I've never driven a loaded truck with no rear brakes (except around the yard), or one with diagonal brakes, so I have no experience with that. When I last drove a semi tractor there were still rigs on the road with no front brakes, and I may have driven some of them. I no longer remember that.
I have driven a light truck with a bad seal allowing grease to make the front left brake fail. That was scary, with the truck pulling hard to the right every time I touched the brake pedal, almost jerking the wheel out of my hands and the truck off the road.
Is a diagonal arrangment factory on anything?
I do think I'd prefer to have my brakes divided by axle, even if it meant having very ineffective brakes on one end.
