All 3 of my 'vettes have Manual brakes. I can lock them up anytime, anywhere. Even with auto-cross rubber or road-race slicks, lock-up is harder, but it will if asked to. But, you do get some leg exercises...not a bad thing!

P.S. I must add this note: Many 'vettes I have worked on have poor manual brake efficiency. This is due to the pads not properly seated to the rotors. Some would not lock the wheels!

 

Twin Turbo is mearly stating FACT! Grutzy, your comment about being able to stop in shorter distances with hydro boost is complete crap. The simple FACT is hydro boost cannot help you stop in shorter distances. This is one of those things that you can say what you want, But anyone who knows the slightest about brake operation would understand that your statement really does not hold any water. In other words. He is right and you are wrong. The only way you can brake in shorter distances now is perhaps you had a power brake master cylinder in your manual brake system. Any assist makes any system easier. Hense the term assist being used.
I bet your power steering makes your car corner better too right?

And if you question twin turbos aftermarket support, or his mechanical knowledge, please take a minute and do your homework on who your talking about. Your statements could not be farther from the truth.

 

I agree Red C3, He's on the ropes!

Yea? Well My dad can beat up your dad!

[QUOTE]
Maybe you are just one of those anti-aftermarket guys, I don't know.
[QUOTE]

Oh so you know about TT's NCRS Corvette, Of course it's a CFC3 NCRS!

Again, There are valid reasons to use boosters, warping the laws of physics aint one of them.

If you Could be so kind to share some of your vast and boundless knowledge, can you explain how a booster shortens braking distance?

And after your done with that diatribe, maybe you could explain why stopping distance is even a relevant measure of braking performance. I have yet to see a good race driver use the brakes that hard.

Anyway, this guys a I'm outta here.

 

Because he does know it all. Well at least a hell of a lot.

 

Well, I know what I have experienced and I don't care what anybody says; the hydroboost has added a lot of braking power to my car. I can stop in much shorter distances for whatever reason.To those who criticized what I wrote about bench pressing, etc.; I did so because Twin Turbo suggested that I must be a weakling, unable to press down my manual brakes.
Maybe I should call up the owner of Hydratech and ask him about the truth to this issue. Yeah, I know..........he will tell me ****. Well, he happens to be a very intelligent and knowledgeable man. I am not an engineer but it does not take one to recognize a tremendous braking improvement in one's car. All I know is that the hydroboost made my brakes a hell of a lot better. I agree with Norval, that most, if not all of the critics, don't have a hydroboost in their cars.
I don't know if my particular car had a problem that the hydroboost covered up but the brakes were all new (rotors, calipers, brake lines, master cylinder). For all I know, maybe the master cylinder was a 1 1/8 power master cylinder and consequently affected my pre hydroboost performance. All I know is that despite having all new components, my brakes sucked until I got a boost! Now they are great. Do any of you know more about the performance of my car than I do?

 

Grutzy,

I was not kidding -- all I said was "there is a debate". I did not claim to be on either side of the issue.

I imagine the feel is much improved over manual brakes. Anyway, I'm glad you are happy with the upgrade.

 

Seems like a lot of money & work just so one can apply a small amount of pressure on the brake pedal.

 

I think you guys are confusing theory with reality.

I think we all agree the locking the brakes is a bad way to stop the car.

I think we also agree that threshold braking is the best way to stop are in the shortest distance. You need to do that when something unexpected happens in front of you... like when some ahole slams on the brakes for no reason on the freeway.

What we don't seem to agree on is that it is signficantly easier to threshold brake with a hydroboost. Only people who have a hydroboost seem to understand that.

~Jay

 

Jack71, I have to apologize to you because I did not have any idea that some people do not believe in the hydroboost. After I responded to what you wrote, the non-believers expessed their opinions. I thought that it was generally understood that the hydroboost improves braking. I did not think there was any question of that. You were correct and I was wrong. There is a debate over it, after all. It seems that those who debate it, don't have much to stand on but that is their choice. However, I have not seen many owners of the hydroboost say that it does not help.

