Hydroboost Nightmare!!

Hydroboost conversion

I wrote a long winded explanation of the fact that my company had to relocate last year, but it was taken off the forum. I feel responding to this post is only fair. A 20,000 ft warehouse had to be moved quickly. We could not take care of many customers. Moving was a 20 hour a day job. I apologize for any difficulties. Most people had no problem installing them, and are still very happy. We have downsized, but are ready to ship. It seems many people are still convinced tha the Hydrobost is the answer for this car, because of the many ways they are using junkyard units, or cutting up hydroboosts that were made to fit other vehicles to do the conversion. We use laser cut brackets, and stainless hoses.
 
Hydroboost conversion

Thanks, Cuda and WILDWEST! I wish the moderator had left that explanation for others to read. Powermasters and standard Regal vacuum boosters being used on GN brakes are the number trouble topics on this forum, and I feel safety should be first. I originally just offered the explanation 4 years ago, and met with a lot of resistance about the Hydroboost, and then I was attacked!? So, there I was, defending myself, with using a brand new, proven product. The actions of my ex-employees were malicious and evil. Now, they offer copies of my products, in a substandard, unsafe quality. Now, they copy Bosch's Patented and trademarked products, as their own invention! WLSWEST"S installation looks great! As far as pump whine, you can try using Dexron III to settle it down. If that doesn't work, separating the returns at the reservoir certainly will.
 
Actually Bob people getting ripped off by crappy vendors and crooks is the #1 problem issue with our cars. :rolleyes:

Some say your unresponsiveness for about a year was malicious and evil. :eek:

Pay up the vendor fees and stick around, and take care of YOUR business first. :eek:

So why did you hire those illegal aliens in the first place? :confused:

Isn't it hard to do payroll taxes and such without a green card or social security info.? ;)

I've had good luck with the powermasters because I buy my parts from reputable vendors. :)
 
Hydroboost, Vacuum Boosters, Powermasters

Sir, who are you? Do you own a business that qualifies you as a brake expert?Did I ever do anything to you? Why do you feel the need to attack me? WHY do you keep ROLLING YOUR EYES? Do you have a reason to insult me? My company was established in 1950, and stil going. Whether my employees presented themselves as legals (they did, with phoney numbers) or not doesn't matter. Thieves are thieves. I have built THOUSANDS of power brake units, personally in the last 45 years. More than you. These INCLUDE Hydrovacs, Air-paks, Hydroboosts, Powermasters, Bendix Mastervacs, and Delco boosters. I learned how to modify them for the handicapped 40 years ago. I learned how to adapt modern brake systems to any car, 39 YEARS AGO. I have installed Hydroboosts, and Air Brakes on Rolls Royces. I have written 300,000 invoices. You can't hit that number with all of them being unhappy. I am a A.C. Delco distributor, and sold many electric vacuum pumps, before giving up on them. I pioneered the use of the Delco prop valve for use on older car conversions. I installed Hydroboosts on 5 of the "Overhaulin'" shows. I build hydraulic driven winches for So Cal Edison, 110v. generating systems for them. Mico Locks to hold them tight. Bosch apponted BOB as their special distributor for NEW BOSCH HYDROBOOSTS in the United States. WHY? Does Bosch believe I am not qualified to handle their highest liability products? It seems they do believe in me. So, what's the deal with rolling your eyes?
 
brake parts

You may have written that many invoices, but how many have got their money back when you dont ship the parts. My name is craig stevens in ALABAMA ,, you should remember me as many times i have left messages,,,, i bought a hydro boost unit from you and it took a while to get it to me........:frown: then the fitting striped:mad: try to get a hold of you on the problem but would never call me :eek: So then you give me a ton of sob storys so i beleive it( me big dummy) and then went and bought the cannistier from you and guess what still never did receive it from you waited 2 months and then called the credit car company then got my money back.. thats good buisness bob or what............ so you dont have much of a leg to stand on right now wth me bob....... hell you want to make things right send me a free cannistier for the problems i had out of the products i've bought from you,,,,,,and the phone charges i got from your number saying leave a messsage and i'll return you call........ha thats a big joke. especially when you leave 2 to 3 a day......... so how can you come on here and expect people to buy stuff from you?
 
good product, bad product, or somewhere in between. above all else, you have got to have "quality customer service" (at least answer the phone). if you loose customer confidence in business............u will loose the business..........:( (i am not "bashing" anyone i'm just saying)
 
Please help support our hobby and TB.COM by supporting the vendors, suppliers, sellers, re-sellers, & speciality shops that support TB.COM, of which "powerbrakebob" is not one of them. If we lose them we lose the life-line & support system to our cars.
 
Please help support our hobby and TB.COM by supporting the vendors, suppliers, sellers, re-sellers, & speciality shops that support TB.COM, of which "powerbrakebob" is not one of them. If we lose them we lose the life-line & support system to our cars.

Are there supporting vendors that offer new hydroboosts?
 
