This is more a hypothetical question I guess.

The older trucks had the interesting linkage/pulley set up, running from the brake pedal to the booster, while the later (78/79s) got a booster that hooks directly to the pedal, like on a car.

Why didn't Ford just do that immediately from the get go? Even the 72 Torino I had back in college was equipped with a brake booster that went right to the pedal, no strange linkage.

I often wonder if the truck guys ever talked to the car guys in the design studio.

 

What older trucks, from the 1950's?

1965/66: The pushrod from the booster goes directly to the brake pedal.

1967/72: The pushrod from the booster goes directly to the brake pedal.

1973/79: The pushrod from the booster goes directly to the brake pedal.

The older trucks used a bracket to mount the booster to the firewall.

This had to do with clearance space under the hood. Cars don't use large 11" diameter boosters. Trucks do...finding enough room for these setups neccessitated using the mounting bracket.

Also cars firewalls were designed with boosters in mind, because power brakes have been around since 1953. Power brakes on trucks didn't become popular till 1968.

This had to do with several factors: Two different boosters were used for years: Bendix & Midland Ross. Two boosters for different application, supply and demand.

Every parts catalog pic from 1965/79 shows the booster rod to the brake pedal

I wonder what you've been looking at?

 

Per Dennis' pics

Pre - DJ-0001 F150/250 Booster

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...150F2550-1.jpg

This does not go *directly* to the pedal, IMO.. Like I said, funky linkage setup.

This one does

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...PostDJ0001.jpg

 

I found four booster pictures that match the top picture:

P Series Parcel Delivery

F500

F150 with a 6200 lb. GVWR

Econoline E150/350.

I wonder which booster Dennis posted a pic of? There's quite a few more than two applications.

1973/79 F100/350. There's over 100 F Series boosters!

There's different boosters for:

With or without cruise control, 2 or 4WD, with or without disc brakes, before/after certain serial numbers breaks, dual piston calipers, single piston calipers, GVWR, early/late production within ONE model year.

Different suppliers, Bendix and Midland Ross - that adds more booster application equations.

Then there are the different models of: F100, F150, F250, F350 to consider.

 

Add "F100" to that list. what is in my 79 F100, it's one of those pre DJ-0001 trucks.

I mean I really chuckled at that linkage.. When the later booster just goes right to the firewall, and directly to the pedal.

 

My 78 Bronco has one like the top one, My 79 has one like the bottom one, always wondered whats the diff. ? The linkage make it easier to apply more pressure less effort maybe?

 

Later booster? What does that mean?

Some boosters are the same part number 1973/79, some are 1975/76, some 1977/79, a few (mostly F350's) are year/model specific.

We're back to the same question. Most boosters pushrods go directly to the pedal, a few use the linkage. More info added above.

Want to know more?

Order the same 73/79 Ford Light truck parts catalog Dennis is using from hipoparts.com.

Have fun trying to figure out what fits what!

 

Bill, you're getting caught up in the application.. By later booster I mean, the second picture.. bolts right to the firewall, with no intervening linkage/bracket, and the rod goes right to the brake booster.

Sowder understands my question.

I'm asking "why the difference".

 

Why the change.. Why the linkage in the first place? Why not just use the booster directly to the firewall, like the car/post DJ-0001 booster..

Did it take that long for the truck engineers to catch up to the simplicity of the car engineer's design? Was it a stubborn truck engineer who swore his clunky linkage setup was better than the car design?

Now we are getting somewhere, as you understand my question.

 

I'm caught up with the application, because the application means everything!

Go back to post #4. There's the answer.

Multiple applications = multiple boosters = multiple mounting types.

Not all boosters are created equal.

One Bendix booster type may mount the same on one application, different on another.

Ditto for Midland Ross.

It all has to do with the specific application.

Stop judging cars inre to trucks..there are dozens of factors why boosters are different between the two.

And don't fall into the syndrome based on what new trucks have equipment wise as opposed to what older trucks have.

I laugh at posts everyday, cuz someone asks the question why his 1963 F100 didn't offer 10 way high back power bucket seats with multi-lumbar positions.

Trucks were bought mainly as work vehicles till 1991, when the buying public demands changed. Now ppl wanted more extras, more luxuries. Women bought 10% of all the F150 production in 1991, a huge change from the former 2% of just a few years back. Most truck buyers back in the 1970's and before didn't give a hoot about power brakes, AM/FM radios, cruise control, etc. They didn't care about gas mileage either.

Heck...power windows/seats weren't offered until 1980!

 

Right

However, I will submit, that a 78 Bronco (Sowders example), is for all intents and purposes, the same as a 79 Bronco. Calipers/master cylinder/wheel cylinders, at least from a replacement parts

Yet, the booster is different with the strange linkage.

Is the pedal different? Did Ford change suppliers of boosters? Internal politics at the engineering firm? causing one engineer to feel his linkage design was far superior (I've personally seen this happen before)? Why does a 73-78 F150 use that booster/linkage, yet, the 78+ (pre DJ-0001) not? Midyear, a design change. Last minute cost savings?

I'm not looking to get into a pissing contest with you, but we seem to be speaking different languages.

pre DJ-0001 F150, Booster with Linkage.. late year 79.. Booster directly to the pedal..

You say "the application is different"... I ask "Why?" You say "The application is different"..

It's turning into one of those "Because I said so" things.

 

I didn't think I was askinng such a silly question on the level of "why don't I have 10 way power seats".

It was a fairly minor brake issue, that the later design seems much simpler, which begs the question of "Why didn't they think of that sooner". Unless it was a clearance issue with the older engines, and it was cheaper to simply use one design as opposed to two, where as the later trucks had no 360/390, Ford exhausted their parts bin, then swapped to the simplier post DJ-0001 setup. All I can think of?

 

That power seat analogy had nothing to do with you.

Why didn't they think of "it" sooner?

They did. 1965/66's had booster pushrods directly to the pedal.

I don't want to get into a p!ssing contest, either

But you seem to be missing the point. I'll try again.

You asked why boosters mount different.

1973/79 F100/350.

There are over 100 different power brake boosters!

There are 2 suppliers: Bendix & Midland Ross.

There are 11 different brake pedals.

All this has to do with one thing: application.
-----------------------------------------------
Things were simplier before 1973.

1964/67: There were 2 different brake pedals used.

1968/72. There is only 1 brake pedal for all the F100/350's. P/B's made no difference.

 

11? That explains a lot I suppose. Factor in different chassis, manual/auto and manual/power brakes.

You figure the bean counters would have caught that and said "fix this mess", LOL.

 

Actually Bill, My 75 has a direct to pedal booster

The 77 & 78 and up to DJ0001 have a fulcrum application booster

From DJ0001 the push rod went directly to the pedal,.

I have posted the aftermarket applications many times to make it easier to figure out .

Here they are again.

73 and up F150 boosters

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...pplication.jpg


Ford application for 73-79

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i7...plication1.jpg