Hydroboost

[SVORay]

Yes, I finished it Wednesday. Didn't spend enough time purging the air from the lines, because I finished so late, and now I have noise from the PS pump. But maybe it will go away- that's what I'm told,anyway. The setup has more braking power than the PM I replaced, but there isn't as much pedal travel, so I'll have to take some time to get used to it.

COOL...

So how'd the brake lines turn out? I mean was all of the stainless and bolt up or did you have to custom cut a few ends? How was adjusting the rod to the brake pedal?



Also, you got your kit from Hydratech? Do they do C/C or Paypal?

 

[Ormand]

They gave me the choice of getting the hoses and the fittings and putting them together, or getting them preassembled, and I didn't want to assemble them, so I got them all put together. Tyey both fit pretty well, without too much slack. The high pressure hoses are steel braid, with Earl's fittings. The return hose, from the booster to the pump, is just rubber hose, and it tees into the original return from the reservoir to the pump. The pedal push rod has a threaded adjustment. I measured the original, and set the replacement to be about the same length, measuring out from the bracket. I may have set it a little short, because I had to adjust the brake light switch, and the pedal feels just a tad low. When I get enough energy built up, I may crawl under the dash and lengthen it a turn or two.

 

[SVORay]

Thanks


I'm going to order my booster next week...hopefully Monday:biggrin: Now I just need to iron out the issues in the transmession and she'll be set. Although now I'm thinking of rebuilding the motor...It's a never ending story lol

 

[dentmasters01]

That is total bull****. Both sides were at fault ford for running the tires with so low inflation and Firestone for making tires that couldn't wistand the heat that when run under inflated.

Here is my reasoning. 90% of the cars on the road have under inflated tires becasue the owners never check their tire inflating except for when the oil change places do it for them. Are their tires consistantly exploding?
My parrents had an explorer at that time and it had the same recomended low air pressure......... but it came with goodyears and not firestones. If it was fords fault for recomending low pressure why was it the explorers with goodyears never had any problems? The reason is they were designed to run underinflated without a failure since the engineers know that 90% of the cars on the road have underinflated tires.

Now I don't know for sure what the actual stastic is on under inflated but I work at an oil change place (part time money while I am in school) and 9 out of 10 cars need air in the tires.

Also as a side note, I have seen more tire failures dealing with firestones than any other brand. People come in with a flat tire to be repaired I air it up and air is leaking out the side wall since the inner liner has failed. I have had that a few times never with other brands. Also I've had a few firestones fall apart when I am dismounting them to repair and nail or such. I have had probably 20 different firestons that have good tread but are dry rotted and fall apart. I have only had one other tire do that and it was some no name brand.

you're right, most tires are under inflated, but that doesn't take away from the fact that its up to the driver/owner to read directions and perform maintenance. Its also not up to firestone/ford to protect people from themselves. I guess the mcdonalds people should send employees out to ride with their customers to make sure they don't spill hot coffee on themselves too. If the tires failed because of under inflation, then its not the fault of the tire makers. just my 2c

 

[gofstbuick]

I getting ready to take my hose ends to a hose and fitting dealer today. If I didn't break the ends off my power steering reservoir, my hose assemble would be complete. I test fit the HB unit last night. This set up is going to be cool. By the way, is there any electrical wires I need to splice in, since it appears the powermaster wiring ties into the cooling fan wiring?
I can't wait to have dependable brakes again.

 

[Tin Man]

No electrical wiring for the hydroboost. Just tie up the powermaster lines out of the way and try to weather seal them.

 

[gofstbuick]

Thanks. I'll just put some dielectric grease in there and be done. I just finished bench bleeding the master, BWeavy is sending out a power steering reservoir and my hose assembly is on order and should be shipped within the week. I can't wait .

 

[POWERBRAKEBOB]

Hydroboost Conversions

If You Mention You Are A Member Of "turbobuick.com" We Can Give An Extra 10% Off The Hydroboost Kits. This Saves $54.00 Off The H/b-master, And $29.oo Of The Hose Set.

 

[Brer Rabbit]

This is not an expensive set-up.

My buddy did some calculations and I believe we were way under $225.00 for all the parts and that was with a new hydroboost unit from napa. They do need a core so I was going to get a junk core from the junkyard. Im going to push the issue and try to get this done before the snow hits here.

