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The Dexter DX Series actuator gives your trailer disc brakes the stopping power they need. With up to 1,600 psi of hydraulic pressure, it reacts the instant your brake controller sends a signal—no waiting for the trailer to push against the hitch. Braking feels smooth and balanced, even on steep grades or in wet weather. Because the actuator is fully electric-over-hydraulic, it works seamlessly with most proportional brake controllers to match your vehicle’s brake effort for steady, confident control.
A vented design keeps the internal pump cool by shedding heat and moisture while you’re towing. The aluminum housing and stainless steel fasteners resist corrosion, so it’s right at home around water or road spray. You can mount it in tighter spaces where other actuators might overheat, and the Goretite seals keep dust and moisture away from the circuit board for long-term reliability.
The self-priming pump saves time when bleeding your brakes by automatically drawing fluid through the lines. It also stops brake fluid from draining back into the reservoir when idle, keeping your system ready to go. The large reservoir holds enough fluid for single-, tandem-, or triple-axle trailers, so you don’t have to worry about running low under heavy braking.
Inside the DX Series is an electronic proportional valve that regulates pressure for even braking across all wheels. Enhanced wiring protection monitors electrical current and shuts down safely if a surge or wiring fault occurs. That means you get full braking force when you need it without risking damage to the actuator.
The unit installs directly on your trailer frame and connects to standard 12V DC wiring using 3/16" brake lines. It uses a 7-way connector (sold separately) to link with your brake controller, and color-coded wires make hook-up straightforward—black for power, blue for controller signal, yellow for breakaway, white for ground. Sized at 11" long x 6" wide x 7" tall with 2-1/2" hole spacing, it fits easily into most frame layouts while leaving room for airflow around the vents.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
96% were satisfied with this product
4% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
I haven’t used it very much though to seems to work very well!!! I’m sure I’ll have more questions. Thank you Bob
Pleased with the pump. It was used as a replacement on an enclosed trailer with electric over hydraulic brakes. Worked well.
No problem with the Dexter master cylinder, but I sent an email to customer service about potential product issues but never received a reply, thus the 4 star rating. Cannot get the Dexter master cylinder to operate with either of my Ford trucks.
Easy to order, quick response and delivery time. Customer service was very helpful with some questions on the installation of the product.
1600 PSI electric over hydraulic brake actuator -- very easy installation. Brake Fluid reservoir holds quite a bit and made bleeding the brakes an easier task.
Kudos go to eTrailer.com for their quick delivery of the brake actuator - Juanita T was especially helpful in both the selection and follow-up on the product. Special thanks go to her.
we are used many of this Actuator for the past 15-20 years
I love this thing! I live in the Santa Cruz mountains in California and that is not where you want surge brakes, had those, they burned up (I go from 1800 feet to sea level).
Upgrading to electric over hydraulic has been amazing, so much better. It's work but so worth it if you have to go down hills.
It works great, no issues.
I have had these on a few trailers now and they work great. However this time I had to purchase another component to make my 2018 GMC sense the brake actuator was there. I’m not sure if they have corrected this yet however my buddy recently purchased the same from etrailer and it worked perfect on the same year exact same truck. Other than this it’s a great product.
these were installed on my Landmark fifth wheel. you have to know what you are doing to install the hydraulic brake actuator and hydraulic lines. But WOW what a difference. I think that my Landmark has more braking power than my pickup truck now. thanks
Only 3 stars because the unit is not repairable. After a lightning strike nearby may be what damaged my controller I had to get a totally new unit. Upon opening the old unit up I could see there was just one component on the circuit board that was damaged. There should be an option to buy just the circuit board along with a gasket kit. It is a very expensive unit and I question the durabilty of the unit. There is a warning in the instruction manual that warns about sensitive electronics and also says the complete unit must be REMOVED from the trailer before any welding repair is made. If this thing is so sensitive you had better hope it does not crap out when you need your trailer brakes the most. I wish there was another option other than this "SENSITIVE" piece. etrailer was OK to buy from no issue there.
Like the DX brake actuator first time I used one it was simple to install. Thank every much for electric over hydraulic.
Terry
4/28/2022
Yes the brake actuator is working very fine. Easy to install.
