problems with disc brake conversion
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 516
Likes: 8
From: Milwaukie, Oregon
problems with disc brake conversion
ok so i bought a 79 booster and master cylinder from my auto parts store a while back for the conversion on my 66 and i am just now fitting them. the master cylinder will fit directly to where the old one unbolted but the 79 boster doesn't fit. i would have to cut alot of stuff out and drill four new holes and even after that it would still hit a couple of bolts coming out of the steering coulum area. any suggestions on what i should do? i really want to run a booster is there one that will fit?
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 285
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From: Terre Haute, Indiana
You might want to make a trip to your local junk yard and look at the set up on other 79's.
My 78 and 79 both had a bracket that mounted between the booster and the firewall.
If you can find a donor consider buying the master, booster, bracket and plunger assembly and while you are doing that I think I would grab the proportioning valve as well.
I hope someone else can shed some light about any differences between the valves if any at all, I dont know.
My 78 and 79 both had a bracket that mounted between the booster and the firewall.
If you can find a donor consider buying the master, booster, bracket and plunger assembly and while you are doing that I think I would grab the proportioning valve as well.
I hope someone else can shed some light about any differences between the valves if any at all, I dont know.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Suggest check local salvage yards, believe bracket between firewall and booster same 72-79, make sure to take measurement, perhaps more knowledgeable member can advise. As 427 noted, may want to also take donor metering valve and its bracket, unless have plans to mount elsewhere. I also took the lines between the metering valve, or proportion valve, and the master cylinder. Once installed, may need to adjust pedal highth, some member suggest drilliing another hole where the booster arm connects to pedal assembly. I used 1/2" alum. square stock spacers approx. 2 to 2 1/2" long and placed them between firewall and booster bracket.
dave
dave
Last edited by daveengelson; Dec 6, 2007 at 11:37 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 359
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From: garden valley, ca
if locate proportioning valve in same location as the 79 donor wich only reqiures one hole to be drilled(other holes is already there)you can use the brake lines from the m/c to proportioning valve for a 79 f100/ bronco(bronco graveyard has for $40 new). if you take the bracket were the soft line and hard line meet at the frame you can use the stock brake line from a 79 f100 from proportioning valve to soft lines. doing this saved me alot of time trying to make lines and brackets. the stock brackets were soft and hard lines meet wont work, you will need to fab something or use the donors. look at the donor truck when you go to junk yard and alot more will make sense. if you need more info just PM me, just finished mine(manual brakes).
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,144
Likes: 0
From: Sedro-Woolley, WA
^Agree, the holes are already there for the booster bracket where the pedal framework is bolted to the firewall. The bracket has the four offset holes necessary to align the push rod with the hole in the firewall where your original master cylinder was mounted.
Check it out on a newer truck and it becomes much simpler.
Check it out on a newer truck and it becomes much simpler.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 516
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From: Milwaukie, Oregon
thanks guys. i was hoping to avoid the junk yard but it doesn't look like i can. this will be my third trip. lol. but as for all the other conversion parts. my teacher in shop class said i could run a adjustable proportioning valve on the front brakes along with a 2 lbs. residual pressure valve and a 10 lbs. residual pressure valve on the rear drums. anybody see any problems that might occur with that? your opinion would be great.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Wyatt, You are falling into the same pit that folk do by not buying a donor and using the parts from it.
Any 73-79 or 73-76 for FE engines F100 or F150 will have everything needed for power steering and power disc brake upgrades, and is an engineered system. Buying pieces and parts here and there can be more costly and not as safe.
I have done this several times, a couple for myself and helping friends. I have paid as much as $600.00 for a donor truck, and sold parts off of it for more than $600.00 with all the necessary parts for an upgrade left, making the upgrade itself zero in cost. It's the little things like the different brake line clamps that send you back to the junk yard again. One line goes over the chassis and the other goes under and uses a different clamp.
Before you get too far in this project you might want to rethink it a little. IMHO
John
Any 73-79 or 73-76 for FE engines F100 or F150 will have everything needed for power steering and power disc brake upgrades, and is an engineered system. Buying pieces and parts here and there can be more costly and not as safe.
I have done this several times, a couple for myself and helping friends. I have paid as much as $600.00 for a donor truck, and sold parts off of it for more than $600.00 with all the necessary parts for an upgrade left, making the upgrade itself zero in cost. It's the little things like the different brake line clamps that send you back to the junk yard again. One line goes over the chassis and the other goes under and uses a different clamp.
