I bought an 03 and it has a vacume brake system on it. The truck is new to me. I will be pulling mostly trailers with electric brakes. Can both systems be hooked up at the same time? What kind of trailers use the vacume brake system?

Thanks,
Josh

 

Both systems can remain in the truck.

If you have a belt driven vacuum pump and your not going to use the vacuum brakes then take the belt off the pump. No use in wasting the power to drive that pump and wear it out.

If you try the vacuum brakes nothing else will really be the same especially electric brakes. The vacuum brakes use a vacuum chamber/master cylinder unit mounted on the trailer to operate the hydraulic brakes.

Vacuum brake units aren't cheap but well worth the cost.

Hyspeed

 

Does anyone know what kind(brand) of system will give you air brakes on a trlr, I know its possible, Ive seen it before, I just don't know what brand or how you would do it.

 

Are you talking about air over hydraulic or a straight air system?

Hyspeed

 

This guy had a regular air brake system on his 1 ton, it was a Nascar transporter so Im sure they had plenty of money to pour into it, I have also seen them on other trucks as well, one guy used to pull brand new coal trailers for big trucks out of Ky and deliver them with a 1 ton, I wish I had a picture of it but never had a camera with me, anyway it was an actual air brake system for a trailer on a 1 ton.

 

Keep the vacuum system.

If you ever have occasion to pull a trailer with vacuum-over-hydraulic brakes, you will love them.

I won't even consider a trailer with anything less.

A loaded >BIG< trailer with vacuum-over-hydraulic brakes will stop better than a naked truck.

No electric joke brakes for me.