brakes on your trailer. Now this is a bolt-on or weld-on insulation onto your straight three-inch wide trailer tongue. And I wanted to mention that if you're bolting this on, this does require 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch grade five bolts for bolt-on mounting. This is made here in the USA of a heavy duty steel construction with a prime finish and a gross towing weight capacity of 12,500 pounds and a maximum tongue weight of 1,250 pounds. Now this does feature the easy latch coupler mechanism for simple secure hookup and disconnect.
You're going to be able to hook up to your 2 5/16-inch hitch ball when this latch is in the closed position. And I want to give you a brief demonstration of that. So I have my 2 5/12-inch hitch ball here. And as you can see, I have my latch in the closed position. And so, as you can see, that's going to allow you to easily latch onto your hitch ball.
So you're just going to drop the coupler over that hitch ball and it's going to snap right in place. And then to disconnect, I'm just gonna lift this latch up and that's gonna allow for easy disconnection. Now this does feature a composite master cylinder and this is durable and efficient. It's glass reinforced nylon construction is going to resist rust and corrosion. And the large reservoir is going to provide increased capacity for brake fluid.
The large automotive style diaphragm cap creates a completely enclosed system that's going to help prevent the contamination of your brake fluid. Now this has an aceto liner here, copolymer lining that's going to give you that smooth operation as this actuator telescopes in and out. And this also features a breakaway cable. And this has a snap hook to ensure a secure connection to your breakaway lever, which is right here. And this is going to hook to your tow vehicle and prevent a trailer runaway situation. So if your trailer unhooks from your tow vehicle, this cable is going to pull that that lever and activate the master cylinder to apply the brakes to keep it from a runaway situation. Now I do wanna mention that because this actuator does not include a reverse lockout, it is recommended that you equip your trailer with free backing brakes so that you can drive in reverse without this actuator triggering your trailer brakes. Well, that's gonna conclude our look today. I do hope that it was helpful for you. Again, my name is Andy. Thank you for joining me.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
98% were satisfied with this product
2% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
My trailer coupler came with instructions. The hydraulic brake actuator coupler came with no instructions. Wish it were the other way around.
I ordered a brake actuator for a trailer that we use at my work. The original actuator showed to be available when I purchased it, but actually had been discontinued. A lady, whose name I will not mention, was very helpful and knowledgeable when explaining the situation to me. She offered a replacement to the original one, and even helped me with the cost. The alternatives were a little more expensive. Thank you Diana H. for your expertise and kindness!
Great product love it
Info for this part was:
At etrailer we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.