Vac brake conversion in the latest GM high tech perfomance mag

[turbo nasty]

Take a look at the latest issue. Has a detailed step by step conversion from the powermaster to vac brakes.
They shortened the stopping distance by like a 100 hundred foot also just from the swap.
Dude was on his 3rd reman powermaster and it failed so he was sick of em.
Guy said if it worked on the 160 mph TTA then why not on the Buick.

Also some guy with a brand new $40 plus k Caddy CTS puts in a 4.1 turbo buick driveline. Runs in the 11's..... good issue.

Check it out.

Later

 

[jshilli1]

Yeah reading about the vac brake swap made me order one from John D on the board here. My car has never locked the brakes, not that I've tried, but thinking back on it it doesn't feel like it could.

 

[2QUIK6]

You gotta remember they said their old Powermaster was shot to begin with in GMHTP. My Powermaster brakes on my GN stop way better than the vacuum setup on my TTA. My GN will lock up the tires, my TTA will not..the TTA has way less miles too on it.
But, with that said...I'm not a fan of the Powermaster because of reliability, the motor went out on it once so far in its 16 year history, lucky for me it was still under factory warranty when it did. Accumulator has went dead 3 or 4 times....and if you blow a fuse or your powermaster motor goes south at the moment you need it most, you could be looking at a smashed up front end, a totaled TR, or even worse...be dead....
With that said, the next time my accumlator goes dead, or a second they start acting up...I'm converting to the vacuum setup regardless of how it stops, at least they'll be reliable.

 

[turbofish38]

The only thing I didn't like about the brake story is why did they modify the stock brake pedal. Why didn't they just run down to a u-pull-it and get the correct one. Probally would have cost them a whole $2.00 and would have been more reliable IMO. Probally a better question is why didn't the conversion kit come with the pedal. You would think if you are spending a ton of money for new parts they would have made it complete.

 

[2QUIK6]

Originally posted by turbofish38
You would think if you are spending a ton of money for new parts they would have made it complete.

Seems like I have seen a kit advertised in either Hot Rod or GMHTP mag to convert from powermaster to vaccuum that was pretty pricey, but did include the pedal...I'll look when I get home..

 

[Matt_S]

The power master unit tends to have problems, it is not very reliable, so between the two I would definately say go with the vacuum. But your powermaster was put on that car for a reason, since the car has a turbo it creates little vacuum, so that is why you have an electric vacuum pump, because otherwise you wouldn't have any. So a vacuum booster is nice, but when you are sitting on the line with your brake and gas pedals on the floor, all of the vacuum is going to rush out, so the vacuum booster will not provide much power at all. You actually have another option , there is another unit called the hydroboost, which solves that problem. The hydroboost is a hydrailic unit that runs off the powersteering pump, so it requires no vacuum, so you don't have to worry about that electric pump, or worry about lack of vacuum. It is small in diameter, and will give you around 3 times the power that a vacuum booster can give you, and that is no lie. Hopefully that information is helpful. If you have anymore questions give Power Brake Service a call at (800) 504 - 1060 and we can give you a hand, and provide you with anything you need.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by turbofish38
Probally would have cost them a whole $2.00 and would have been more reliable IMO. Probally a better question is why didn't the conversion kit come with the pedal.

Can't say I wasn't asked to donate one of my kits for the test and article. I passed but I would've provided the $2 pedal.

 

[BIG-G]

Before I got one of Red regal's kits...I called that place and asked a few questions.. They said you don't have to change the pedal,nothing else..I almost went that way because my large head doesnt fit under the dash very good... I would of been very upset if I had gone that way and found out I had to remove pedal anyway to modify it.. George

 

[azgn]

I have never run out of vacuum with my non-powercrapster GN.....TTA's seemed to work ok also with vacuum brakes

(and my cam makes a lot less vacuum than a stocker....)

you definitely have to change/modify the pedal