Brake Booster

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Jun 6, 2016 | 02:22 PM

jmcookesq

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Nov 2013

Posts: 6

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Brake Booster

Son's truck is a 71 F100. Has front disc from a 78 F100 but it needs a new master cylinder. Mom wants me to add power brakes.

Question: is there any issue with just putting in a later model brake booster (like a 78) or is there some magic to the specialty shop conversions I see for 3 to 4 times the cost?

Also does it require a firewall bracket or can I attach the booster directly to the firewall?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jun 6, 2016 | 02:30 PM

HIO Silver

Fleet Owner

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 20,678

Likes: 82

From: NorCal

No issues. The 'gotcha' is typically the actuation rod length.

Booster bracket required. My booster and MC donor was a 75... works great.

Last edited by HIO Silver; Jun 6, 2016 at 02:58 PM. Reason: Corrected booster year.

Jun 6, 2016 | 02:33 PM

ultraranger

Lead Driver

Joined: Apr 2011

Posts: 6,399

Likes: 40

From: El Dorado, Arkansas

It's probably better to stick with the '77 and earlier boosters. Things got changed up a lot by '78/'79 that can easily cause fitment issues in a Bumpside.

I have a factory Bendix dual diaphragm booster/brackets on my '69 F100 that came from a '75 F350. My front discs/suspension came from a '77 F100.

Jun 6, 2016 | 03:59 PM

jowilker

Fleet Owner

Joined: Jun 1999

Posts: 24,552

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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina

JM Any idea why it doesn't have power brakes, because in the 77 they would have been.

John

Jun 6, 2016 | 04:46 PM

ultraranger

Lead Driver

Joined: Apr 2011

Posts: 6,399

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From: El Dorado, Arkansas

Quote:

Originally Posted by jowilker

JM Any idea why it doesn't have power brakes, because in the 77 they would have been.

John

I THINK the '75-'79 F150s came standard with power brakes but was optional on '73-'79 F100s.

Jun 7, 2016 | 03:52 AM

jowilker

Fleet Owner

Joined: Jun 1999

Posts: 24,552

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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina

You may be right but I don't recall much noise about one. Bout like 3 on the tree, you could get it but most were automatics or floor shifts.

John

Jun 11, 2016 | 02:53 AM

Rbeck204

Mountain Pass

Joined: Nov 2013

Posts: 150

Likes: 1

From: Sacramento

My 77 F100 Custom came with front disc brakes, no power booster. I just added a booster, firewall bracket, and the brake pedal from a 75 F100. All worked great. Oh yeah, also bought a new power master cylinder.
I highly recommend getting the brake pedal from the donor vehicle. Brake light switch would not have worked with original manual brake pedal. FYI.
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Jun 13, 2016 | 12:11 AM

calipilot227

New User

Joined: Jun 2016

Posts: 1

Likes: 0

From: San Jose, CA

The '75 F350 booster from O'reilly will work.

Jun 18, 2016 | 02:53 PM

#10

flyboy2610

Posting Guru

Joined: Dec 2001

Posts: 1,668

Likes: 3

From: Lincoln USA

Yes, I know I'm late to the party, but as far as the brackets go, you can get them here. About 2/3 of the way down the page on the right hand side.
Flashback F100's - New Products This page has new parts that have just come on the market

Jun 18, 2016 | 04:54 PM

#11

NumberDummy

Ford Parts Specialist

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 88,826

Likes: 784

From: Simi Valley, CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by jowilker

JM Any idea why it doesn't have power brakes, because in the 77 they would have been.
Not necessarily.

1973/79 F100 2WD: Manual disc brakes were standard equipment, power disc brakes were optional.

UltraRanger: 1967 F100/350 brake pedal is 1967 only (C7TZ-2454-D). 1968/72 F100/350 brake pedal is different (C8TZ-2454-E).

1973/79 F100/350: There are 22 different brake pedals, 19 different power brake boosters, 17 different master cylinders, 7 different clutch pedals, I kid you not!

Jun 21, 2016 | 10:00 PM

#12

bmuhlbach

Cargo Master

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 2,511

Likes: 8

From: hinckley ohio

I had a 79 booster set up on my 68 with the rest of the brake and steering parts from a 77. The 78-79 pedal is different. Like NumberDummy posted above there are a bunch of different pedals.The power brake pedal do say power on them. I wound up with a 77 power pedal That worked great. The original pedal was very high off the floor. The 78-79 pedal was so low to the floor. You probably could drill your own hole in the pedal to set the ht.