vacuum vs. hydroboost

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Mar 25, 2006 | 03:09 PM

70 LS1

Thread Starter

Melting Slicks

Joined: May 2001

Posts: 2,812

Likes: 4

From: Gig Harbor Wa

vacuum vs. hydroboost

I want to move from manual to power brakes and everyone suggests the Hydroboost, but I have no interest in adding power steering right now and can't see adding the pump just for the brakes.

What's the major problem with vacuum power brakes?

Mar 25, 2006 | 03:51 PM

Gordonm

Race Director

Joined: Dec 1999

Posts: 19,610

Likes: 778

From: Forked River NJ

Vacuum sucks

Had to say that. I have the hydroboost system and it works very well. Brakes are much better than manual. The vacuum looses some vacuum with repeated stps and is not as strong. I have driven vacuum assisted cars and the HB is much more positive.

Mar 25, 2006 | 03:54 PM

mrvette

Team Owner

Joined: Jul 1999

Posts: 65,492

Likes: 230

From: Orange Park Florida

Vacuum power brakes suck, obviously....the pedal is soft to the point of IF you tromp on it good and proper, it can be forced right to the floor, never saw any GM car in what?? 45 years of driving that was a whole lot differant, and I tried it all....been a while.....owned this '72 vette here for eleven years now, and just a month or so ago finally got a really GOOD pedal now...thanks to hydroboost, with NO other changes.....took apart the old booster to see what in hell was rong with it, and found NOTHING,.....nothing I could spot anyway...so, what in hell am I supposed to think??

HB and forget about it....

GENE

Mar 25, 2006 | 04:10 PM

Yellow73SB

Le Mans Master

Joined: Nov 2004

Posts: 6,434

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St. Jude Donor '07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordonm

Vacuum sucks

I had vacum assisited then switched to HB and I noticed a huge improvement.

Mar 25, 2006 | 05:54 PM

I'm Batman

Team Owner

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 23,831

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From: Springfield MO

St. Jude Donor '07

You could always go really crazy and install a Jeep box while you're at it...then you'd have a good reason for that PS pump.

Mar 25, 2006 | 06:33 PM

70 LS1

Thread Starter

Melting Slicks

Joined: May 2001

Posts: 2,812

Likes: 4

From: Gig Harbor Wa

I am still leaning towards a C5 booster. I have driven a few of them and the brakes feel solid, not squishy. The only C3 I drove with power brakes was a 78 and it was really squishy.

I still have no interest in the hydroboost, just trying to find out why everyone likes it so much.

Is it easy to modulate the pedal with it or is it an all or nothing feeling?

Mar 25, 2006 | 06:43 PM

BBShark

Drifting

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 1,426

Likes: 1

From: VetteMOD

St. Jude Donor '05-'07

It seems like the C3 booster is a pretty small diameter so the vacuum assist is probably not as good as other cars. That is the only difference I see in this system and say, for example, a Camaro (as far as pedal effort).

Mar 25, 2006 | 07:34 PM