Hydroboost braking systems

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blue missile

blue missile

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Who here has a hydroboost system on their ride, how much? how easy to install/ how do you like the braking?
Andrew
 
The kits average anywhere between about 700 to about 1200 dollars. pretty easy to install, just a plate with the master and the lines tee into the p.s. pump. I put one in a friends 502 powered camaro and the braking is great. it has a positive feel to it. not like some of the stock vacuum setups where you can get that rebound or "bounce" feel when your hammering the brakes. diesel trucks have been using this setup for a long time so its not anything new or un-tested. what kind of plans do you have for the car?
 
Camd64
Its a pro touring duster with a 416 stroker 600/550.
The build is on members restorations/ birth of the blue missile. If you need more info I can pm you.
Can these units be found in existing cars at a salvage yard if so what make and years?
Andrew
 
As a person who has installed about 4 or 5 of these, .....THEY ROCK! I have installed them on cars with big aftermarket brakes and on cars with stock front brakes(stock disc for now). Either way the amount of pedal effort dramamtically decreases while the amount of stopping power dramatically increases. For a pro touring car, it's perfect. I have done a couple of pro touring style cars with hydroboost and it just complimented the package.
 
http://www.classicperform.com/ check these guys out. quite a few companies sell stuff made by them like hydratech. most of these setups came on trucks so its possible but probably easier to get the kits. If you want to look in the yards though most common would be just about any year diesel chevy. ford used this vacuum pump system for years that didn't work very well.
 
I want to put out there my only complaint with them I agree they work much better than conventional vacuum booster systems as long as the motor is RUNNING!!! If the engine dies your brake pressure quickly goes down hill each time you have to let off after you have let off the pedal and applied it three times the reserve tank is depleted and you are down to full manual brakes. Different articles say different things about how much you have on the first second and third times pressing on the brake but most aftermarket companies claim 60-75% the first time 30-40% the second time and 10-20% the third time. Now granted vacuum operated brakes do the same thing usually even worse actually but they are cheaper than the hydroboost conversion also, most people don't mention how quickly you have manual brakes on a hydroboost system as soon as the engine dies.Good Luck Justin
 
True the brakes power assist will go out after you apply it a few times but like you said so does a vacuum system. also your not trying to stop a 3+ ton truck, its a car. the main thing too is if your motor dies..... you stop. only a monkey going downhill is gonna try to keep going with a stalled out motor.

The fact is with a huge cammed motor with no useable vacuum you have a couple choices. one being run manual brakes but a lot of people want the easier pedal. another is the electric vacuum pump but most are not reliable enough for constant use. pretty much last is the hydoboost. more costly yes but you get better braking.
 
I ran one on my built 454 with Baer serious street 4 wheel disc brakes. Before with the standard vacuum booster it felt like the brakes really weren't coming on the way they should, with the hydroboost the brakes start working the second you touch the pedal, stopping action is right there, no pedal drop like a vacuum system. Installation is simple and straight forward. The only downside is they feel more like non power brakes from a pedal feel but stopping power is 10x better. The front/rear bias needs to be spot on or you'll lock up the wheels in a panic stop although they have great modulation once you get the feel for them.
 
First let me say thanks for all the response.
The six cyl granny car I am converting has no power brakes, The cost of a new vac booster is ridiculous, so I was going to look in the yards anyway.
I'm not sure the cam will allow the use of vac booster but according to comp cams its" no problem" Is this the spot for the monkey comment?
The cam is a 285/297 Hl for MoPars. The computer says it will make 14" of vac. Either way I think the Hydroboost, offers some obvious advantages.
There will also be some fabrication involved if I cant find a dodge that used it giving me a shot at bolting the whole setup to the firewall.
Andrew
 
i have a chevy pickup with the duramax diesel in it. might just be my truck, but the pedal feels strange. on regular power brakes, or manual for that matter, you know how the pedal feels when pressure starts to build in the brake system? well, on my truck that feeling is pretty much not there. pedal is soft feeling, and yes i have bled the snot out of them. drove a friends truck and his feels the same. truck stops ok, considering it weighs over 3 tons. but the pedal feeling is just not right......kind of feels like there is no or very little brakes would be a good way to put it......
 
