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Detailed Explanation of Hydrastar Components

17:28
30:07
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At 17:28 in

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What happens here

Ralph, the brakes and chassis engineer, provides a detailed explanation of the Hydrastar system's internal components. He points out the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and the hydraulic block, highlighting that these are automotive-grade components (similar to those found in Ford Explorers or Mercedes-Benz vehicles) repurposed for trailer application. He explains the system utilizes individual tone rings and wheel speed sensors at each wheel to monitor and regulate brake pressure individually, enabling precise control and preventing lock-up. The system also features a 'one-box design' that integrates the brake reservoir, computer, hydraulic block, and pump motor. Furthermore, it includes an interface module to convert analog signals from the truck's brake controller into digital (CAN bus) signals required by the Hydrastar ECU. The system can be diagnosed via a scanner, supports over-the-air software updates, and is designed with dual circuits for redundancy, ensuring braking even if one circuit fails. It can also detect fluid leaks and isolate the affected wheel.

Goal: Understand the technical design and advanced features of the Hydrastar Hydraulic ABS System.

Tools and materials

  • Brake Fluid Reservoir N/A — Stores hydraulic fluid for the braking system
  • Dual Batteries N/A — Powering the Hydrastar system
  • Electronic Control Unit — The 'brain' of the ABS system, controlling hydraulic pressure
  • Hydrastar Hydraulic ABS System Hydrastar — The product being discussed and demonstrated
  • Hydraulic Block N/A — Manages hydraulic fluid distribution to the brakes
  • Interface Module N/A — Converts analog truck signals to CAN bus signals for the Hydrastar ECU
  • Pump Motor N/A — Generates hydraulic pressure for the brakes
  • Tone Rings N/A — Used with wheel speed sensors to monitor wheel rotation
  • Wheel Speed Sensors N/A — Detecting wheel speed to inform the ECU about potential lock-up

What they say

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All right, guys. You've seen it, Ralph. What do you do for these guys? >> So, I'm basically the brakes and chassis engineer for the trailer brake system. So, basically what what this is is a retrofitted automotive grade brake controller into a trailer. So, hydraulic ABS. >> Okay. >> So, it uses the hydraulic brakes. So, we have the calipers and the disc brakes. But in order to make the ABS work, um, we have tone rings and wheel speed sensors. So, I don't know if we can see it in there next to the caliper to the brake line, we have that other black wire. >> We got it right here. We can look at it. >> We have it right here, too. Yep. >> Okay. >> So, this here is the wire that goes into the wheel speed sensor. >> Okay. >> Goes to the bracket. And here, if you come in from this side, you can see the tone ring in here. That basically shows you the kicks. So 54 teeth on this and that shows you shows the system what the wheel is doing individually for each wheel. And that means you can regulate the pressure on each wheel separately from each other. >> But what does this mean to the end consumer? You were telling me that now when you apply the truck brakes, the trailer brakes will apply within 1/100th of a second. >> A tenth of a second. >> A tenth of a second. >> Yeah. So almost simultaneous >> pretty much. Yes. So I mean it feels like in the truck you hit the brake pedal and you can feel the trailer brakes come on right away. So there's a very very slight delay but it's almost not really noticeable. [clears throat] >> But now >> you're not reinventing the wheel with this thing, Ralph. >> No. So the controller here. So this is basically the heart of this. So this is the hydraulic electronic control unit >> that's in Mercedes-Benz. That's in Ford. in like Ford Explorer for example is one car. This is in the actual unit that comes out of those and you used it in this system. >> Correct. So this is a automotive grade proven FMVSS approved controller but it's repurposed for the trailer application. So obviously the software is different. It has a little bit of rework but the hydraulics all that stuff is the same. And one thing we can see here it's a one box design. So the the brake reservoir for the fluid, the computer, the hydraulic block, and the pump motor are all in one combined unit. So you don't have separate pieces all over the trailer. >>…

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