 

[POWERBRAKEBOB]

Hydroboost Systems

Hey Out There....there Are Some Guys Looking To Install Hydroboosts Thru Junkyard Or Auto Parts Sources. That's O.k., But The P/m Pedal And The Hydroboost Pedal Are The Same. The Pivot Pin Is Located Higher On The Pedal, Than A Vacuum Pedal Which Lines Up With The Center Of The 4 Hole Bolt Pattern.the H/b Bracket Must Be Used With The Correct Angle To Line Up With The Pedal. Using Flat Brackets Or Truck Brackets Will Cause Misalignment, Rod Binding, And Scrub The Bore Of The H/b. We Have Been A Power Brake Rebuilder For 56 Years, And Yes, We Do Offer The Conversions In Reman, If That's What You Want. Bosch Granted Us The Special Contract To Distribute New Hydroboosts Because They Felt We Were Qualified To Handle This Special Market. Bendix Designed The Hydroboost, And Sold Out To Bosch. Neither One Of Those Companies Have Supplied New Hydroboosts For The T Types For Almost 15 Years. Bosch Allows Us To Do This. The Dealer Can't, And There Is No Auto Parts Store In The U.s That Can Provide A New Unit.. We Feel The Pricing Is Fair. For Those Who Don't Want The Expense Of The Stainless, We Can Provide Black Rubber Type Hoses. P/m Me For Pricing

 

[POWERBRAKEBOB]

Hydroboost Vs Vacuum Vs Powermaster

I Don't Believe Napa Has New Hydroboosts. New Units Do Not Need A Core Charge. Remans Need A Core Charge, Usually $75.00

 

[gofstbuick]

For you DIY ers out there, The hose lengths are 33 inches of #6 to the power steering gear, 36 inches of #6 to the power steering pump, 41 inches of 3/8 push lock for the return lines and 16 inches of 5/8 push lock for the feed line. I used black cloth braided hose for the high pressure #6 hose. Hose ends are Aeroquip 190261-6S (2), 411-6S (2), 73014-6S (2), FCM2609
(1), and FCM2608 (1). Plus you'll need a 3/8 brass tee for the return line set up and an inline power steering filter. With braided cloth hose, fittings, and filter, the set up cost me around $145. The hydraulic hose shop set the hoses up for me, as some ends needed to be silver soldered on to existing steel high pressure lines. Hope this helps our members.

 

[gofstbuick]

Now I have a question. Are any of you using an in-line filter? because there is no way a tee and in-line filter will sit between the power steering reservoir and the gear box. Not even a filter that sits within the line (sort of like an a/c system filter).

 

[Tin Man]

I am not running a filter. I believe hydratechs forum mentions to run one initially to filter any contaminants and then to not use one. I do not believe the new hydroboost equipped vehicles run a filter. It wouldnt hurt I suppose.

 

[Roger]

85 GN hydroboost

Hi Guys. Power Brake Bob Here. A Year Ago, I Was Talking About The Hydroboost Conversion And How Well It Worked, But I Was Shouted Down Pretty Hard By The Vacuum Booster Proponents. We Have Been In The Power Brake Business For 56 Years, And Have Rebuilt Many Powermasters, And Also Did The Vacuum Conversions. We Had Nothing But Complaints, And Lost Friends When They Were Not Satisfied With The Vacuum Booster. We Are The Only Company Authorized By Bosch, (the Successor To Bendix) To Sell New Hydroboosts Outside Of The O.e.'s. I Proposed The New Hydroboost Units 3years Ago Here, And Then Gave Up With All The Bickering. We Have The Correct Brackets, A New Hydroboost Unit, And Prefer Stainless Hoses, But Others Can Be Used. Besides The Performance Of The Hydroboost, It Also Uses The Same Pedal Ratio As The Powermaster, Saving That Changeover. Master Cyls Are Easily Replaceable, Ands New Units Last 200,000 Miles. If You Want Bigger Brakes, Or 4 Disc, The H/b Easily Handles It. With Your Foot On The Brake, Bringing Up The Rpm Also Speeds Up The Pump, Locking The Hydroboost On Harder, The Manifold Pressure Keeps Going Up, And Even The Stall Speed Of The Converter Can Be Surpassed. All Of This Makes The Car Leap Off The Line. One Guy Called, And Said He Was In The Points Standing At The Drag Races, But Lost Out, As The Car Creeped Three Times And He Redlighted Away His Position We Do Have Reman Units For Those Guys On A Budget.

Bob,I have long been interested in the hydroboost ever since it first came out.
I have also tried the vacuum conversion on my 87 T & went back to the pm, luckely when they were $199 with a life time warranty from Advance Auto Parts. The vacuum was a nightmare of vacuum leaks on 3 different booster canisters.
I have aquired a 85 GN hydroboost & have many questions. The unit is without a master cylinder. Will my pm master cylinder work? Will my 87 ps pump work using a "T" fitting on the return lines?
TIA
Roger

 

[gofstbuick]

The 87 pump will work just fine. I now have an 85 hydroboost on my 87. I never tried hooking a PM master cylinder to the HB. My unit came with a MC, but my MC was bad, so Bob supplied a good MC to go with my HB unit. You will be able to tee the reurn line in with the return line on from the power steering gear. You may order a set of hoses from Bob or use the info in this thread to have a set of lines fabricated

 

[Russ85MCSS]