 

Yup..mr originality...that's me. No aftermarket bolt ons for me.

 

OK, So I can't resist a good argument....

It sounds like Hydroboost users confuse sensitivity with performance. It's like decreasing the accelerator pedal travel and saying your car is faster. taint so.

My dad had a 77 Volare station wagon with extremely sensitive brakes,I was always locking them up since I was used to my '65 corvair with manual brakes. It doesn't mean the Volare had better brakes, just more sensitive.

I have never argued the increase of sensivitivity, the reduction of pedal pressure or the reduction of booster size.

Just the reduction of stopping distance.

If you LIKE hydroboost, thats fine, but don't be telling me they change the basic laws of physics, i.e. stopping distance.

 

 

With your talent I'm sure you could throw together your own Hydroboost kit in a weekend for under $200. You should give it a try and see if you can stop your car in a shorter distance. Because of all you have done to your brakes, the effect of the hydroboost will be less dramatic. Your brakes are most likely already outstanding. But I still think you that with a hydroboost you will find that you are in more control of your brakes. And that would equal better braking.

Another benefit that the Hydroboost seems to have, though I don't know how to proove it or measure it, is the responces time. With a vacuum assist and maybe manual, there is a slight delay between the time you press the pedal and when the car starts to slow down. that delay is significantly reduced with a hydroboost. Those fractions of a second are very noticable. In an emergency situation it can save you a few feet which could be the difference of hitting the car in front of you or not. On a race track you are usually able to plan your braking so it will be less of an issue there.

I don't know how you like to measure braking performance, but for me stopping distance is critical. If stopping distance were not an issue, I wouldn't need brakes at all... I could just down shift then use the parking brake to come a complete stop.

BTW- I like a good argument too.... what do you think about titanium rotors?? JUST KIDDING

~Jay

 

You know it's all about feel, if you like the feel thats all that really matters isn't it?

 

I put stainless steel o-ring VBP calipers and new rotors all around a year ago. Don't drive the 82 anymore, but when I do, I am instantly amazed at how rock hard and immediate the brakes are compared to newer cars. Plain old low tech high quality parts .

 

Just to share my experience. I started "of course" with stock brakes. I was absolutly impressed with them and their ability to stop in the rain with no problems what so ever, expecially over the mustang I drove prior. Over time they began to pull to one side. "nothing like doing an 60 mph lane change when hitting the brakes. So I replaced the calipers. To keep a long story short, I eventually ended up with a 87 booster and master cylinder in my vett. Needless to say the results were less than what was expected. Thats when I hit the hydroboost. I agree that it does provide a very solid pedel, and I was at ease when braking it felt much better than when I had first got the car, and it sure did beat the hell out of the 87 booster. However as of now I have tossed the hydroboost aside (not enough room) and have made way for complete manual brakes. I have yet to test them on the road now, however i did get to joy ride in a 78 manta which the owner happenes to be using a c3 braking system. Perhaps those others with manual brakes could tune in, doesn't it feel better to be able to feel the brakes?
In an assisted system it seems to kill the feeling. Same thing applies to power steering, with manual I swear you can feel the tires gripping the road and feel them beg for mercy when you push it a little to far. Perhaps this is why many race cars are setup with a complete manual system. I would swear this debate would really lead down to one point. There are those who look for that race feel, and there are those that look for that comfort feel.

I guess you could always a middle ground between both.

 

I guess that is why Nascar is using power steering now. Yes race cars do use manual but they also weigh about 2500 lbs or less. When stopping a 3500lb or more car it is nice to have the assistance. I get more feel from the hydroboost than I ever did with the manual system. Not all race cars use manual everything. The fatigue in a long race from driving manual stuff is very taxing on the drivers. I'll take the power anytime.

 

Has a good article on Hydro-Boost!