FYI, 96-04 Mustangs used a hydroboost system. It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to adapt if you don't mind blue oval parts.
 
inkjunkie said:
i have a chevy pickup with the duramax diesel in it. might just be my truck, but the pedal feels strange. on regular power brakes, or manual for that matter, you know how the pedal feels when pressure starts to build in the brake system? well, on my truck that feeling is pretty much not there. pedal is soft feeling, and yes i have bled the snot out of them. drove a friends truck and his feels the same. truck stops ok, considering it weighs over 3 tons. but the pedal feeling is just not right......kind of feels like there is no or very little brakes would be a good way to put it......
Click to expand...



Hydro boost braking feels nothing like regular or power brakes & you can't compare them. I work at a gm dealer & work on hd trucks on a daily basis. You may want to have them checked just to verify that they are operating correclty as I have seen the units or accumulators leak & cause problems.
 
Look on the back of the October 2009 issue of Mopar Muscle. You will see the Red Bore master cylinder offered by Just Suspension.

I went to the website and they are updating it so I was not able to get any additional information.
 
69383gts,
I have an 04 Mustang GT and my son has a 96 Saleen. They both have hydra-boost brakes and I can't feel the difference between hydra-boost and vacuum boost, until I shut the engine off.
My 340 Dart has the .508 cam in it and it can get a little touchy at an idle.
The Buick Grand Nationals also had the same set up.
I also put 188k miles in 2 years on a Ford Super-Duty 7.3 and never had an issue with them.
 
I'd like to add to this thread as I have some questions and am looking for any updates from people who have them on their Mopars.

I was at the Spring Fling on Saturday with Johnny Dart and we saw the setup on Kenny Wayne Shepard's Duster that was featured in MoparMuscle at one time. We talked with Kenny and he said it was one of the best things he has added to his car. He did not install it himself but we were able to inspect it. It looked like a great unit and it had much more clearance that a fat brake vacuum booster. He said it worked flawlessly on a recent Power Tour.

I have sourced some parts and Napa sells a reman unit for about $175. Napa can also fabricate the necessary high pressure PS lines as well. The low pressure return lines should be easy to make using your existing line and a "T" piece. Not sure what that the cost is but it has to be cheaper that the SS braided hoses in some of the kits I looked at. The only other thing is making a bracket for the firewall. I'm sure you can fab something machined out of aluminum if you take the drawing to a machinist. I've seen an adapter plate for $75 for all a-bodies 64-up. The master cyclinder is another part you'll have to get as well. I think the larger bore disk/drum MCs have higher stopping power. Kenny's had a the mopar unit that had the plastic reservoir. Can be used with the traditional cast iron but I'd rather have the light weight aluminum. The other part is modifying you the brake pedal push rod. I was palnning on using a clevis bolt so it's adjustible. Also you need the pushrod and spring going from the MC to the Hydroboost. I think you can get those items from a GM/Chevy dealership. Or get it from a junkyard. One more thing is an adjustible prop valve.

As far as sourcing from a junkyard I think the mid-90's Chevy Astro Van/Safari a good donors.

Cost for all this looks to be around $400 unless you get a used Hydroboost from a junkyard cheap. Pricy but may be a good way to go if you what better stopping with a big cam and low vacuum.

Redfastback Steve. Any tips you could give on the setup?
 
daves66valiant said:
I'd like to add to this thread as I have some questions and am looking for any updates from people who have them on their Mopars.

I was at the Spring Fling on Saturday with Johnny Dart and we saw the setup on Kenny Wayne Shepard's Duster that was featured in MoparMuscle at one time. We talked with Kenny and he said it was one of the best things he has added to his car. He did not install it himself but we were able to inspect it. It looked like a great unit and it had much more clearance that a fat brake vacuum booster. He said it worked flawlessly on a recent Power Tour.