The Dexter Electric over Hydraulic break actuator is amazing!!! It connects directly to my 2023 Ford F150 which has the trailer towing option that includes braking gain adjustment by brake pedal pressure. I had surge brakes on my boat trailer and that was MISERABLE. Changing from surge to the Dexter system is a massive relief of problems, worries and safety. I am going to purchase a second system for my utility trailer. Thanks etrailer!
nice work!
Pump works great. Disc brakes with this pump work 10 times better that electric drum brakes. 4 stars because it took a couple of months to get
Brad F.
10/16/2023
Brakes are still working great. I have a 9k skidsteer on a 14k dump trailer that I haul with my F150 and have now worries about being able to stop.
Mike L.
11/8/2023
Easy to order, good communication, Quick delivery
The actuator works flawless and connected right up to where the previous unit was. The orginal unit had been submerged under water by the previous boat owner. I highly recommend E trailer for all your parts.
Chris T.
11/3/2024
I had a problem with the actuator in the summer that I diagnosed was a faulty unit. E trailer sent a new unit free of charge and got me back on the road. Thank you E trailer again for the great service.
Item was very easy to install and seems to be working well. I was surprised at how loud the unit is under full activation (e.x. pulling the breakaway switch). Also I found out the hard way that I needed a heavier high temp breakaway switch, as mine started smoking and the wires started to melt when I puled the breakaway during a test. I ordered the Dexter K71-691-00 switch to hopefully resolve the issue.
Art
5/28/2016
Unit works well, Im very pleased with it.
Lauren is the best.
I installed this system on my 18,000 lb tri-axle boat trailer. Installation went very well and everything seems to be a great fit. I will not hook the truck to it until spring but I am very anxious to see the improvement over surge brakes. I was able to make a neat clean install and wiring directions were great.
So far it is working correctly. We appreciate the process that keeps us informed about the shipment status.
Thank you Cody
Together, I couldn't be happier with my setup. The Dexter K71-651 provides more than enough power to stop my little single axle boat trailer and when the emergency break-away is activated, I can't roll the tires by pulling forward, they lock solid. I love the combination of this unit with the Redarc TowPro Elite, and these two have completely changed the way my trailer handles. If I was starting over, I would buy exactly this setup again. Thank you to ETrailer.com for excellent customer service and quick shipping. I received my unit in 2 days, and my entire order was exactly as purchased. They even emailed me on the day it was delivered to ensure I received it!
When the OEM steel brake lines wore out on my boat trailer I decided to upgrade the surge brakes to electric over hydraulic (EOH). I replaced the damaged lines and wired up this Demco actuator and now I can stop my trailer on a dime -- should have done this 10 years ago. The actuator works flawlessly with my 2017 GMC's built in controller -- nothing else was needed!
Please note though that the GM controller does not apply the brakes when depressing the pedal if the vehicle is not moving (duh). So don't be surprised if you try to test it sitting in your driveway and think that it's not working -- it's designed that way to save wear on the pump if you're not moving. Pressing the manual control does apply the brakes though. (The brakes also apply if you're on an incline).
I fabricated a mounting plate out of 3/8 aluminum since the trailer tongue was not wide enough and attached the pump using 4 countersunk 1/4" stainless bolts and then used two 1/2" square u-bolts to affix it to the trailer. If I set the gain on the truck to max, I can actually lock the trailer's wheels, something that surge brakes can't do on their best day!
Back in 2010 I upgraded my disc brakes to Kodiak all stainless steel rotors, mounting plates and calipers -- 8 years old and they were still like new -- also well worth the money!
Doctor F.
7/26/2019
Every trailer should be set up like this! Imagine power disc brakes on the trailer, just like your car. Theres a reason that drum brakes arent used anymore. Trailer manufacturers are just too cheap to build then right. Heres your opportunity to fix that!
I've been using this brake actuator for a year now and it works great with no issues. I'm using it on a 40' gooseneck flatbed trailer with 12,000# Dexter axles and disc brakes.
David M.
1/15/2026
Well, it has been another year and the brake actuator is still working fine.
I need a high-quality EOH actuator for a very special Jeep project. I chose the Dexter because I have had good experiences with them on trailers over many years.
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Terry
4/28/2022
Yes the brake actuator is working very fine. Easy to install.