Hydroboost, does it feel different?

[87350IROC]

Guys, Can anybody with Hydroboost experience explain to me how it feels. I am looking to improve the braking feel, not necessarily braking performance, of my camaro with stock 4 wheel discs. I love how my Acura's brakes engage firmly with very little brake pedal travel. The Camaro brakes have a softer feel and require more pedal travel to engage. The Acura has more confident feel. Is Hydroboost what I'm looking for? As an aside my brakes are in good working condition and I can lock up all four wheels. I also have plenty of seat time in a C6 with Z51 brakes and the brake feel still isn't as good as the Acura. So I think its a design philosophy thing. I've heard a lot of really promising claims for Hydroboost, just trying to find out if they are true. Thanks, John

[Twin_Turbo]

How about overassisted feel, a PITA to modulate, slow returning pedal. Don't like it at all. Excessive assist is a band aid "fix" for crappy brakes, not a real fix at all.

If you want a harder pedal with less travel, buy a larger bore master cylinder. The hydroboost won't cut the pedal travel at all, instead it will feel very over assisted, almost tip toe.

Locking up 4 wheels is no indication of good brakes, anyone can stomp a pedal and lock all 4. Good brakes are those that you can modulate to the point where you can brake so hard you are just from locking up a wheel and do that over and over again without pad fade or fluid fade and the pedal going to the floor.

[sccavette]

I do not know anything about the Acura system however I have owned many GN's with hydoboost and they were the worse brakes I have ever owned. Most people would trash the HB and go with a normal vac booster with a can.

[gregsz-28]

Are there any aftermarket master cylinders available, with a larger than stock bore, that will bolt to the stock booster?

[87350IROC]

"slow returning pedal"
Sounds like a poorly adjusted setup. This appears to be very common with hydroboost. Do a google search on it, there seems to be an easy fix for it.

Twin_Turbo,
Maybe you didn't read all my post. I have plenty of seat time behind a Z51 C6 Vette. Unless you claim those brakes are crap, I would say thats a good comparison for me. I don't care for that feel either. Typical Chevy feel. Which may be great for some, but I'm not a big fan. I find a typical Honda setup to be easier to modulate because I prefer the feel and the brakes engage immediately. BTW my Acura has a vacuum boost setup. Please don't assume my brakes are in poor condition just because I'm looking for something better.

I am quite interested in finding out if a different master cylinder will give me the results I want.

Thanks for the input.

sccavette,

I have heard numerous times about people having trouble with the GN hydroboost setup. Maybe it was poorly executed by GM. Don't know. There are tons of raves online about hotrodders, off roaders, muscle cars, getting hydroboost and loving it. The kits from Hydratech seem to be very popular. I'm interested in hearing what you think.

Thanks all for the input.

[Twin_Turbo]

Where did I say C6 Z51 brakes are crap? I have plenty of seat time in one myself:
Check on the right, 2005 Z51 J55 6 speed C6.


I never said your acura brakes are crap either? I don't know where you come up with this stuff but you're reading something that isn't there. All I said was locking up all 4s is not a classification of good brakes.

What is your std. master size bore? There are plenty of manuf. out there who offer 1" or 1,25" MCs, check out wilwood or tilton.

[87350IROC]

twin turbo,

I apologize if I came off unfriendly. I appreciate your input on this subject.

I know you didn't suggest the Vette or Acura brakes are crap. However I've seen if before that lots of people think that grabby brakes means they are hard to modulate and therefore bad. I happen to like grabby brakes. So if hydroboost gets me "grabby" brakes, that good for me. Even though the majority may say grabby=bad.

I just knew someone would bring up the point that my Camaro brakes were probably worn out. Thats why I said I can lock up all 4s and drew the comparison to the Vette. Sometimes its hard to get a direct answer to a direct question, you know what I mean?

[Twin_Turbo]

The hydroboost will not give grabby brakes it gives tip touch over assisted brakes with little or no feedback. That's the problem.

I like grabby brakes but only with a manual or vacuum booster where you feel what you're doing, I do not like over assisted brakes (including dual diaphragm boosters)

You will not like the hydroboost, guaranteed.

What you are better off doing is upgrading to a larger set of rotors for increased brake torque and then fine tune the whole system with master cylinder size and maybe trying to change the pedal ratio.

[87350IROC]

Ok thanks for the info.