hydroboost questions
1) what year will bolt up to my truck? They have a 77 continental, early 90's astrology van with the 90 degree master cylinder, and a whole bunch of newer astrology vans with the master cylinders that are on an angle( I don't think they will work)?
2) what parts do I need to take? Master cylinder, power steering pump, both pump lines...anything else?
Thanks.
It's going on a 79 Supercab 4x4.
All the write-ups I've seen (Including my own swap) required building a bracket to bolt the booster onto the firewall. After that, it was all plug 'n play to some degree.
Parts needed for JUST the booster swap would be the booster and master cylinder. The hoses may or may not fit as a direct swap. There are some variables involved that can be switched around to help you one way or another.
For example, there were at least two different pressure ports used on the Saginaw steering pumps that are interchangeable; there is an SAE inverted flare outlet and a metric O-ring outlet. It may make a difference if you decide to try to use factory hoses from some vehicle. When you are pulling parts, you can grab both outlets so you can swap them as needed. I think they use a 1" wrench or socket for removal.
Make sure you pay attention to which one you are using and dont just go by if they hose threads in or not, as a hose with the SAE flare will thread into both fittings.
Also, if you decide to do the pump swap and NOT get a remote reservoir unit from the Astrovan, try to get one with dual returns on the reservoir as that makes the swap look better and avoids having a T fitting in the line.
If you already have the Saginaw pump with a single return and want to swap it out, you can swap just the reservoirs if you need. There are several mounting configurations for them, but of the 30 or so I've tinkered with, they can all share reservoirs.
I built my own hoses because I was planning an engine swap. If you decide to go that route, I have some part numbers in a thread here: Some hydroboost progress + pic linx - FSB Forums
There are a few cautions in there about building your own hoses, regarding pressure ratings and fluid-hose compatibility. PTFE hoses are pretty damn good and you can get them from lots of places, like Jegs, Summit Racing or Aircraft Spruce, BUT they require PTFE hose ends and NOT regular ol' hose ends. Any time you build hoses, it is a good idea to have them pressure tested to above the working pressure they will be dealing with to ensure that your work will not strand you on the road. I can't remember, as it's been a few years since I've looked it up, but I think the Saginaw pumps put out between 1,100 and 1,300 PSI, depending on what vehicle they came in.
When I installed mine, I had to hire out the mounting bracket because for some reason welding inside of an apartment is frowned upon...but either way, I still have the contact info of the guy who can build a bracket. He gave me the OK to send people to him, but I'm not sure how Kosher it is to post it in a forum; if you need to have the bracket built, send me a PM and I'll send it to you.
If you really wanted to be lazy, he'll even ship you a SuperDuty master cylinder and booster, which is what all of the part numbers in the above link are for.
Good luck and post pictures.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...sion-done.html
It'll give you an idea of what you're getting into.








