Hey all,

Was looking into swapping to hydro-boost from vacuum boost brakes, the most recent post i could find on this was from 2012 was seeing if anyone has any more up to date information. Do i need to swap the drum brakes to disks or just need the proper proportioning valve?

 

The easiest option is to install a kit from hydra tech

Hydratech Braking Systems :: 1980-1996 Ford F Series / Bronco Hydraulic Brake Assist System Listing

Your drums should be fine. Just make sure the entire braking system is in good working order. The line pressure is greatly increased when going from vacuum to hydroboost brakes.

 

I also went with the Hydratech system. Very, very happy. But as Edgethis noted, the increased pressure will find every weak spot in your existing brakes. I blew a hard line testing in the driveway and had dragging fronts afterwards, so I replaced all hard and soft lines, rear wheel cylinders and small parts (adjusters, springs, etc. while I was in there), front calipers, and master cylinder. The only pressure part left is the RABS. I'm very happy with the results. I used Inland Tube's stainless kit for hard lines, I forget who's stainless braided soft lines, and I think Bronco Graveyard for the other parts.

The kit itself is pretty easy to install, basically unbolt the vacuum booster from the master cylinder and pedal, bolt in the hydraulic booster, and connect provided booster lines to the power steering pump. For a basic install, you don't open up the brake pressure circuit. HOWEVER, if any of your brake pressure circuit is suspected old or not in top shape, this is the time to do a full rehab. Replace everything at once, bleed once, no apprehension at long downgrades or panic stops.

One additional preemptive replacement part I will harp on, even for a basic install, is the power steering pressure line. It has a lot of weight (for its size) cantilevered off the pump fitting, and is vulnerable to fatigue cracking. Mine broke there, dumped all fluid, and immediately no steering assist. Luckily, it dumped on a slow uphill, so I had time and space to figure out "WTF just happened to my steering?", and several years before I went to hydroboost. With hydroboost, that failure will take out both steering assist and brake assist. You'll still have brakes, but will be doing a two-footed leg press to get even a little braking action. If you don't definitively know that the line was replaced recently, replace it alongside the hydroboost.

If you're doing hard lines, do yourself a favor and go with a kit. Price isn't all that much more than bulk line and fittings, and you save yourself all the time and trouble of getting the lengths, complicated bends, flares, and fittings correct. The only bends I had to make in the Inland kit were a couple of shallow "S"-bends in the long under-frame line to the rear; they send that one long "just in case", and some "S"-bends let you adjust to your needed length without cutting and flaring. I used stainless, but folks also seem to like cupronickel.

My $0.02. Some free advice is worth less than what you paid for it.