Before you get too far in this project you might want to rethink it a little. IMHO
John
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Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 516
Likes: 8
From: Milwaukie, Oregon
no offence but i think i know what im doing i researched this project for about four months before i started doing it. and the only reason i can't go buy a donor truck is because im seventeen and im still under my parents roof. they don't want there house looking like a parking lot. i have reasons why i can and can't do things. you guys have been a big help and i appreciate it very very very much but don't take me for an idiot. sorry if i offended you but it kinda sucks when my entire life is wraped up in this senor project at school of doing this swap and documenting everything, then having someone tell you that you need to rethink what your doing. again i didn't mean to offend you. happy holidays thank you for your input and helping me so much.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 252
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From: taylor usa
Wyatt,
John was trying to explain to you the best way to save trips to the salvage yard and get the parts for free. We have no idea what your situation is when you post unless we are told. Johns method is the same way I got power steering on my truck, on another project did the same for disc brakes, and now doing the same for an EFI 5.0 with AOD on another.
FYI, not trying to be offensive but we will help with you proof reading also, because in your last post I noticed you meant, you're instead of your, their instead of there.
Have fun with your project.
S
John was trying to explain to you the best way to save trips to the salvage yard and get the parts for free. We have no idea what your situation is when you post unless we are told. Johns method is the same way I got power steering on my truck, on another project did the same for disc brakes, and now doing the same for an EFI 5.0 with AOD on another.
FYI, not trying to be offensive but we will help with you proof reading also, because in your last post I noticed you meant, you're instead of your, their instead of there.
Have fun with your project.
S
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Wyatt, I have raised 3 boys passed the age of 17, and was 17 myself, so I know what being full of **** and vihm is all about.
I'll help if I can, but don't want to burden you either. What ever you do to your truck wont effect mine at all.
take care and hope you pass the test.
John
I'll help if I can, but don't want to burden you either. What ever you do to your truck wont effect mine at all.
take care and hope you pass the test.
John
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,060
Likes: 7
From: Glendale Arizona
First
Look up the master you bought. Most modern units had residual valves built in.
The Residual valves are added for a lower than caliper master cys. IE fat fenders trucks with the master under the floor. A common mistake is to add unnecessary parts on bad advice.
Your truck needs a Proportioning valve. The Wilwood adjustable valve is best left to racing and light weight hot rods to adjust brake bias, Not to a 17 year old driving his first 4000 pound truck.
Garbz
Look up the master you bought. Most modern units had residual valves built in.
The Residual valves are added for a lower than caliper master cys. IE fat fenders trucks with the master under the floor. A common mistake is to add unnecessary parts on bad advice.
Your truck needs a Proportioning valve. The Wilwood adjustable valve is best left to racing and light weight hot rods to adjust brake bias, Not to a 17 year old driving his first 4000 pound truck.
Garbz
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 1
From: Colville, Washington
Wyatt, the replacement master cylinder for the '79 with disc/drum brake system has the check valves, you do not need to add residual pressure check valves. When you are searching at the "used parts yard"
get a combination valve from an F100 or F150 2 wheel drive pickup. It is the part on the inside of the frame rail under the master, it takes care of any valving needed in a disc/drum brake system. It takes care of the disc brake metering and the rear drum brake proportioning functions all in one unit that nearly never fails. 
Take your time and it will work! HTH
get a combination valve from an F100 or F150 2 wheel drive pickup. It is the part on the inside of the frame rail under the master, it takes care of any valving needed in a disc/drum brake system. It takes care of the disc brake metering and the rear drum brake proportioning functions all in one unit that nearly never fails. Take your time and it will work! HTH
Last edited by Putt; Dec 10, 2007 at 11:16 PM.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 516
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From: Milwaukie, Oregon
thanks guys ill tell my teacher the info i got and lets see what he says. lol. a little earlyer on i was inspecting the I-beam braces where the I-beams meet the cross-member and found that one of them was bent, badly. probably two to two and a half inches towards the rear of the truck, probably hit by a rock. my teacher said heat it up with a aceteline torch and beat it back in place and the Metal Working teacher said i need a new one so he told me to remove the hot rivets so he could make me a new one. so with two different guys advice i decided to remove it so i could get a new one made that was even a little stronger then the last one. so once my regular teacher herd that i removed it he was a little upset that i didn't go with his advice. so i guess i will have to break it to him softly about wanting to put in the 79 proportioning valve instead of the adjustable and residual line vlaves because the way i explained my brake system earlyer was his idea. im just running into little set backs all over the place. but i apreciate all your advice everyone, hope your having a good holiday season.