The Hydrastar Vented Marine Electric Over Hydraulic Actuator for Drum Brakes delivers instant braking power the moment you press the pedal. With a maximum output pressure of 1,000 psi and an electronic, proportional pressure valve, the brakes engage smoothly and respond faster than surge actuators. Because it reacts to your brake controller instead of trailer pushback, there’s no lag or jerking—just steady, confident braking you can feel right away.
Built from durable extruded anodized aluminum, this actuator is made to handle wet and salty environments without corroding. The marine-grade gasket and stainless steel hardware seal out moisture, while the vented end plate releases pressure, heat, and condensation to protect the internal parts. It can even be mounted inside enclosed compartments where other actuators might overheat or trap water.
Switching from a surge setup to electric over hydraulic doesn’t have to be complicated. The plug-and-play design means no hardwiring—just connect the sealed harness and go. The included Control Adapter Module (CAM) makes it ready to work with factory brake controllers from major truck brands, so compatibility headaches are off the table.
Backing up a trailer or holding it steady on a ramp is easier when you can control your brakes directly. With this actuator, you can intentionally activate the trailer brakes in reverse or use the manual override on your controller without pressing your vehicle’s brake pedal. That added control helps when maneuvering heavy or multi-axle trailers in tight spaces or on slopes.
This unit works with single-, tandem-, or triple-axle trailers using hydraulic drum brakes. Its 12V DC power supply and 3/16" hydraulic port make it straightforward to integrate into existing brake lines. Whether you’re maintaining a boat trailer or replacing an older coupler system, this actuator gives you dependable stopping power with modern electric precision.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
82% were satisfied with this product
18% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
GREAT PRODUCT
Melisa was very helpful on the phone and promptly shipped my parts. Appreciate it very much.
Had a problem with first shipment , was resolved promptly
Well built unit that works well .
Easy install, works great. Installed a whole EOH system with this unit at the core. Excellent.
Unit work’s very well and was easy to install .I am looking forward to a wonderful safe trip pulling my 12,000 lb boat 600 miles north to San Juan Islands and British Columbia.
Shipping box was ripped, should of had more packing material, fortunately everything was still in the box.
Item arrived earlier than expected. Installation was easy. And now my trailer brakes work again.
a very nice woman took my order ...she said it would ship in x business days ....i said never mind that put down the phone and run and ship my order ..she laughed and said they didn't let her into the warehouse...however if she didn't pack it up herself immediately, someone else did ..i had it way before i expected it ...hydreastar product ..1sr one lasted about ten years of almost 5 days a week use on an equipment trailer ..i expect to get same service from this one ...
etrailer as always has what I need, ships fast, and product is "as advertised"!
A pleasure to talk to the tech's when I have questions and even go as far as calling manufacturer to verify equipment selections.
Keep up the GREAT work.
Great reliable product. It handles my 12,000 lb. boat and trailer on wet or dry roads.
It working good on my M105A2 Military trailer. Thanks etrailer.
I ordered the brake controller yesterday I already have it today so it was here in one day quick service I don’t have time to put it on right now but when I do I hope to let you know how it works thank you . I Purchased a titan brake controller probably five years ago and it on a cattle trailer so I didn’t use it a whole lot and the motor went out on it very quick so I was disappointed in that brand and I thought I’d try this hydrastar system hope I have better luck with it . Thanks
I installed it in just a few hours, and set it to the most aggressive setting. My wife and I have wanted one for a few years after a few close calls pulling our boat. Well, weirdly enough, this product paid for itself in the first week. A car pulled out right in front of us on a highway. I was able to avoid the crash, that if this product was not on, we would have hit. Pulling a 10 thousand lb boat, one just cannot stop on a dime doing 60 mph. The next week on the way home from the lake, a moose stepped out onto the highway, once again, was able to stop! My wife is happy as we had a few close calls and she was very happy and it was money well spent. Wished we had bought it sooner.
Substituted the Hydrastar unit for the surge brake actuator on my military surplus trailer. Works like a champ!
Unit works well. Packaging was good and well protected. Came with instructions that were illustrated and well written.
There was a problem with the shipping, not etrailer’s fault at all. I called etrailer and talked to one of their representatives who was very helpful and resolved the issue and followed up with me. Couldn’t ask for better service and product.
It looks very promising. Arrived early and in excellent condition. We will see how it holds up
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