I just ordered a new hydroboost steering pump and a hydroboost booster. What will I have to do to install it in my '90 f250? Will I need anything else, besides maybe a couple more hoses? thanks for any answers. Larry

 

You will need pump to hydroboost, hydroboost to steering and hydroboost to pump return hydraulic lines. Also will need F450 MC or you will have to widen the bolt holes on the 250/350 MC. Also may need the output shaft from the HB unit to the MC if it didn't come with your HB unit. I'm trying to find that part for my conversion.

 

There are at least couple of companies selling a hydroboost brake conversion kit. Please do a hydroboost internet search and you will find them right away. From their website you will get some useful information.
I converted my 84 6.9L to hydroboost a couple of years ago with a pretty good results.

 

When I did mine, I ordered the hydraboost/master cylinder combo.
That is the only way you get the output shaft for the master cylinder.

I did try to order just the hydraboost the first time, but that little output shaft is not available from anyone I found, so there was no way to make it work.

I did use the MC of my 250, the master cylinder that came with the hydraboost was for rear disc brakes. Since I have drums on the rear I was worried I would blow a wheel cylinder under panic braking conditions when some overly skilled driver cuts me off while I was loaded heavy.

I love sharing the road with overly skilled drivers, they make my day several times a week.

 

Hey Dave, I remember you saying that hose routing was kinda' important in an earlier post...will you tell me how I should route 'em? Thanks. Larry

 

Oh! One other thing...do you think I could make an output shaft from round stock? If so, any idea of the dimension? Or are the hardness requirements so stringent that a mild steel open stock rod would not be strong enough?

 

Mine goes from the pump to the hydraboost, then the out goes to the steering box in port. The steering box return stays the same. There is another return on the hydraboost that goes to the second return fitting on the pump neck.

You should be able to get a printout of the 450 hose routing from the place you are getting the parts, mine is exactly like the standard routing.

Before I installed the hydraboost, I used a couple quarts of cheap power steering fluid to flush out the pump and steering sector.
Remove the return line and fire the engine pumping the old fluid into a can. Stop the engine and reconnect the return line, fill with fluid and drive it several miles.
Repeat the process several times and you should be getting clean fluid out of the return line.
I repeated the process after I installed the hydraboost, but this time I used synthetic fluid to refill it. Drive several miles and then change it one more time.

Do watch how hard you apply the brakes though, better wear your seat belt till you get used to it.

 

Ha! That's pretty exciting. I'm also getting new rear wheel cylinders, new severe duty pads and shoes...my rear tank leaked out, so, I'm getting a new rear tank and I have an air leak I haven't been able to find in my fuel system, so, I'm getting a new fuel tank sw. So, as soon as the weather gets nicer, I'll take a week off work and immerse myself in the truck. I'll also figure a way to correct my fuel pick-up lines in the fuel tanks so I can get more than 10 gals out of them. Then all I'll have to do is get a coupla' dents pulled out of the passenger side, add a turbo and replace the bench seat with a set of buckets w/console and I'll have it the way I want it. Down the road, if the engine ever fails, I'll throw in a rebuilt 6.9, for further future reliablity...based on Dave's bad experiences buying a used or rebuilt 7.3. I was feeling like I made a mistake, buying a 3/4 ton...thinking I'd like the flexibility to buy a trailer heavier than 12k, but, the 3/4 ton rides so much nicer, empty...although the extra stability and braking of a 1t would be nice, I'll never get my money out of this unless I use it a lot. after these parts, I'm up to $7100. I'll be around $10k when I'm finished with it and no one would pay that for a '90 f250...so, I'll make do. Well, thanks for all the replies. Later guys, Larry

 

Larry, your might be right, you might not be able to get what you put into it, but to replace that truck with a newer used one, you'ld be no farther ahead?

 

My question is for snow plowing purposes with all the extra turning and braking that is done would it be wise to install an oil cooler? I have found power steering coolers on Ford Prepared Plow packages. Even though space is limited with extra cooling for everything else. My superduty was using the front bumper as a heat sink basically.

 

Says "that joker in the snow plow"!

ROFLMAO!

 

No cooler on mine other than the stock two loops across the front cross member.
I have plowed for days at a time with no problems.

 

lartross, I really don't think a mild steel stock would be strong enough. You could temper it yourself, but it might still be susceptible to breaking. I think a higher strength alloy steel would be necessary for something like that.

 

304L or 316L stainless.It wont bend trust me I work with the stuff every day. I have turned axle shafts out of 316L round stock and are still in service to day in my rock crawler

 

Surprise surprise! Rock Auto's hydraulic booster came with a rod in it! Must be living right! ha!