Yesterday I was involved in an accident with my 99 Dodge diesel, I lost my steering because the power brakes did not release quick enough as I was skidding in the snow and I was wondering if the vettes with the hydraulic conversion have this problem, you see with my 6t8 I can come screaming into the corner hit the brakes and if I apply the brakes to hard and the tires brake loose when I release the pedal instantly the skid stops. I was one of the many involved on US hy 41 in Wisc., you might of seen us in the news. T

 

My MIL lives right there in Slinger, was just telling me about the crash. I have Hydro-boost on my 75 and have not encountered any delay on the release of the brakes or loss of steering while braking.
Hope you and your truck are ok.

 

Is it possible your brake hoses had constricted, and didn't let the calipers relax? This is a common and well known problem for C3s, and I had a Dodge Dakota with this problem (with about 12 years on the hoses at the time).

Did you lose power steering boost, or did you lose steering authority due to locked brakes/wheels/skidding?

 

Is it possible the SNOW part of that equation had more to do with loss of steering control than the fact that the truck has hydroboost? If hydroboost caused loss of steering of any kind, it would not be installed on large trucks that are built to carry and pull heavy weights. Doesn't that truck have ABS? I haven't driven my 71 in the snow, nor do I plan to any time soon, but I have not had any issues with the hydroboost to date.

 

I have a hydroboost on my 70, although I have yet to drive it. In reading about this unit, I've read that the low pressure (actually no pressure) return like must present no resistance to the flow of hydraulic fluid out of the hydroboost unit. If there's any resistance to flow out of the unit, the brakes will be slow in releasing. The low pressure return line is routed to the reservoir of the hydraulic pump, which is commonly referred to as the power steering pump. People newly installing the hydroboost unit often just "T" section the hydroboost return line with the power steering return line so that both have a common return line to the power steering pump reservoir. This configuration can cause the hydroboost to lock up momentarily since the power steering fluid return can interfere with the hydroboost return fluid. The oil flow out of the hydroboost is on the order of a table spoon or two fluid flow, the fluid flow out of the power steering unit is a gusher and will slow oil flow out of the hydroboost. GM has hydroboost units in some of their early diesel cars and diesel trucks. Here the Saginaw power steering pump has two returns...on for the power steerijng and one for the hydroboost. If you are installing a hydroboost in a car (like a Corvette) with a Saginaw PS, you should get a Saginaw PS pump reseroir designed for their diesel cars and trucks. This prevents restricting the hydroboost fluid return.

Cliff's Notes: A possible cause is something that restricted return hydraulic fluid flow from your hydroboost unit.

 

To me, it is more likely you lost steering as a result of weather conditions and not a mechanical failure. Are you able to produce evidence of the hydraulic failure or was it a perceived condition? ( i know this sounds like a lawyer, but ,legitimate questions for real answers,) I hope you are ok from the incident and unhurt.
And as others have said, you'll likely never encounter these same conditions in the Vette.

 

I lost steering due to the brakes locked up. T