Even with Tallon's mounting piece Dennis you still have to do some work on the pushrod to the HB unit, just as Jstoltz posted. I break out the plasma cutter and cut the rod. I then weld a 3/8" thread piece on to the end for the adjustment. I see Tallon makes a wide assortment of 3/8" threaded rod & end pieces just for this purpose. I will be using their pieces in this mod, just haven't got around to that yet in my Camaro project.

I will post up some pics in the near future of the rod cutting/welding on this HB mod. It is a great mod for any brake setup you have and well worth doing, IMO. Here is the link to Tallon's web page with their selection of products for the pushrod on the HB units.

http://www.tallonhydraulics.com/stor...mt7ok5nh0r1b87

 

I will be doing the mod for sure. I have stock rear disk and C5 Vette up front brakes.

I think I will take the cheaper route for now by just buying a refurbed HB from Napa. A 94 Astro Van unit, then swap over my mounting plate from my booster. Cut and thread the rod to extend it. Should be pretty easy.

Can't wait to have really good working brakes!

 

With how frequently my PS belt hops off hydroboost scares me. I can limp home with no PS if I have to.... but not without brakes.

 

The old V belt setup is no where as good as the 87 and up serpentine setup. I haven't seen a serpentine belt break, but I am sure there is someone, somewhere who has seen it 1st hand. I try to change the serpentine belt when it starts cracking a little. If you do this you should have no problems. The factory Chevy serpentine setup is very good and that is the system I will be using.

The gold looking canister on the side of the HB unit is compressed nitrogen I believe. If you do happen to lose your PS pump for any reason you will still have brakes, enough so to stop the car safely.

 

yeah you can get an extended nitrogen canister too so it will last a little longer (couple more stops)

 

Saving for later.

 

Ive done this. Its an afternoon job, it was rather easy. I found if I rotated it upside down, with a little bending, I made my power steering line from a 95 impala ss LT1 car fit. Worked out rather well.

Try to use a reservoir or pump from a car originally equipped with hydraboost and serpentine accessories. Its better to run your bypass line back to the reservoir rather than T-ing off the return line. Many HB cars came this way, and the pumps had and extra return for this.

These work great with small bore masters, especially with c5 brakes IMO. It is still firm but the HB unit makes the pedal firm, and the 4thgen MC has smaller pistons in it to move brake fluid (more travel, less sensitive, better feel on the street) I bet thats why they are made that way.

For the guys not running A/C the LT1 impala line has a fitting on it to allow you to use a pressure sensor to up idle RPM if you are stopped and either turning or holding the brakes hard. Wire it up to the ECM as if it were A/C. Works the same way, picks up idle speed slightly when it goes under load.

 

You guys think a unit from a '95 GMC 3500HD would work? I have one available to me (free) ?

-- Joe

 

What exactly is the point of converting to hydroboost? It intrigues me because it gets rid of the ugly stock brake booster, but does it change pedal feel? does it reduce brake pedal travel? Increase pedal sensitivity? Has any one ever autoX'd or tracked their car with a hydroboost system?

 

I'm running a moderate cam, and a blower. My vac ports go to my map sensor, fuel pressure regulator, and blow off valve.

I have a vac pump (belt driven) providing constant vac for crankcase evacuation, hvac.

The hydroboost will allow me to keep the brakes independent of both the intake vac, and the vac pump. This way a blown hose, failed vac pump, or pressure in the intake (boost!) won't screw with the brakes.


I have hydroboost on my truck, and all my previous trucks were hydroboost. Feels normal. Mustangs have hydroboost.

-- Joe

 

I switched my setup to the Astro van hydroboost over 4 years ago. Has been working great ever since. I wanted to keep my power brakes because the car see's a lot of street use. My car has a .700" lift solid roller cam and very erratic vacuum that would not properly work the vacuum brake booster. With the hydroboost I run it on the street all the time without issue. Motor is routinely spun up to 7800rpm without any problems. Car always has great pedal feel.

 

Never got around to doing it on my old Camaro, but yes it is so you do not have to rely on engine vacuum.

A Hydraboost gives a very predictable brake pedal at all times, and it is alot more powerfull system. You gererally have to either reduce the pedal ratio (the attachment leverage point of the booster plunger rod to the brake pedal- lower this to decrease) or you have to go to a larger MC bore. For example, in a Chev pickup I have, I went from a 1" bore to a 1 1/4" bore MC to firm the pedal and shorten the pedal throw because the trucks have a notoriously long pedal travel. In doing this it makes the pedal harder to push becuase of increase MC loume being pushed- makes it harder to push but you do not have to push it as far now vs the smaller diameter fluid chamber- hence the Hydaboost makes better pressure so the pedal effort is about the same but now with less pedal travel to do the same work.