" Thieves are thieves. "

We agree on that, see the above posts for further clarification. :biggrin:

I don't believe you could not find the time, when you "disappeared" for a long while, to take care of your "customers". Many of them posting in threads, "Where's Bob?" :frown:

Hence the: :rolleyes:

The vendors that support the Buick people can find the time to sell parts and render good customer service, including some vendors that sell brake parts. :cool:

If you really I think I "insulted" you with anything but the facts presented in this section of the board, much of it in your own writing, you're in for a shock. ;)

Maybe you can help Craig from Alabama before you move your shop again, and blame your problems on illegal aliens. :rolleyes:

Maybe next time it will be the martian aliens that caused you to abandon your Buick customers. :p
 
Hydroboost, Vacuum Boosters, Powermasters

I really feel that I should have a voice in responding to this post. My previous explanations were deleted. It was clear that those who HAVE installed hydroboost units had the needed mechanical skills to fabricate and perform this installation. They seem to have had the skills to install ANY of the other replacement parts or RACING modifications that they have listed in their signatures. The period from July 2008, until early 2009 involved downsizing my company's 20,000 sq ft warehouse into a new location. It was a huge undertaking and left no one available for tech calls or shipping. If anyone was left hanging, my apologies. It could not be helped, and is certainly not how I, or anyone, would run a business. 4000 people have read this post. I hope they can understand the difficulties of relocating a huge warehouse. Be that as it may, BOSCH manufactures the new Hydroboosts, since they took over from Bendix in 1995, and the product stands for itself. It is well proven. Bosch did not hand over the only distributorship outside of the automakers in the U.S. to Ol' Bob because he is stupid, or not capable of engineering brake systems. THAT speaks for itself. If the Hydroboost can stop a 14000 lb truck, day after day,for 20 years or more, then stopping a 3400 lb car is very light duty for the Hydroboost. The Powermaster has proven it's LACK of reliability here on this forum year after year. Thousands of posts later, it is not only Number 1 area of concern, but, concerns BRAKE FAILURES. People can spend thousands and thousands of dollars for Art Carr trans ( a personal friend), bigger turbos, bigger injectors, tires, fuel pumps. ported heads, etc., but really "drag their feet" to spend a few dollars on SAFE BRAKES. Why is that? It seems that many here are now convinced that the Hydroboost is really the answer, but they go to the junk yard, buy the cheapest used unit off of a truck , and then cut it up to fit. A WELDED pedal rod is UNSAFE. To cut up a bracket, with no regard to the pedal rod angle, and pedal ratio, is a recipe for disaster. A used, unrebuilt Hydroboost is subject to other damages, or to leaking. A truck in the junkyard probably has over 150,000 miles on it. Then, on top of that, who engineers the correct master cyl for every different combination? The truck master won't work. People take brakes for granted, until they don't have any brakes.
 
Let me ask you a question then......................WHY DO YOU KEEP TAKING PEOPLE'S MONEY WHEN YOU CANT SHIP THE PRODUCT OUT BECAUSE YOUR MOVING? AND WE HAVE TO WAIT ON YOU TO SHIP WHENEVER YOU WANT TOO. just quit on the sob stories.
 
Hydroboost/powermaster/vacuum

Mr Salvage, you never told us what you salvage, why you salvage, and what you do with your salvage. What are your "expert" qualifications? Could you explain?
 
parts

To me quit on salvagev6 and start on me I WAS ONE OF YOU CUSTOMERS AT ONE TIME,,,, but you prob notice i dont advertize you product in my sig....whats bad you cant find a bad thing on me because you had my money twice, but got it back the 2nd time around for not sending the product after 2 months waiting........ so wont you fire back to answer on this one..............hahahahaha.... you wont have a leg to stand on...
 
Hydroboost/powermaster/vacuum

Mr. Wells, I have supported this forum for years with free advice. I have also asked, since you mentioned it, how to be part of your 'advertiser" program, so that "PowerBrakeBob" WOULD be one of the advertisers that support TB.Com. I never received an answer. Could you please send that over? My contract with Bosch brakes was originally for standard replacement power brakes on current production vehicles. The warehouse distributors were used to buying rebuilts since 1995, and weren't ready to go with the new replacement program. So, I brought out the Hydroboost as a replacement for low vacuum performance cars. This was from my experiences with muscle cars in my business since the 60's. I was already doing Hydrobost conversions when I was a Bendix distributor from 1975 to 1995. In the March issue of Car Craft, there is an article "How to Install a Hydroboost". This was our unit, and the writer did all of the installation himself. He didn't say it "fell on", but explained the steps to install it. This could be helpful to those on this forum. To answer the question, "Does anyone of our other advertisers sell new hydroboosts?" No. I offer them at a fair discount, usually 40% to this forum. You could buy new truck units from the dealer. They charge approx $700-$1200.00 with the wrong bracket/rod, and no master or hoses. Then you have to cobble them in.
 
