Anyone Converted to Hydra-boost brakes?
 

Has anyone swapped out our 1st gen vacum system and used the hydra boost system off a 2nd gen truck? i have everything i think i need to do it off a parts truck i have. Once i have my truck all apart i plan on trying to put it all together but i just wanted to know if anyone else has done this so i could get some tips on doing it. or even if its possible to do. i plan on using the pump setup that bolts to the timing gear housing along with the master cylinder and booster. Thanks for any imput guys!:c:

Yes, but I used a chevy booster and master with a 2nd gen pump. My vacuum pump couldn't keep up with repeated uses of the brakes in a short period of time. Plus I had the booster/master already sitting on the shelf.

I'd love to find a steering pump that bolts straight to the timing cover and eliminates the vacuum pump. People seem to think they are made of gold though whenever I find one for sale.


My brakes went from so-so to amazing.

wow thats great to hear that it works. i wasnt sure if it would bolt up or not. At the moment i have a electric vacuum pump for my brake cuz one of the others felt off going down the high way and it does not get the job done at all.

well it wasn't 100% bolt on. There were some tweaks to make it work.

Most notable thing was having to shorten the rod to the pedal. Also the end on the chevy booster is different than the dodge one. I killed 2 birds with one stone by cutting the dodge end off the stock booster then welded it to the chevy booster at the length I needed.

The chevy booster bolted almost right into the factory holes. Only the center hole had to be clearanced.

The bracket on the booster needs to be flipped because in the stock configuration the booster is offset towards the top of the bracket and if bolted on that way, the rod binds up when you push the pedal.

The hard lines don't bolt straight back up either. I think I used the chevy nuts on the dodge hard lines. I should have wrote this part down as I can never remember what exactly I did.

I used the factory power steering lines for the chevy. I had to bend them a little to get them to line up right, but they are pretty damn close right out of the box. Plus they are just stock chevy lines so they are easy to get vs having something custom made.

2nd gen pump bolted right onto the 1st gen vacuum pump and has provisions for 2 return lines, makes for a neater install. (I had tee'd the returns together at first with the stock pump, when it started leaking I swapped to the 2nd gen pump)


Pics:

This is how the firewall needs clearanced. almost. If you don't flip the bracket over it needs clearanced towards the top like it is marked. But like I said, when done this way, the rod binds up when you push on the pedal. So when you flip the bracket you need to open up this hole just like this, but on the bottom.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...e/IMAG0091.jpg


All done. You can see the return lines tee'd together on the lower left. I now have the 2nd gen pump with the 2 return line nipples so it looks a lot nicer.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...e/IMAG0093.jpg


The donor truck was a 95 chevy 3500 with the 6.5 diesel.

looks real nice. i cant wait to have brakes that will feel good when i got to stop. i got a little ways before i do it but im glad i know its possible. thanks :c:

Can someone make this a sticky? I drove a 92 W250 with this same conversion last night. It makes a HUGE difference in braking.

ya its nice when ur doing the swap if you get into trouble you know the number give me a shout


also the adaptor fittings to go from MC to distb. block can be a real mother depending on what MC you use