Advantages of Manual vs. Electric Reverse Lockout on Actuator Coupler

Question:

What are the pros and cons to using a manual verses an electric lock-out actuator?

asked by: Don

Expert Reply:

A trailer actuator-coupler with an electric reverse lockout feature, such as Titan # T4750820, allows you to reverse your trailer without having to get out of the vehicle to first engage a manual lockout lever. The internal solenoid in the actuator takes care of this automatically when you shift the vehicle into reverse; that reverse light signal is the trigger that tells the actuator to block the flow of fluid through the brake lines. Blocking the flow of brake fluid allows reversing the trailer without the brakes engaging. A manual lockout like the one on # T63FR does the same thing, but the process is not triggered electrically.

Some find the convenience of an electric lockout to be worth the slightly more complex installation, which naturally requires that the coupler receives a reverse light signal from the vehicle. This requires tapping into one of the wires at the taillights to obtain that reverse light signal. On the other hand, a manual lockout means you never have to worry about an electrical issue causing you a problem with backing up the trailer.

It is often possible to retro-fit a reverse lockout solenoid to an actuator-coupler that originally had a manual lockout and we also offer free-backing brakes that allow you to reverse without having to use any type of lockout.

expert reply by: Adam R