Newbie Question!!!!!
Having only drivin' gassers, I was wanting to know if all diesel pushers have air brakes? The reason being is that ,as I get closer to deciding on what Barth, either gas or diesel,that I will choose, I want to be prepared for air brake licensing before purchasing. Can you help me here??? Also, I have a very steep driveway up to my home ( with turn around). Would a diesel necessarily be better than a gasser for torque in accessing this grade??
Thanx, Neil

Neil,
I guess whenever the word "any" is used, my inclination is to say "No", but all diesel pusher models I am aware of have either air brakes or air-over-hydaulic brakes (like my 92 Breakaway).

I also live on a very steep hill, maybe not by BC standards, but I can barely walk up my 20% grade drive without puffing hard. However, my Barth literally leaps up it, especially after the turbo cuts in (I back up to the road). Perhaps even more importantly (since if I miss my parking pad the next stop is the boat launch into the lake) is that the brakes have no problem holding the fully loaded rig on the downgrade when I return, nor does the parking brake have any difficulty holding it. In fact, the parking brake held the unit on the downhill even when I applied power in first gear (just to verify what level of strength it had). Hope this information is useful.

Thank you Hank Wadley for the reply as it helps me get closer to being a Barth owner

For what it's worth the parking brake on my 93 Breakaway stops it in it's tracks. It's a most unusual arrangement since it's actually on the drive shaft.

I know that one can buy for a street rod a drive shaft brake. The one offered for street rods has a disc that looks like a regular disc brake on the wheel of a car, and we all know how much grabbing power they have by PINCHING. OUCH, THAT HURTS.

Is that how yours works on your Barth?

Dale




[This message has been edited by Smith Brother (edited July 04, 2005).]