Had a very hard pedal in my '86 Trans am TPI.

Replaced the brake booster. Pedal now feels appropriate, EXCEPT, there seems to be a lot of "free play" before the brakes start to bite.

On other vehicles (my '67 Camaro, '77 vette), I always used the measurement tool, and adjusted the pin on the booster to make sure there was optimum contact between the pin and the master.

This booster (Cardone Reman) as well as the original GM I took off the car does not appear to have an adjustment for the pin? Is this right? and if so, how do I make the adjustment to lessen the free play and engage a bit earlier?

 

Did this just start after you replaced the booster? What you are describing is usually a result if rear drum brakes out of adjustment...

 

just started after the booster replacement. Car has rears disc. Never opened any of the lines to replace the booster, so no need to bleed the system.

 

There is no adjustment. The pin is just a slug of metal that slips inside the booster.

 

The “free play” is most likely the stock step bore master cylinder. I would switch to an 1998-2002 Fbody master cylinder. That should take care of the “free play”.