How to bleed the brakes on a surge brake actuator on boat trailer

Question:

Do you have a video on bleeding a A60 actuator with surge brakesdisc on a single axle boat trailer. Ive tried pressing up on the release and pumping the master cylinder with a screwdriver but the fluid doesnt seem to want to move . Any thought?

asked by: Tony

Helpful Expert Reply:

When bleeding the brakes on a surge actuator, such as the Dexter DX7.5L A-60 Brake Actuator w Electric Lockout # DX56FR, you want to start by making sure there is fresh fluid in the reservoir then press a screw driver against the rod in the access hole to pump the brakes. If you don't have an access hole, wrap the safety chains around a pole or board and push the top into the coupler to force the pumping action that way. I attached a detailed write-up page that explains this process, and I also attached a helpful demonstration video for this.

If you cannot get the brakes to pump and bleed the fluid, then your actuator will need replaced or rebuilt. It is normally a better option to replace the entire actuator/coupler since they aren't terribly expensive, but if you decide to rebuild it then here are the parts you will likely need for your A60:
-Replacement Master Cylinder Assembly for Dexter Brake Actuators - A60 Disc Brakes # DX44FR
-Replacement Shock Absorber Spring Kit # TK71-758-00

expert reply by: Andrew N