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truckers question

M

Mtractor

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Whats the biggest truck i can get with out it having air brakes? I have a class A CDL with out the air brake endorsment. I know i could get the air brake endorsment but i want to stay with electric brakes . Right now i have been using 1 ton pickups and wearing them out so i thought i would see what my options are. Thanks
 
I have a GMC C5500 that has air brakes, but is under CDL (18,000 GVW). Don't know what the largest truck is that doesn't have air brakes though.
 
I would think if a 1 ton wont do it you have no option but to step up to a tractor with air you could still use an electric trailer how much weight are you hauling ? and do you have to cross scales? if not I would not worry about it I know international made mid size trucks with vacuum style brakes
 
Is there such a thing as a class A vehicle without air brakes? Interesting that you could get a class A license without an air brake endorsement. I also have a class A, and the first thing that I got was the air brake endorsement.

In answer to your question, I don't know exactly what the biggest truck would be that you could get without air brakes, but I do know that I have rented moving trucks that do not have air brakes. Up to about 16,000 GVW box trucks.
 
Here's my experience. I drive a 99' 6500 Chevrolet that has hydroboost hydraulic 4 wheel disc brakes, single axle, licensed for 26k lbs on the truck. The trailer is another 33k lbs gross with electric drum brakes.

Good setup IMHO. Its a little under powered (Cat 3126 w Fuller 6 Speed) and under geared (seems to be the case with a lot of the class 5-6 medium duty stuff) but still gets it done. Takes some fiddling with the controller and the occasional crank on the trailer brake adjusters but stops on a dime fully loaded.

I've seen some commercial guys running hot-rodded new Dodge 5500 trucks with 20.5 rims that use hydraulic brakes, they also have a Jake Brake on the ones I've seen like that...

I also have the class A with the Air Brake restriction. Uncle has a 1980s gas F-650 dump truck with hydraulic brakes too. They are all drum though.

Carl
 
My 1999 Ford F-550 diesel with 6 speed has hydraulic disc brakes,rated at 19,500 Gross on just the truck and 26,000 Gross combination to stay under CDL.The exact same truck can be had
with something like a 32,000 or 33,000 Gross Combination tag had my choice of tags when I bought the truck.It'll pull and stop a good size load a big step up from a F-350 brake calipers
are about 2X as big and heavier, bigger rear.Best part is it rides and drives great its a long wheel base so that makes it ride better and is a great trailer puller.Only vehicle
I ever bought new in my life.
 
If it were me, I would go get the air brake endorsement. Most trucks with air brakes have interchangeable parts. Most juice brake trucks have parts that are built for that model and as the trucks get older, the companies change the brakes on newer models. I have a F800 with Lucas juice brakes, and parts are becoming hard to find. Pretty much to the point that I will not be able to keep this truck on the road much longer. If they had been air brakes, I could have just gone to a auto parts store, and picked up everything I would need.
 
I have 6 GMC/Isuzu cabover T6500's. All are 25,950 GVW. All have hyrdaulic disc brakes. We do not need CDL's. The hyraulic brakes are sufficient, but none to spare. There is no service on the brakes beyond what you would do to a car.
If you were to hook any trailer up to these trucks it would put you into a CDL. We don't do that.
The oldest is a 2001, and so far no problem with brake parts.
 

Class B is a straight truck that doesn't pull a trailer weighing over 10k lbs
Class A is combination straight truck or semi pulling a trailer over 10k lbs.
 
Just get the air endorsement. You can still run electric brakes on your trailer. Though air brakes are easier to work on than wet brakes.
 
yep
you can get a truck and trailer combo without air brakes at the class A rate. same with class B too. its a weight and weight combo thing.
 
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