I have sourced some parts and Napa sells a reman unit for about $175. Napa can also fabricate the necessary high pressure PS lines as well. The low pressure return lines should be easy to make using your existing line and a "T" piece. Not sure what that the cost is but it has to be cheaper that the SS braided hoses in some of the kits I looked at. The only other thing is making a bracket for the firewall. I'm sure you can fab something machined out of aluminum if you take the drawing to a machinist. I've seen an adapter plate for $75 for all a-bodies 64-up. The master cyclinder is another part you'll have to get as well. I think the larger bore disk/drum MCs have higher stopping power. Kenny's had a the mopar unit that had the plastic reservoir. Can be used with the traditional cast iron but I'd rather have the light weight aluminum. The other part is modifying you the brake pedal push rod. I was palnning on using a clevis bolt so it's adjustible. Also you need the pushrod and spring going from the MC to the Hydroboost. I think you can get those items from a GM/Chevy dealership. Or get it from a junkyard. One more thing is an adjustible prop valve.

As far as sourcing from a junkyard I think the mid-90's Chevy Astro Van/Safari a good donors.

Cost for all this looks to be around $400 unless you get a used Hydroboost from a junkyard cheap. Pricy but may be a good way to go if you what better stopping with a big cam and low vacuum.

Redfastback Steve. Any tips you could give on the setup?
Click to expand...

Sure. My only opinion is to get all new. I would never trust used brake parts from a JY. JMO. I end up ordering all my stuff thru a chevy dealer that is a dealer for hydroboost and it saves alot of headaches. A hydroboost is one of the best upgrades I have ever done to a customers brake system. I have done 2 B bodies, and 2 E bodies, but not an A yet( maybe mine will be next):-D
 
So no hydroboost unless you have power steering. That sucks.How many guys have power steering in thier big block A's?

I guess one could design a system that just uses the ps pump for brakes.Adapting a pump in and plumbing some lines would be not so simple with a big block in an A. Theres only so much room.

Should prove O.K for me as Im tossing the inners.
 
needsaresto said:
So no hydroboost unless you have power steering. That sucks.How many guys have power steering in thier big block A's?

I guess one could design a system that just uses the ps pump for brakes.Adapting a pump in and plumbing some lines would be not so simple with a big block in an A. Theres only so much room.

Should prove O.K for me as Im tossing the inners.
Click to expand...

A big block has the PS pump mount higher than in a small block. I would just add it in and keep manual steering. Just a matter of hose routing.
 
Can they make a specific pump and brackets for cars that don't have power steering?

This would make sense and brackets are not hard to fabricate as long as you could find some kind of hydraulic pump that would work.

This sounds like a fun project.
 
daves66valiant said:
I'd like to add to this thread as I have some questions and am looking for any updates from people who have them on their Mopars.

I was at the Spring Fling on Saturday with Johnny Dart and we saw the setup on Kenny Wayne Shepard's Duster that was featured in MoparMuscle at one time. We talked with Kenny and he said it was one of the best things he has added to his car. He did not install it himself but we were able to inspect it. It looked like a great unit and it had much more clearance that a fat brake vacuum booster. He said it worked flawlessly on a recent Power Tour.

I have sourced some parts and Napa sells a reman unit for about $175. Napa can also fabricate the necessary high pressure PS lines as well. The low pressure return lines should be easy to make using your existing line and a "T" piece. Not sure what that the cost is but it has to be cheaper that the SS braided hoses in some of the kits I looked at. The only other thing is making a bracket for the firewall. I'm sure you can fab something machined out of aluminum if you take the drawing to a machinist. I've seen an adapter plate for $75 for all a-bodies 64-up. The master cyclinder is another part you'll have to get as well. I think the larger bore disk/drum MCs have higher stopping power. Kenny's had a the mopar unit that had the plastic reservoir. Can be used with the traditional cast iron but I'd rather have the light weight aluminum. The other part is modifying you the brake pedal push rod. I was palnning on using a clevis bolt so it's adjustible. Also you need the pushrod and spring going from the MC to the Hydroboost. I think you can get those items from a GM/Chevy dealership. Or get it from a junkyard. One more thing is an adjustible prop valve.

As far as sourcing from a junkyard I think the mid-90's Chevy Astro Van/Safari a good donors.

Cost for all this looks to be around $400 unless you get a used Hydroboost from a junkyard cheap. Pricy but may be a good way to go if you what better stopping with a big cam and low vacuum.

Redfastback Steve. Any tips you could give on the setup?
Click to expand...

Nice info ... Im assuming the 90s Astro donor was for the Hydro boost unit itself ?
 
I know my 06 dodge 2500 Ram had them and there was no compared son between hydroboost and power boost I would soon the hydro boost
 
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