Newer Brake Booster
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Albany, Oregon
Newer Brake Booster
Hey all,
Thought I'd share something I did recently. The booster on my 84 had been hissing at me every time I applied the brakes so I knew it was only a matter of time. I had laying in the garage a known good booster/master cylinder combo out of a 89 F250 HD. In an effort to retain the stock 84 proportioning valve, I kept the cast iron 84 MC, but swapped in the newer, substantially larger booster out of the 89. I had to take a die grinder to the master cylinder and narrow up the centerline of the 2 mounting bolts, but otherwise it bolted right up.
The end result is that the brakes operate smoother, and take considerably less pedal effort with the bigger booster. Part of this may be because my old one was on the way to it's death.
Anybody else ever try this?
Thought I'd share something I did recently. The booster on my 84 had been hissing at me every time I applied the brakes so I knew it was only a matter of time. I had laying in the garage a known good booster/master cylinder combo out of a 89 F250 HD. In an effort to retain the stock 84 proportioning valve, I kept the cast iron 84 MC, but swapped in the newer, substantially larger booster out of the 89. I had to take a die grinder to the master cylinder and narrow up the centerline of the 2 mounting bolts, but otherwise it bolted right up.
The end result is that the brakes operate smoother, and take considerably less pedal effort with the bigger booster. Part of this may be because my old one was on the way to it's death.
Anybody else ever try this?
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,244
Likes: 40
It seems like a great option. I plan to do that when I have to replace me mc/bb. I see you live in Albany, I live in Corvallis myself. You wouldn't happen to know of any Ford parts trucks or junkyards around would you, I gotta pull some parts.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
I have thought about doing that, only I wanted the newer style master cylinder out of it. The one on my truck (1980-1986) has a cast iron master cylinder (that will rust within a few days and paint will last only until brake fluid gets on it) with a locking bale that has to be taken off to check the fluid level. The newer style master cylinder from 1987 uses a plastic see-through type reservoir, so that all you have to do is glance at it from the outside to check the fluid level.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
I haven't done it. I was thinking about doing that if my brake booster ever goes out. I don't know anyone who's done it, but it might be a bolt on if you replace both the brake booster and master cylinder at the same time from a newer (1987-1991)model.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Albany, Oregon
Just the booster was pretty easy. I spent about an hour with a die grinder oblonging the holes in the master cylinder so they would fit the studs on the booster. It could be done by hand with a round file, if you have a couple hours to spare. Just 2 bolts for the master, 4 for the booster.
I was looking into using the new aluminum / plastic master cylinder out of the 89 as well, but it was going to add quite a bit of difficulty. My truck has a frame mounted proportioning valve, the newer brake systems had a little proportioning valve that screwed into one of the ports on the master cylinder, then the brake lines hook into the valve. They don't utilize the same size of fittings. I was going to re-flare the brake line fittings to work, then realized they were some kind of metric fittings. Tried to find an adapter fitting to mate the two together, that didn't happen either. Even if I managed to get the brake lines hooked up, I still would have had to by-pass my stock proportioning valve.
Glovemeister; for local junkyards, I'd try B & R. I usually travel down to the Eugene area for my JY searches.
I was looking into using the new aluminum / plastic master cylinder out of the 89 as well, but it was going to add quite a bit of difficulty. My truck has a frame mounted proportioning valve, the newer brake systems had a little proportioning valve that screwed into one of the ports on the master cylinder, then the brake lines hook into the valve. They don't utilize the same size of fittings. I was going to re-flare the brake line fittings to work, then realized they were some kind of metric fittings. Tried to find an adapter fitting to mate the two together, that didn't happen either. Even if I managed to get the brake lines hooked up, I still would have had to by-pass my stock proportioning valve.
Glovemeister; for local junkyards, I'd try B & R. I usually travel down to the Eugene area for my JY searches.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Albany, Oregon
Just the booster was pretty easy. I spent about an hour with a die grinder oblonging the holes in the master cylinder so they would fit the studs on the booster. It could be done by hand with a round file, if you have a couple hours to spare. Just 2 bolts for the master, 4 for the booster.
I was looking into using the new aluminum / plastic master cylinder out of the 89 as well, but it was going to add quite a bit of difficulty. My truck has a frame mounted proportioning valve, the newer brake systems had a little proportioning valve that screwed into one of the ports on the master cylinder, then the brake lines hook into the valve. They don't utilize the same size of fittings. I was going to re-flare the brake line fittings to work, then realized they were some kind of metric fittings. Tried to find an adapter fitting to mate the two together, that didn't happen either. Even if I managed to get the brake lines hooked up, I still would have had to by-pass my stock proportioning valve.
Glovemeister; for local junkyards, I'd try B & R. I usually travel down to the Eugene area for my JY searches.
I was looking into using the new aluminum / plastic master cylinder out of the 89 as well, but it was going to add quite a bit of difficulty. My truck has a frame mounted proportioning valve, the newer brake systems had a little proportioning valve that screwed into one of the ports on the master cylinder, then the brake lines hook into the valve. They don't utilize the same size of fittings. I was going to re-flare the brake line fittings to work, then realized they were some kind of metric fittings. Tried to find an adapter fitting to mate the two together, that didn't happen either. Even if I managed to get the brake lines hooked up, I still would have had to by-pass my stock proportioning valve.
Glovemeister; for local junkyards, I'd try B & R. I usually travel down to the Eugene area for my JY searches.
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