Just did my Hydrobost install

Hey guys, I just put a wrecking yard 94 Astro van hydroboost and master cylinder in my 87 WE4. I used 85 GN hoses. I cut the female end off the old 87 hose that goes from the box to the ps pump then had it brazed to the 84 hydroboost to ps pump hose after cutting the last curve off the 84 hose end (see pic on my web pages). I removed the firewall mounting plate off my powermaster and had the center hole weded up and cut the old master muting studs off and ground the center hole to fit the hydroboost snugly.
I cut the pedal pushrod off the Powermaster and had it Tig welded to the 94 pushrod so I had a length of 4-7/8" from the booster flange to the center of the eye of the rod end at the pedal (same dimension as my powermaster rod). I used a 3/8" brass T to tie into the return line off the remote reservoir for the hydroboost return line. I used the brake fluid reservoir off an s-10 pickup on the Astro master. The brakes feel great and I am a happy camper!
I just finished the install today and test drove it. I am impressed with the feel of the brakes and it stops better than ever with a balanced brake feel. I guess the Astro van master is a good match to the G body calipers and rear wheel cylinders.
Here's a link to the install pics on my web page.
Ram Air Monte Carlo SS

 

[POWERBRAKEBOB]

Hydroboost Vs Vacuum Vs Powermaster

I See Interest In The Hydroboost Is Taking Hold. Yes, They Work, And Brake Problems Go Away. We Originally Offered The 85 Hose Set, But It Would Not Connect To The 87 Pump. We Then Built Stainless Pressure Hoses With Rubber Type Return Hoses. Some People Liked It, Some Wanted All Hoses To Match In Stainless. Stainless Return Hoses Add Extra Expense To The Set. We Give The Choice. Rubber Returns Drop The Hose Set Price Down To $200.00, Instead Of $325.00. Our Company Has Been In The Power Brake Business Since 1950, Specializing In Conversions And Upgrades. We Went Through All The Scenarios With The G.n.'s In The 80's And 90's, As Far As Rebuilding The P/m, Or Doing The Vacuum Conversion, With Or Without The Vacuum Pump. The Hydroboost Was The Best Performing System. We Offer The Hydroboost In New Units Because It Is A Quality System, And Comes With A Warranty. We Offer Reman Units, But The Cost Savings Is Minimal. We Set Them Up To Fit Your Car, And Bolt On. Things To Remember When Using "junkyard" Units Are; The Pedal Ratio And Angle Are Critical To The Operation Of Any Power Brake Unit. The G.n Used An Angle Bracket To Reach A Higher Pin Position On The Pedal. The P/m Uses A 1.250" Piston. It Needs The Higher Pedal Ratio To Push It. The Hydroboost Uses The Same Ratio As The P/m, With The Higher Pin Location. No Need To Change The Pedal, If You Use The Right Bracket. Cutting And Welding Pedal Rods Is Not A Great Idea, And Should Be Professionally Done. Most Junkyard H/b's Are From Trucks, Which Use 1.250" Or 1.362" Masters. Too Big For Car Calipers. The Bracket Angles And Pedal Rods Are For A Truck, Not A G/n. The Astro Van Has "s10" Sized Calipers And Happens To Use A 1.125" Master. 1.125" Master Is The Right Size For This Combination. The Plastic Astro Reservoir Is Slanted The Wrong Way To Clear An Astro Hood Requiring That Change. So, Your Choice. Go Junkyard, And Cut To Fit, New Complete Kit, Or Reman Unit, With The Different Hose Combos. That Buick That Was On The Show "pinks" Lost When He Brought Up The Rpms And His Vacuum Booster Let Go Under Manifold Pressure, And He Pushed Thur The Red Light And Lost. With The Hydroboost, The Brakes Hold Tighter As The Rpm Comes Up.

 

[dentmasters01]

ok, 85' remaned hydroboost unit from advance auto is 118.00. Both hoses from advance are a total of 45.00, but from what I've read, they are probably the wrong length so I buy the fittings and have hoses made locally for under 150.00. I need to tie into the return line. Am I missing anything??
I want to make sure of one thing. Is the 85' and my 86' brake pedal the same? Will the hydroboost unit "bolt in" with only the hoses having to be fabricated?

 

[gofstbuick]

ok, 85' remaned hydroboost unit from advance auto is 118.00. Both hoses from advance are a total of 45.00, but from what I've read, they are probably the wrong length so I buy the fittings and have hoses made locally for under 150.00. I need to tie into the return line. Am I missing anything??
I want to make sure of one thing. Is the 85' and my 86' brake pedal the same? Will the hydroboost unit "bolt in" with only the hoses having to be fabricated?

The PM pedal and HB pedal are the same. Since the fit is pretty snug, you may want to have a friend hold the unit under the hood, while you position the HB arm on the pedal shaft. I accidently hooked the lines up oposite, silly me . But one the unit was hooked up it worked great. Yes you need to set up a set of hoses. If I were you, use the measurements I provided above, and take you HB unit, plus the hose fittings from the power steering high pressure and the fitting from to the high pressure side of the steering gear to a hose and fitting shop and have your set up fabricated. As stated above, you will not be able to use a filter on the return line, as the distance between the steering gear and reservoir is too short. I would suggest removing the reservoir from it's bracket prior to removing any hoses, that way you reduce the chance of cracking the reservoir (been there done that). Make sure you go back and recheck your hose fitting are tight, or you may be buying a remaned power steering pump as well (been there done that to, got a little too excited).