The title says it all. I checked GM and they want $300 for a booster and something like $250 for the master!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INSANE.

I can't find anyone selling used ones or anything. HELP!!!!

 

Not to be a jerk; but do you realize how impossible the thing you're asking for IS (and I don't mean the brake booster itself...)? After all, it's not like somebody is buying new parts, using them gently a little bit, and then putting guaranteed good used ones on the shelf to sell at some fraction of what they cost new.

Used is used. Period. Used things come from wrecked cars. Nobody I have ever known, could schedule wrecked cars into their inventory on a predictable basis. If they could, it would be a dead giveaway that they weren't running a salvage operation at all, but rather a "chop shop"... you know, you call them and tell them what you want, and they go steal one and sell it to you. I wouldn't do business with somebody like that even if it was the ONLY WAY to come up with a part. Legitimately, it's TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE for somebody to be a reliable source for used parts other than by buying SO MANY wrecked cars in bulk, like from the police lot in a large city or something, that they nearly always have one of everything in stock; or to know that they've got a "good used" anything, especially something that can't really be disassembled and inspected completely. You lays your money down and you takes your chances; and even the BEST source of used parts doesn't always have one, let alone a "good" one.

This is DEFINITELY in the class of things NOT to buy at the GM stealership; kind of like batteries or brake shoes.

Have you considered other alternatives besides a used one or one straight from GM? You can buy a rebuilt one at any parts store. Even VatoZone has them. You can buy them either as a booster by itself, or the booster & MC as an assembly, which is probably the wiser thing to do. If your MC has ever developed the usual leak where brake fluid comes out the back and runs down the front of the booster, then it's probably gone into the booster as well, and deteriorated the diaphragm; so a failed MC = you need a new booster even if it's still working now because it has been significantly compromised.

 

Well I think you misinterpreted my origional request for a place to buy parts. I was not talking about a chop shop or anything like that, I just wasn't aware that booster and MC were sold by Napa. I looked it up and they are. Now I just need a prop. valve. They seem to be imposible to find at NAPA or anything like that, so I might just go with the willwood adj one and head that way.

Thanks for the help.

-Dennis

 

Well, the basic problem is the idea that somebody can tell you where to go to get a "good used" anything.... unless they happen to have one themselves. It's just something that can't be either predicted or reliably duplicated. In other words, I could have gone to Billy Bob's Acres And Acres Of Cars just last weekend, and got me a "good used" one of those; but that's no guarantee that the NEXT one that comes off of some other car he's got out there that's wrecked or rotted-out or blown-up or a tree fell on it or whatever other sundry fate that befell it, is also going to be "good"; or that there's even another one there. It's just the completely wrong question to ask, because no matter what answer you get, it's probably going to be wrong. That's all I'm trying to point out.

But yeah, sometimes a parts store is the best place to get auto parts. Funny how that works. It usually pays to check those before trying to find a "good used" part, especially brake parts. Something deep inside me just cringes at the idea of putting used brake parts on my car. And somehow, the thought of driving down the freeway at 70 or 80 miles an hour, and looking in my rearview mirror at the car behind me, makes me even more nervous about that whole concept in general. In fact I've had junkyards tell me before that they wouldn't sell me ANYTHING that involves brakes in any form or fashion, even when all I wanted was a pedal assembly. "Good used" would be the absolute last resort for brake parts, after all else has failed; "all else" would logically include parts stores.

Now the prop valve, I don't believe I've ever seen one of those at a parts store. Unless you have more tolerance than me for fooling around with random metric bubble flare fittings and such as that for putting some aftermarket one on, you might be stuck with GM for that one. The only one of those I've ever had to buy in my whole life, I had to get from GM. Why do you think you need one? Does yours leak or something? They almost never go bad. And given that, it might be one thing where I might be willing to settle for "good used", if I couldn't find new or rebuilt.

 

I tried plugging one of the ports that I wasn't using due to the line-lock and it seems to leak. I looked at it closer and I might have gone in at an angle. And maybe that is what caused the leak. Also some other other conections don't seem to be sealing quite right. On top of that I am going to get a rebuilt booster and a MC. Would be nice to go the last mile and get a new or rebuilt Prop. valve. I will check GM again. Looks like they want over $100 bucks. Not worth it. I can flare so I think I am gonna get the willwood from summit. Maybe double check parts stores first.


By they way, when I said good used. I guess I ment if someone has one they took of their car when it was working or a remanufactured one. I think of remans and "good used".... Also something like a prop valve doesn't seem crasy to get a "used" one of. I do trust that if it has been tested, it would be just fine for my car.

But anyways, looks like I am going to get the willwood, and be done with it. The proportioning adjustability might come in handy when trying to "tune" the brakes to better stop the 335s out back. The brakes might want less pressure with all that tire. But I dunno. Anyways, I am off to call around to see if I can find the prop valve I want. Thanks again.

-Dennis