The 12" adjustable channel-down design gives you five mounting positions so you can dial in the perfect coupler height for level towing. It’s especially handy for taller trailers, since the coupler can sit below the actuator tube for extra drop. Whether you’re using a standard ball coupler, a lunette ring, or a clevis attachment, you can mount the coupler (sold separately) right where you need it on the 3" tongue.
Built from heavy-duty steel and finished with a zinc coating rated for 500 hours of salt spray, this actuator holds up against rust and corrosion. It’s a good fit for environments where moisture and salt are common. The composite master cylinder adds another layer of protection, using glass-reinforced nylon that won’t pit, rust, or seize up over time.
The hydraulic system uses a composite master cylinder that’s both strong and efficient. The large reservoir increases brake fluid capacity to help prevent running dry, while the automotive-style diaphragm cap keeps the system sealed to block out dirt and moisture. Inside, an acetal copolymer lining keeps things moving smoothly as the actuator telescopes during braking.
With a 20,000 lb gross towing weight rating and 2,000 lb maximum tongue weight, this surge actuator delivers dependable stopping force for hydraulic drum brakes. When your tow vehicle slows down, momentum pushes the trailer forward to activate the actuator and apply braking pressure through the master cylinder—simple, automatic control without any need for electronics.
A built-in breakaway feature is ready to stop your trailer if it ever becomes disconnected from your tow vehicle. It’s one less thing to add on and helps ensure your trailer brakes engage in an emergency situation.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Look at the Demco 12-inch Adjustable Channel Down Hydraulic Drum Brake Actuator with a 20,000 pound weight capacity. Now, this hydraulic actuator is what'll activate your trailer brakes when the tow vehicle slows or stops. Basically what happens is when you apply the brakes in your tow vehicle, a deceleration occurs and the momentum pushes your trailer toward the rear of your vehicle. With the surge brake system, that actuator right here, it's triggered as your trailer moves forward, once your tow vehicle starts to slow down. So when this happens, this actuator will contract back towards the end here and apply the force to the master cylinder right back here. This in turn supplies the hydraulic pressure to engage your trailer's brakes.
On the inside of this, they use an acetal copolymer lining, which provides nice smooth operation as this actuator will telescope in and out.The adjustable channel right here has five different mounting positions. You can see one, two, three, four, five for your coupler. Now, the coupler's not included. That we do sell separately on our website, and we do list it on this product page as a related product. It is a channel down design so you can see it's designed to go down.
This allows for a greater drop when you install your coupler to help level your trailer with the tow vehicle. It has a nice sink plated finish to it, offers excellent corrosion resistance, does meet 500 hour salt spray rating, so this is designed for Marine applications. A master cylinder I mentioned, which is right back here on the inside. It is a composite master cylinder which is durable and efficient. It's a glassed reinforced nylon construction, so it will resist rust and corrosion.
It offers a large reservoir, provides increased capacity for the brake fluid. On top here, if you notice, I unscrewed this. It has your normal automotive style diaphragm cap, and that'll help create a completely enclosed system to help prevent any contamination of your brake fluid.I'll go ahead and get that cap back and start it. There we go. If you notice, it also comes with the breakaway cable right here.
Basically what that's used for is this cable with this hook here will attach to your tow vehicle when you hook up your trailer, and this will prevent any situation where if your trailer by chance happens to come detached from your tow vehicle and it was in a runaway situation, it would pull on this cable, which would activate the pressure to the master cylinder, which would then apply the brakes on our runaway trailer. So it's a safety feature that will prevent a runaway situation of your trailer, but that is all included.Now, this is a nice heavy duty steel construction. If you notice the bottom here, the mounting brackets, it is a bolt on design installation. It has the six-fold mounting brackets. There's three mounting holes on each side. You can see two in the front right here, one in the back here, same way over here. Now, they do require to be installed with half inch by four and a half inch long grade five bolts. Again, they are not included. You would have to supply those to install this to your trailer. This part is made in the USA. Application, again, is for trailers with hydraulic drum brakes. Gross towing weight capacity is 20,000 pounds. Maximum tongue weight capacity is 2,000 pounds. Now the channel width, which'll be the inside here, that the coupler goes into, measurement on that is going to be three inches. The channel height, which will be measured from the bottom all the way to the top is 12 inches.It is designed to mount on a straight three-inch-wide trailer tongue, and the model number on this goes by DA20. One last note I do want to mention on this, because this actuator does not include a reverse lockout in the back here, 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's brakes. But that should do it for the review on the Demco 12-inch Adjustable Channel Down Hydraulic Drum Brake Actuator with a 20,000 pound weight capacity.
Ratings & Reviews
quick delivery. good service. good pr icing
Came in quickly and fit perfectly
exactly what i needed and and it came in 2 business days. I dig it!
GREAT! Helped us out in a bind. Ordered on Friday, part showed up in Cali on Tuesday! :)
It was exactly what my customer needed! Easy to find and priced right.
Works great!
works like it should, just had to drill new holes but i knew that when i ordered it.
We hardly ever receive packing lists with shipments.
Was an exact replacement part. Worked g reat
Part was an exact match and shipping was Fast
The product was as expected. Product aside, I was thoroughly impressed with the customer service from Kim. I placed the order online and Kim called me within a half hour to let me know there was a three to four week lead time, but she had an alternate part for me. She changed the order and called the next day to let me know the parts had shipped. Just excellent service!
The part worked perfectly fast service
My first Time dealing with EZ Trailer. Great Customer service and fast Shipping !
Exactly as advertised, seems heavy duty, master cylinder was easy to bleed, installed and functional within an hour, hardest part was removing previous old discontinued hits system.
etrailer is a great, fast delivery, great communications and great customer service!
Fast shipping and no damage in transit, could have used more packing do to the weight of the item so it wouldn’t bounce around. We know thing’s get handled a little ruff with the shipping company’s.
great job !
Solid unit, WOW was I impressed! Great company with excellent customer service. Don't think twice go for it!
Good morning , I do sales to the US NAVY, one of my customers asked if I could quote them ON THIS ITEM . With a few pictures (provided by my customer ) I then started my search , locating "etrailer.com "on line and finding the exact item then quoting it, and making the sale . This item will be used by the US NAVY .
Fast shipping, easy ordering and easy i nstallation
The Demco actuator is a great product for trailers that have hydraulic brakes, we have purchased 6 of these for our concrete mixing trailer and they work great! Also the team at eTrailers provided us with excellent customer service!
so easy to install. i had a harder time getting the old one off.
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