How about a boost? (Hydroboost)

[01spirit750]

Now that I have my truck on the street and with some miles on it, I thought I would review the hydroboost brake setup I am using.

I love the feel of the brakes and there is very light pedal force required. The truck stops great.
* My truck has four wheel discs (Chevelle front clip with disc / Cadillac Seville Disc brake rearend)

A Hydroboost setup directly replaces your brake diaphram and uses hydraulic pressure from your power steering pump to provide power assist brakes. A lot of cars and heavy trucks with diesel engines use a hydroboost system.

I went with a hydroboost due two reasons:
1. My truck does not make a lot of vacuum with the Edelbrock RPM package cam
2. I was using a single stage diaphram vacuum booster (should have used a two stage booster)

Because of both 1 & 2 I had very little power brake assist.

You can buy the whole package (booster and lines) from a couple of different online street rod suppliers for about $500 - $700. I am on a budget so I purchased a new hydrobooster for a Astro van for about $120 and made up my own hardlines. It was a simple replacement of the existing vacuum diaphram. The only hard part was running the lines back to my master cylinder (I have the under floor mounted setup, similiar to stock location).

The setup is plumbed:
Power steering pump pressure out >> Hydro boost >> From hydro boost out you have two return lines. One is high pressure and goes to your power steer box pressure in and the other line is low pressure fluid return. The low pressure tees with your low pressure out from your power steer box and then back to the power steering pump resevoir.

[hotrod1]

pictures? Any pics of your brake pedal? I just like to look at your truck anyways.

[faribran]

i was pondering this route.. but had to settle for a smaller booster... i may do the Hydroboost down the line.

[01spirit750]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

pictures? Any pics of your brake pedal? I just like to look at your truck anyways.

I will add some pictures. Need to update the status pictures anyway. The attached picture was old.

[hotrod1]

Hey 01spirit750. Any updates on the hydroboost system? Pictures would be great. You have me motivated to install one myself. If u do post pictures, it would be nice to see the unit install and the pedal system and linkage as well.

[tmoble]

here's some stuff from over at Chevelles.com where I hang out from time to time.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=356175

more stuff in the link at the bottom of that page.

figure out a way to use this bracket:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1955-5...ter,34153.html

In cities there's guys who will come to your location and make custom hydraulic hoses on the spot.

[hotrod1]

thanks for the info. I already have a bracket mounted to the frame for a normal canister brake booster. Will this work?

[01spirit750]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

thanks for the info. I already have a bracket mounted to the frame for a normal canister brake booster. Will this work?

The astro van hydrobooster bracket has the same bolt pattern (4 bolt) as the standard vacuum booster. This is what I used on my 57' 3100

Our local pick n pull has a lot of the Astro vans with these. You might check them in your area.

[hotrod1]

I see you are in Cal. What part are you in?

[01spirit750]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

Hey 01spirit750. Any updates on the hydroboost system? Pictures would be great. You have me motivated to install one myself. If u do post pictures, it would be nice to see the unit install and the pedal system and linkage as well.

Yeah, Sorry. I was sidetracked on the wife's landscaping projects.

I will get some pictures. I have it up to work on the exhaust.

[BigDan3131]

If I were to do this I will be going with a 4 wheel disc setup from Wilwood. Should I also use their master cyl too? I bet yes.

[mknittle]

I did that on my flat fender jeep. I love it! It is narrow er than a vacuum booster.

[01spirit750]

Well, I thought I better follow thru and post some pictures of my hydro boost setup.

My master cylinder and hydro booster are mounted in the stock location under the floor of the truck.

These pictures are just of the engine compartment area. The booster itself just mounts in place of your vacuum diaghram.

Three lines: 1- Pressure from pump to hydroboost.2- Pressure from hydroboost back to power steering box, and 3- lowpressure return line t-connector with the low pressure return line from the power steering box.

[Kim57]

Looks like a real nice clean job.
Kim

[mknittle]

looks great! How do you like it and did you use an adjustable proportioning valve?
I am going to use one on my 52 GMC when I get to that point.

[01spirit750]

Originally Posted by mknittle

looks great! How do you like it and did you use an adjustable proportioning valve?
I am going to use one on my 52 GMC when I get to that point.

Thanks

I like it alot. My engine has a big cam so I was not getting any power assist on the brakes with the old vaccum diaghram booster.

They say to be carefull on your first test drive because you will apply the brakes for what you were used to and with hydroboost you will stop immediately and go thru the windshield.

Yes, I used an adjustable proportioning valve. I have 4 wheel disc brakes (chevelle up front and cadillac seville in the rear) so I need to be able to fine tune the bias front and back.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by 01spirit750

Thanks

I like it alot. My engine has a big cam so I was not getting any power assist on the brakes with the old vaccum diaghram booster.

They say to be carefull on your first test drive because you will apply the brakes for what you were used to and with hydroboost you will stop immediately and go thru the windshield.

Yes, I used an adjustable proportioning valve. I have 4 wheel disc brakes (chevelle up front and cadillac seville in the rear) so I need to be able to fine tune the bias front and back.

Yeah, You have to watch out for that windshield at first. I used the same setup on my willys jeep on my jeep I worked out great. Nothing like slow starts and G force stops! lol

[72Mountaineer]

I'm thinking that this setup should work with a power rack....also with a Type II pump....any pics of the system under your floor? What all should I scavenge from the van? This setup should also save a lot of space for the tranny and exhaust, correct?

[01spirit750]

Originally Posted by 72Mountaineer

I'm thinking that this setup should work with a power rack....also with a Type II pump....any pics of the system under your floor? What all should I scavenge from the van? This setup should also save a lot of space for the tranny and exhaust, correct?

I would think that this would work with an power steering pump setup, but obviously I do not know for sure.

Yes, it is smaller then a vacuum booster and it made the space I needed to run my exhaust.

I don't have any pictures under the floor board right now.

Chris

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by 72Mountaineer

I'm thinking that this setup should work with a power rack....also with a Type II pump....any pics of the system under your floor? What all should I scavenge from the van? This setup should also save a lot of space for the tranny and exhaust, correct?

I would get the pump and booster make sure to get the push rod from the pedal I think there are 2 lengths I had to shorten mine.
Get the pressure hoses, they probably won't fit but you might use the ends. You can have somebody that makes hydraulic hoses make up some hoses. For the return hoses you can use bulk hose as there isn't much pressure. I used a brass "T" in the return lines on my jeep because my pump has only one return port..

Mark

[mr48chev]

I missed this one the first time around it seems. Thanks for all the info folks, I've been wanting to do that on the 48 and this will make it a lot easier. I had hydroboost on the 77 Chev 1 ton 4x4 I had a few years ago and those were the best feeling power brakes I have ever driven on a truck.

[LostMy65]

Another good thread.
Thanks

[_Ogre]

old thread, but if your interested in a hydroboost read my build thread in my sig

[whitedog76]

Another good place to look is the 96-2007 full size vans in the scrap yard.

On my trips to the U-pull, there is alway plenty full size vans to choose from.

The hydroboost is vey similar to the early Astro unit, it bolts almost perfectly straight to the firewall.

Ford Super duties are another good place to look too. Their hydroboost unit is almost identical to the GM van.

[LostMy65]

Does the Ford Hydroboost share the same fittings as the GM?