4X4 4500-5500 with exhaust brake?

[cos]

Here's the deal, my 3500 is failing me in a few areas of towing, and im trying to upgrade to a 4500 or 5500 but am being told I just cant have what I want. Why is it I can order a 2 wheel drive 4500 with an exhast brake, but I cant have a 4X4 4500 with an exhaust brake? I need both and just can't do with one or the other. Ive been warned that if I put an exhuast brake on a 4X4 4500 or a 5500 it will void the warranty.....

Also, any suggestion on where to buy? Im not real happy with some of the answers ive been getting locally..

[J-M]

I understand that you can not get an air ride seat in the 4x4's. So GM must not intend for the 4 wheel drives to be driven over the road?

[ksss]

I just bought an 05 GMC 5500 4X4 crew cab. I also was surprised about a few things. One, no tow haul mode. Perhaps because it is more heavy duty there is no purpose in having a softer shifting mode. However, no grade braking sucks. The other thing was the 520 foot pound rating. The 05 D/A are 605 why the derating for a heavier rated vehicle? I will be towing at max. GCVW so I guess we'll see what happens. I also learned that the EDGE chip will not interface with the 45 or 5500 trucks. That also sucks.

[J-M]

The juice box will work from what I have been told, I believe someone on this forume is running one on a 4500.Yes you do have grade brakeing, it is like the truck is in tow mode all the time. You should also have an exhaust brake? How is the ride of your truck? Hope this helps?

[ksss]

The info on the Edge box was from the dealer when I complained about derated torque setting. I drove the truck home from the dealer (about 75 miles) and it has been parked in my yard since. I am waiting for the flatbed to be made. After that I can comment on the ride. At this point I will say that it rough (I am being kind). I hope that the weight of the flatbed will smoothen it out some. I did not notice the "internal" grade braking (that makes me feel somewhat better). Perhaps it will be more apparent with a load on the back. I do not have a factory exhaust brake. I can deactivate the overdrive. I poured over the specs. before buying and did not see it as an option.

[JB6600]

You should have an O/D rocker switch on the dash.This keeps in the next lower gear til you want it go in O/D.The only time we use it is getting on the expressway after building up speed to merge with traffic.....JB.
http://users.tc3net.com/jbrown/MVC-017S.JPG

[cos]

For anyoned who is interested, I found a site that offers a performance towing chip for the 4500 and 5500 LLY trucks... www.pacificp.com (http://www.pacificp.com)

[Matt Surplus]

The new 4X4 had a few changes at first, No air seats and no Exhaust brake, really sucks but they have been working on it. The air ride seat is available on the drivers seat and the new 4x4 system took up the space where the front exhaust was needed so they restructured the exhaust line. They are telling dealers they plan on having exhaust brakes from the factory on next years models. They are also jumping the front ends from a 7000# I-beam to a 8000# starting in March.

[cos]

Looks like I'll be waiting a while, or going with some aftermarket answers...

[HammerDown]

Can a person get different gearing in the 4x4 other than 5.13. I dove a 4500 the other day and i don't think you would really want to run it any harder then about 70mph and it was really raping out. Any info. would be great. Gearvendor maybe?

[techprof1]

The 4500 does have air ride seats for 05. If you order air ride seats, there are no airbags. If you want airbags, then you have no air ride seats. I have them in the truck. Gearing is low. There is an overdrive off switch on the dash. My TH 5'er is 20K.

The one beef I have with it is the speed limiter. 75mph max. A few pics of the truck http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~mr/4500/