vacuum vs. hydroboost
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?
What's the major problem with vacuum power brakes?
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.
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.
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
HB and forget about it....
GENE
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Gordonm
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.
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.
I had vacum assisited then switched to HB and I noticed a huge improvement. 
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?
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?
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).
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by 70 LS1
Is it easy to modulate the pedal with it or is it an all or nothing feeling?
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