I have mounted my 98 Explorer brake booster on the firewall but am having second thoughts , would like the firewall to be cleaner. I removed the transmission mount and original pedals, have fabbed my own trans mount, so am wondering whether the after market under cab would now fit ? Anyone got any feedback ?

Tom

 

You can by after market pedal set up to use and maybe it will work.don't know how you made your crossmember.I used the stock pedals and crossmember.Had to modify the crossmember to fit my C4 tranny but the booster and master cyl. fit great.used mustang 2 booster and cyl.
ART

 

IMHO, a firewall mounted brake system is superior to the floor mounted. You don't have holes in the floor to contend with and you don't have problems with the fluid draining back to the MC. That price for a clean firewall is too much to pay. You don't see newer vehicles with floor mounted brake pedals...there must be a reason.

Vern

 

The original Boosters were mounted on the Frame Rail under the drivers side of the cab, though Not attached to the floor board & was quite effective w/o problems using the original brake pedal set-up.

 

You could always mount a remote booster with the hanging pedals. Best of both worlds if your pockets are deep enough.

 

I'm going to pull my stock pedal assy and go with hanging pedals. Can't heel and toe with the stock setup. I'll have the stock setup I'm not going to use, but what about the under dash mc and booster kits? They mount the mc and booster sideways and use a bell crank from the pedal to the mc. Clean firewall and hanging pedals, but alittle pricey.

 

I think things would get a little tight with the MC and booster under the dash.

 

Actually, there's enough room for the sideways mc/booster combo. Maybe not plenty, but enough. The dash on my 48 is about 15" from the firewall. Assuming the 7" booster would be pretty close to the firewall, there's still 6-8" to the dash. The width would probably not allow you to use the cowl vent anymore, because of where the handle is, but that may be an easily solved problem. I think it's worth a look if it's in your budget. Check the parts vendors in the magazines.

 

The '50s T-Birds had them mounted under the dash next to the steering column, so if a Booster can be made to fit there, mounting it under the dash on his truck could be done blind folded.

 

My guess would be the booster used on the T bird was related to the remote inline booster used on the trucks of the day, a more compact booster as far as mounting than the typical mechanical diaphram vaccuum booster used today that is mounted concentrically attached to the MC, a less flexible mounting arrangement. I'm using an 8" double diaphram booster (I was told this was the smallest effective size booster) on my firewall that you can see by pictures in my gallery is still a pretty large assembly, without including the extra room need for the bellcrank linkage etc. Yes, you could find enough space behind the dash for it, but I think you may have to give up more than just the cowl vent, like possibly defroster duct, windshield wiper motor and mechanism, ashtray, heater controls, indash mounting of radio or extra gauges, etc.
I looked at that mounting system and decided it was impractical for my use. Yes, where there's a will there's a way, but If I wanted hanging pedals with a clean firewall (I did but decided it wasn't worth the comprimises since I also needed a clutch pedal and MC) I'd likely go with a modern inline booster that runs off the PS pump and hide it under the floor. YMMV.

 

I agree. A clean firewall is nice but IMHO not worth the compromises you have to make for it...

 

Ax

Correct in the fact that it was a Midland Booster used in both F-100's & T-Birds, which are Still available from the manufacturer, so I do not see any reason for not using it if he chooses to do so.
I've already looked into it, the fact that T-Birds gave up None of that & that trucks have more than enough room under the dash, especially on the Left side of the Steering Column where it should be mounted the Same as the T-Birds, avoiding all your objections, it should be an easy fit.

 

But you would still need room to put in the hanging pedal setup with the right angled offset underdash MC as well... If you are going to use the inline booster why not put it under the floor rather than under the dash. Still a lot of hassle and expense just to have a clean firewall IMHO. I'd likely feel different if I was building a competitive showcar, but not for a daily driver, but that's just me. YMMV.

 

That's why we have Choices, as it can be Mounted easly in either place.
As for not mounting it on the firewall in the 1st place.
I've worked on friends trucks that have had them there & they are a Royal Pain in the **** to work around because they stick out so Bleedin' far into the engine compartment as to get in the way of just about anything you need to do on the drivers side of the compartment.
Just my Personal Experience though, others may have not have had the Abraided Knuckles & have more Experience in working in Close Quarters w/ that kind a part being to the way than I.

 

If that's close quarters and gets in your way, you DEFINITELY don't want to work on any late model vehicles! You're lucky if you can get a hand in anywhere in the engine compartments. The new Ford Explorers you have to lift the entire body off the frame to change the sparkplugs! There's a good foot of room between my MC/booster and the engine, I don't even notice it being there.
With your sixes you should have enough room to throw a in there!