good source for hydroboost kit.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I changed all my brake lines, new 0 ring calipers, hydroboost and it stops on a dime and gives you 9 cents change.
Your original post says " good source for hydroboost kit" I can't give you one but it seems you were thinking of changing over and now's the time to do it.
Some say the original brakes are fine and they can lock them up no problems. They have never driven a Vette with the hydroboost system I would imagine. One of the best mods I have done in the 15 years I have owned my Vette. Go for it
Your original post says " good source for hydroboost kit" I can't give you one but it seems you were thinking of changing over and now's the time to do it.
Some say the original brakes are fine and they can lock them up no problems. They have never driven a Vette with the hydroboost system I would imagine. One of the best mods I have done in the 15 years I have owned my Vette. Go for it
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
I hate to do it.I just changed to the power brake booster but Im tired of spending the time on it and not getting far with it.I have found a place that sells a kit with everything you need called hydrotech.You get fed up with something after a while.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
It will stand on its nose now.The problem is its and inch off the floor when it dose.Pedal travel sucks.If I do it I'm going to use the new mastercylinder I just bought.The only thing I will have left over is the new brake booster.There are othere things I want to do to the car but I don't want to move on till I get the brakes sorted out.I'm thinking about pulling the original engine and putting in a big block for starters.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
I have a 77 up booster that came with with a short and a long rod for either the deep of shallow mastercylinder.I bleed the mastercylinder and put it on the car.Plugged the outlet ports,cranked up the engine and the pedal only travels about an inch and its rock hard.The pedal travel with it hooked up is way too excessive.Its a good pedal but its an inch off the floor when it locks up the brakes.I dont have enough room to extend the clevis much.Its already screwed out all the way.I would give anything not to have to go to the hydro boost but its looking like thats my next move.Im going to drive it and bleed it a few more times but Im just wore out with it.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 6
From: springfield ohio
So your brakes don't feel spongy at all? Did you bleed all 4 bleeder, per side, on the rear and two per side on the front? I only ask because I recently had a similar problem after changing the rear calibers and brake lines. The pedal didn't feel right until I bleed all of the system, starting with the closet working my way to the furthest.
I am also looking to go with the hydro boost system while I swap in an LS2 engine this winter, let us know how this turns out for you, I know what to expect with mine. Buy the way my brakes work good as new, just thinking hydro because I want to get rid of the vacuum set up.
Riggs.
I am also looking to go with the hydro boost system while I swap in an LS2 engine this winter, let us know how this turns out for you, I know what to expect with mine. Buy the way my brakes work good as new, just thinking hydro because I want to get rid of the vacuum set up.
Riggs.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
I think I'm going to replace all the seals and flush out this dot 5 for dot 4.I just put the mastercylinder on a couple of weeks ago.I may just take it apart and clean the seals with denatured alcohol.The oringed calibers are less than six months old.Should I just put new seals in them or could I get away with tearing them down and flushing and clean the o o rings and lube with dot 4.Every rebuild kit I find includes o ringed piston.Dose anybody where I can get just the rebuild kit for o ringed piston calibers.I'm just curious before I put the hydroboost on.
Last edited by rugerm44; Sep 29, 2011 at 10:09 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,486
Likes: 71
From: Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Have you looked close at the flex lines? I know you said they were SS, but are they bulging somewhere? Also do you have a lot of pad material left as I have had cars with low amounts of pad left and the brakes require lots of pedal.
My hydro-boost along with the Wilwood brakes and Hawk race pads and master have tremendous stopping power
My hydro-boost along with the Wilwood brakes and Hawk race pads and master have tremendous stopping power
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,986
Likes: 21
From: Columbus MN
Have you looked close at the flex lines? I know you said they were SS, but are they bulging somewhere? Also do you have a lot of pad material left as I have had cars with low amounts of pad left and the brakes require lots of pedal.
My hydro-boost along with the Wilwood brakes and Hawk race pads and master have tremendous stopping power
My hydro-boost along with the Wilwood brakes and Hawk race pads and master have tremendous stopping power
Check the high pressure hose.I went through 2 sets of stainless steel covered Russell brake lines on my Hydroboost system in just a few months before I switched to conventional rubber hoses.
Both sets of Russell hoses developed leaks in the lining, which has really thin walls. The second set didn't just leak, it burst, leaving me with unassisted brakes and steering for the limp home. The first set looked like they were leaking at a fitting but were leaking in middle and the fluid ran down the inside before coming through the SS hear a fitting. The burst host would have really pissed a lot of people off if it had happened a few weeks later at the track (Rock Falls, WI).
Two failures in 2 sets of hoses is not an acceptable failure rate. I just had a custom-length hose made at NAPA. No, it doesn't look nice like SS hose, but it's reliable. That was a year ago. I've had no problems whatsoever with the new hose.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
I replaced everything but the hard lines attached to frame.The SS flex lines are 4 years old but I will check them out.I haven't noticed any bulging or black specks in the fluid.Man there's got be a reason for this problem.If there is a tiny leak I'm not seeing it.I can't see any residue anywhere.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
ALL GM cars of the 60-80's have had soft brake pedals....it's in the boosters, the best trick is to just don't stick with the OEM type parts...you have to do the HBoost or you will have that affect, worse on 4wheel disc brake sharks than most other vehicles....
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: League City TX
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
I have a 69 camaro with stock booster and rubber lines.Dot4 fluid.Pedal is hard as a rock.I had a 74 Monte Carlo.All original.Had 32000 on it.It was 9 years old and if you barely touched the pedal it would put you into windshield.Both of these cars have disc front drum rear.Unless these new boosters are somehow different on the inside the vette should have the same hard pedal.Both of those cars stop on a dime with little more than 3/4 pedal travel.When I plug the outlets on the mastercylinder my pedal travel is only about an inch and hard as a rock.The vette will stop good its just that the pedal sucks The brake light is out to.So I think there is enough pressure in both systems.Thanks for the responses guys.All ideas are appreciated.
Last edited by rugerm44; Sep 30, 2011 at 11:40 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I did a direct A-B comparo when doing my install, I removed the m/cyl ,....left it hang by the lines, tied up to the fender.....changed out the booster, and rehung the m/cyl without ever touching the brake plumbing one damn bit.....it went from soft/squishy on the floor brakes with WAY too much pedal travel, to rock solid withing about 1-1.5" of travel.....
so you explain to me how my observations are rong......btw, I had a 1.25" truck master on there trying to cure the design problem.....and it helped slightly, but I had to go back to a stock bore m/cyl so I had SOME pedal travel, and modulation abilities.....
Oh, BTW, the HB is a hard drive input to output....
Like SO many others, I fought them damn brakes like a tiger for the first ten years I owned the car, for the last 5 years there is no issues....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
The thing that gets me is with mastercylinder outlets pluged and the engine running I have very little travel and a hard pedal.If it was a design problem in the booster why dosent it show up then.Not trying to argue the point so don't get me wrong.I'm just exploring the problem.Just trying to be sure I don't spend the money on the hydroboost to just find I have air trapped somewhere.Starting to wish the po was still the present owner.It's a nice car but it just ain't worth the headache.
Last edited by rugerm44; Sep 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM.