Home › CDL Practice Tests › Combination Vehicles Questions › Question 233
How does total weight affect the braking of a combination vehicle on a long grade?
- A.Heavier vehicles always stop shorter because of tire grip
- B.Weight has no effect on brake temperature
- C.A heavy load cools the brakes through the trailer frame
- D.More weight means more energy the brakes must absorb, so heavy combinations heat their brakes faster and must rely more on gear selection and engine braking
Correct answer
D. More weight means more energy the brakes must absorb, so heavy combinations heat their brakes faster and must rely more on gear selection and engine braking
Why
Brakes turn motion and elevation into heat, and a heavier outfit brings far more of both to a downgrade. That is why heavy combinations plan the descent before it starts.
Manual topic: Combination Vehicles - Weight and Balance · From the Combination Vehicles practice bank (CV-233).