Looking to see if anyone has done any hydroboost conversions on their trucks. I have a 79 Bronco but seen more hydroboost links posted on this section of the forum. Past links didn't have much info with them.

I am needing to know what booster did you use, etc.

 

I've seen its better than vacuum assist and the F350 booster upgrade. I've found some info but I don't know exactly what year to get the hydroboost from. I've seen some use the 70s Lincoln booster while others used the 90s+ Ford F450,etc booster.

I'm trying to determine which will be easier without major modification while still working good. I'm not crazy on the 70s Lincoln booster since it is old style.

 

Most of the mid 90's used the same parts according to my parts guy when we searched. I want to say it was a 2wd F450.

Pretty sure we used the pump from the same year with the extra port and custom made lines.

IIRC, I think I flipped the mounting plate and had to elongate 2 holes but just a smidge.

 

Any pictures? I think I saw your pictures somewhere. if you have the part # that would be awesome!!!

 

From a 1999 F450 superduty...

Product Detail


the rod looks a little long..

 

Wonder if this will work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/04-05-06-07-FORD-E350-E450-6-0-SUPERDUTY-BRAKE-BOOSTER-HYDROBOOST-W-MASTER-CYL-/201090449910?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ed1ecc1f6&vxp=mtr

 

I did a hydro boost swap while i was doing my diesel swap ,I used a complete setup from a 2002 Chevy 2500 pretty much a bolt in drilled a couple holes thats it only issue I had was the metric p/s lines , I can also say it makes a huge difference on my 77 F250 have all new brakes calipers lines etc and the stopping power and pedal feel is much much better with the hydroboost, first time test drive almost put myself into the windshield vastly improved braking!!

 

I must do something, because all medium duty trucks around here have them, and I think all new medium duty trucks come with them. And box vans.

Where hydroboost comes in handy is on diesels because the engine does not naturally produce vacuum like a gasser does. Early models with vac assist brakes had a vacuum pump that ran all vac related accessories.

Also, when you start getting into high power gas motors with lots of valve overlap, the amount of vacuum produced goes to ****. That's why a lot of muscle cars and drag cars have hydroboost brakes. Without it they would have a hell of a time stopping.


-Jameson

 

I've done the swap on my 79 Bronco.

I only have my phone right now, but if there aren't some pictures or links by the time I get home, I'll post a link to what I did. It's not super technical, but I list a few handy part numbers.

 

Hydroboost output is almost double the potential pressure out of the master cylinder. It's also consistent. Same pressure no mater how long you push on the brake pedal. There is no placebo affect. With the same brakes swaping in hydro boost vs a vacuum booster it will stop better period.

A little light reading.

Hydro Boost vs. Vacuum Booster

 

I'm 180 degrees on this one. The difference is astounding. You must be stirring the pot because you can't be serious.

 

Yeah I remember....I was.....just banned from FSB for being *cough* a-hole *cough*

 

If you were banned, I dont know that you can or cannot check out my link to there. For those who aren't you but may find this thread, I have this link:

Some hydroboost progress + pic linx - FSB Forums

If I had it to do all over again, I would have bought generic hose and hose ends instead of paying for Jegs and I would have made my own adapter to mount it to the firewall. I lived in an apartment at the time, and welding inside didn't feel like a good fit...anyhow.

Aircraft Spruce, Genuine Aircraft Hardware and several others sell the generic PTFE hose at a fairly reasonable price, along with the hose ends for them. Forget Jeg's and Summit.

My booster came from a "2002+ Super Duty." Master cylinder came with it, off the same vehicle. I see from the picture above that the reservoir looks bigger than the one I have, but maybe that's the only difference.

If I weren't a bit into my cups, I'd check Rock Auto and see what years have the same part number as a 2002. When I get to my Bronco, on Thursday, I can see if there are any part numbers listed on it, but I'm pretty sure Ford stopped doing that in the 50's or so.

I DO have the contact info of the guy, off a Jeep forum, who sold me the booster, master cylinder and adapter; since I'm not sure how Kosher it is to post that, though, if you would like it you can send me a private message and we'll go from there.

If you were even the least bit curious, I can tell you that with my Bronco, I upgraded the brakes in phases, trying to get a safe situation going. I started with all rebuilt stock items, progressed to the F-350 "Upgrade," then to the hydroboost. Everything short of the hydroboost was unsafe at best and couldn't safely hold the vehicle's weight on a steep hill when I went into some dirt. Somewhere along the line I did put a set of rear discs on there. With the F-350 garbage, I even went so far as to change all the hard and soft lines and the proportioning valve, thinking that maybe the problem was not in the booster and master cylinder itself. The good news, for me at least, is that I now have a 100% new hydraulic system.

Hydroboost was the only thing that gave decent stopping power and the difference it made was VERY obvious.

Anecdotal, at best, but there you have it.

The hydroboost has lasted several thousand miles as a daily driver and, with nothing more than a hydraulic reservoir swap, has pulled duty stopping the Bronco with a diesel swap as a weekend driver. It'll do well when I start driving it daily again.

It was really a simple swap with the booster to firewall adapter built for me. Supposedly, because I haven't modified where the booster rod mounts to the brake pedal arm I have some sort of undesirable angulation going on there, but after 4 years of use, the bushing shows no wear and everything works VERY groovy.

Also...this.

 

I need some more info on the 9 inch rear disc conversion. Been looking on FSB, Pirate, and else where and still undetermined....

I see the Explorer part BUT the bolt pattern...blah.

Next, was the Chevy set up....then the Dana 44 rotors, etc.

 

A new thread may get more information on caliper brackets. BUT, there are weld on options that are super cheap, for just the brackets.

I made a mistake with mine and went with BC Bronco's setup. I seem to be in the minority and have had bad timing with when they moved from one location to the next but I got a bent caliper bracket that they wouldn't replace and I also opted for the incredibly ****ty "Caddy," calipers that they sell in a package.

It was a bolt on setup, though and I believe you can still order just the brackets.

From some replies I've gotten to some threads, I didn't know how to bleed them properly and that's why I had such marginal performance out of them. Bleeding is supposed to require 3 people and tapping on them with a hammer.

Rubbish.

I never had a soft pedal, I just had calipers that failed to perform.

I swapped those garbage parts for generic GM front calipers from a 79 Impala and have never looked back. They work, they bleed well and they are cheap.

The rotors were from a Jeep and had to be machined to fit my axle shafts, but they sell those too, already machined. If you want direct bolt on, their brackets and rotors are OK but you can probably do the weld on option and have some rotors machined for cheaper.

The GM calipers DON'T have an E-brake to them, so if that's important to you...maybe a drive line brake is an option? Or maybe you'll have better luck with the expensive Cadillac calipers.