I put in a very extreme setup (basically a race car worthy setup) with an additional remote reservoir and steering cooler becasue this vehicle is very heavy. I have a 12;1 quick ratio box in it with Borgeson joint soild steering shaft, the suspension is built one of a kind custom geometry (what I am getting at is there is no weak link in the steering or suspension- everything is built) and very wide front tires on a long wheelbase, wide trackwidth truck that would otherwise have a notorios plow (understeer) in OEM state making hard steering or pefromance driving a strain even with the standard easier turning factory steering box.....whih that said-

...It used to whine very loud when I had it on track with the same exact power steering pump because I would overheat the fluid- so the extra volume is great for that. And of course I was worried that since now the same pump is running the Hydaboost also that it would heat up even more. I have to say this system is a dream and I run about 3 tmes the fluid and have tracked this thing hard- I beat all 4 street tire Corvettes this day in the 5000lb monster- AND it will still haul over 3000lbs in the bed just as you see it- so yes it is still a truck that needs heavy brakes also for that purpose as well as empty load commuting, and some occational track fun. The hydraboost is awesome.

You can hear the pump whining at the start of this video- prior to the install- Jsut watch first 10 seconds of it-
Then after the install- here it is on track again in an autox. Steering and brakes are both beautiful on this heavy pig.
http://public.fotki.com/makofoto/201.../mvi-0195.html

 

Also- and for some reason alot of the aftermarket calls them HydrOboost rather than HydrAboost. Its a HydrAulic system, not a hydrogen system.

Even the top vendor back in the day started with this mistake and called ther site hydroboost.com- they are now hydratech.com

 

Awesome, good to know.

 

"Hydro" is derived from the first hydraulic systems, water driven

"Hydra", greek, meaning Water Serpent.

Many cultures refer hydraulic as "hydro" or "hydro power" even though we've long since stopped using water, well, except for nuclear power plants of course.

-- Joe

 

Then I stand corrected

I learn something every day.

I was told that last year from an employee at ABS in Orange Ca.

 

Sorry to revive this thread but I just put my hydroboost into my car yesterday and now I'm going to work on the adjustable pushrod. Where did you all get your adjustable rod for the pushrod for those of you using it? Would I be able to go to any parts store and find one?

 

Nevermind. Went to Ace hardware and they had exactly what I was looking for.

 

Summit sells some generic adjustable pushrods for about $15, if you need a new one.

-- Joe

 

Fellas just save yourselves the time and buy a Hydratec unit. Mine took about 10 months to deliver.
I installed one of these units on a customers C3 corvette and he was happy with it all. So bare in mind that’s a corvette owner and they are the most unpleasable types of folks!

 

Yea, but 10 month lead time is kind of a bitch.

 

The installation has begun
the car is intended for road race and auto x. It will spend a short period of time on street for all break in procedures. Everything is new and I’m not going to rush all break in procedures.

 

I've got about 250 miles on mine over the past year and it's been the most trouble free part of the build other than the nightmare of plumbing it in. I've got wilwood four pot calipers all around, changed the spring in the prop valve, and using a 2002 master cylinder. Braking is similar to what you would expect in a new modern vehicle. Make sure you work *all* the air out of the system though.

 

So if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to see your setup, plumbing etc. I already know exactly what I’ll do but it’s kinda nice to see a finished product

 

I'll try to get over there this weekend and grab some pix of it.

 

Cool we’d all love to see some creative inspiration is your car meant for street, road race or auto x?

 

Astro van Hydroboost, Willwood master cylinder, C4 ABS, Baer 14” disks/6 piston calipers on all four corners, and hand bent tubing.

 

ABS wow that’s bad *** man, plus very clean.
That is very nice.
Plus I dig the heck outta that aftermarket K member and suspension you got.

 

The suspension is also C4 Corvette front and rear, custom made K-member, and the frame rails are custom built and installed at a 13 degree anti-dive angle. All of this was done in my 2 car garage, with no lift, or frame table.

 

That’s pretty sick, I like it. Y’all takes notes from this guy. He’s good.

 

You gonna run a belt driven pump for the hydroboost and steering or electric ?

-- Joe

 

Belt

 

It's setup for pretty much anything, but will mostly see city duty. I had the high pressure hoses made locally, low pressure just AN fittings and Continental hose. The PS pump is a CVF racing Saginaw with a back designed for remote reservoir. I don't really recommend this, I am planning on moving to a type ii pump with reservoir and provisions for hydroboost. It works and works fine but the remote tank takes up way too much room and is a pain to deal with.

 

Nice.