I've kept a Powermaster running just fine on my daily driver for 21 years and haven't stiffed anyone yet on the internet. :p

That's about my only "qualifications". :rolleyes:

I don't post once a week, or once a month, or once a year when I need to find some new victims, I mean "customers".

I certainly understand your concern for using bad parts, junk parts, used parts, and the like with home brewed installation questionable techniques, BUT, I also share others concerns for dealing with vendors who don't ship, can't ship, won't ship, the proper paid for product that fits our cars, and is not around and does not share the same concern about a NON-functioning system purchased from a NON-Board supporting vendor, that shows up here to make accusations and answer a few claims, when he's not moving stuff. :rolleyes:

I stand by all my previous statements. :smile:

Reprinted with permission from owner. ;)

"The vendors that support the Buick people can find the time to sell parts and render good customer service, including some vendors that sell brake parts.

If you really I think I "insulted" you with anything but the facts presented in this section of the board, much of it in your own writing, you're in for a shock. "
 
And for your information Mr. Bob, salvageV6 is the WE4 daily driven car not me. ;)

So you could say I drive my salvage if that helps ya out. :cool:
 
Bob, I started this thread and have stayed out of it intentionally until now. Today you have insulted my capabilities as a car restorer and mechanic. Back when this whole odyssey started the conversation you and I had involved buying a "BOLT IN FULLY ENGINEERED SYSTEM" What you sent was a hydroboost pump that had some miscellaneous parts thrown in. The braided lines you sent were of such inferior quality that even my expert NAPA guy (who covers the construction industry here in Michigan for all their high pressure needs) couldn't work with. Once you did finally send me a pre-cut and tested set of PS lines I did manage to install your "BOLT IN FULLY ENGINEERED SYSTEM" to find out the clevis was not the correct length (brakes worked real well however would not stop working when the pedal was released:mad: ). When you personally and your people told me to cut the clevis to shorten the stroke that's when I lost complete faith in the product and eventually my desire to keep my Buick (thanks for that by the way, the new owner couldn't be more thrilled in Texas). I won't compromise on safety and when I'm sold a bill of goods I expect them to be as delivered. At that point you agreed to take the product back, had your people provide an RMA and even sent me a UPS shipper to return the product. This is when my odyssey of trying to get my money back began. As you well know this went on for weeks. The weeks turned into months. I then jumped on a plane to Los Angeles and drove down to Long Beach to find you. Once there you spent a lot of time trying to find a way out of there, would not agree to go directly to your bank to provide a full refund in cash, said your credit card machine did not have a phone line (disconnected of course) and that basically you could not help me. You did show me the pink information posted to your bulletin board that had my credit card # in full for everyone and anyone to see; interesting way to run a business. Needless to say I don't give up easy and once I mentioned contacting the Long Beach police to file fraud charges you figured out a way to fire up the credit card machine (somewhere offsite). This process did take more than 3 hours but I did manage to catch my flight back to Detroit.

What I find interesting is I saw the eviction notice on the front of your rather sad looking warehouse. I also saw a $55 thousand dollar GMC Denali so new it didn't have plates on it parked outside that you drove up and then drove off again for a couple of hours to figure out how to refund my $900. In my estimation if I had not shown up at your former place of business while you were moving I would never had seen any $$ from you. That sir is intention to defraud and that's what I would have gone to the Long Beach police with.

Don't question my capability when it comes to cars; I don't care how many episodes of Overhaulin you were on and I don't care how many cool famous car people you know. What I do care about is getting what I paid for and getting what was promised. You did nothing but compromise and bull**** me until all of my 6'2" 220 lb frame was standing in your doorway.

I wish you well in your next business enterprise; your last one didn't work out so well and that is on you, not the illegals that stole your business, not your landlord that kicked you out of the warehouse, not the on-line legal counsel (easy search on Google with your cell phone number, imagine a reputable business owner seeking free legal advice on-line from someone he has never met or even seen before; top notch there Bobby) you sought when you felt you were wronged by your landlord. Own up to your issues, make right with the people you hosed and beg for forgiveness from serious enthusiasts in the car hobby (I don't consider you a car enthusiast, you are nothing but a poor businessman). Your reputation here is sullied by your past actions and continues to be and will continue to be poor until you quit blaming others for a failed business. There are plenty of warehouse properties in Long Beach; landlords generally don't kick tenants out that pay their bills and are good people. The excuse of great location doesn't work for me mostly because I've seen first hand where you worked out of and it wasn't pretty.

Hope the folks following this thread enjoy the pictures of my visit to Long Beach... Under that canopy is the door to Hydroboost Bobbies shop, the eviction notice was still on the door when I got there...:eek:
 

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POWERBRAKEBOB:
You need to contact Shane G., or SGRIM on this forum to inquire about becoming a supporting supplier on this forum. Come on, Bob, you know that, as Shane told you that about 2 weeks ago.
 
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