anyone used a hydraulic or electri brake booster ?

has anyone used a hydraulic boost or an electric booster for their brakes ? if so how did they work out ?

 

I have just finished installing a hydraulic booster in an old Lincoln. It works like a champ when it is working.

Now the down side, it will not work of the engine shuts off, or if you blow a line or if you throw a belt, or the pump quits working etc. It is not like a vacuum boosted brake system, you have absolutely no brakes in any of the above situations. Better have a damned good E brake if you decide to use one. I cannot advise you to get one what so ever.

The only reason I installed the one that I did was because the fella wanted it real bad. He is a paraplegic and his shoulders are going bad from all the years of use. He will have a very operational E brake before he gets his car back.

They should be outlawed.

 

Don't deisel trucks all have them?

 

this one has 4 wheel power discs and an elect/vac pump

 

Millions of GM cars, vans and trucks.

jack vines

 

My work truck has a hydro boost system. No trouble whatsoever. First pump, stops good. Second pump, head is against the windshield.

 

The grand nationals had an electric booster. They work great until they don't. Expensive though.
Had the hydro boost on a few GM trucks, never any trouble. Might be the way to go if you have power steering cluttering things up already

 

gm ones do in the 80's, many of my ot vehicles run hydro-boost systems, way more powerful than vacuum systems, thats why heavy trucks use them. I set up a hydro-boost in my 54 chevy.

 

Some hyd have an accumulator, some have an electric motor powered auxilary pump..if the system has neither then if engine stalls thats it and a good emergency brake won't over come the panic of not thinking to use it quick enough, been there..

 

Hydroboost on my 47.
They are widely used in the automotive industry with no more problems than any other brake system.

 

Please no, Hydroboost brakes are some of the best feeling and operating brakes we have available. All modern units have an accumulator on them that has enough reserve energy to activate the brakes a few times after power loss. The same as a vacuum brake servo, just as safe, better duty cycle, better brake feel, better for underfloor applications than vacuum canisters.

 

I am using a hydro boost setup in my 1957 Chevy truck. I am very happy with it. I am also running 4 wheel disc brakes.

Mine has the accumulator which allows 3-4 stops without the engine running. After that they work like manual brakes.

I pieced mine together and didn't buy the kit that some suppliers sell. I used the hydro booster from an astro van.

 

Good point,

Hydroboost systems use brake pedal ratios similar to non-assist brakes. 6:1 or 7:1 is pretty common, so when you do lose assist you have a better chance of stopping the vehicle than with common power servo ratios.

 

Running a tandem MC and vacuum booster on my '35 Chevy and installing hydroboost on my '46 Olds. Rules down here a more stringent when it comes to building cars and safety.

 

All Bendix Hydroboost (the original) systems from day one (early '70s) have an accumulator that allows a few applications before the system goes manual, so if the unit you have does not have an accumulator or an electric backup like the medium truck Bendix Hydromax, it's not D.O.T. approved, and should not be used, period. If the accumulator or electric back up is not working, the unit should be repaired or replaced.
All pass car/light truck brake systems have to pass the same D.O.T. 105/135 stopping distance requirements when the assist is totally failed, whether vacuum, hydraulic (Hydroboost, Hydromax), full power, etc., so as long as the pedal ratio is correct for the booster type used, there will be braking available during a booster failure, although requiring higher pedal effort.

 

The unit I installed is a brand new modern unit with an acumulator supposedly gives you one stroke of the brakes. When the engine stops they go straight to the floor. Another friend has a setup by a different company installed by someone else, same thing. The fella that installed my friends unit is a brake man and nothing else, he warned him that the accumulator is just a legal appendage and not to count on it.

I like the feel of them when they are working. I just cannot not in good conscience recommend them. They are an accident looking for a place to happen.

 

i took a 1 ton chevy hydro boost and put it in a 54 chevy. works great.

 

Beaner, that goes against everything I know about hydro boost systems.
There is still a mechanical connection between the pedal and master, granted no boost and considerable pressure. I would tend to believe some sort of hydraulic issue in the brake system itself being the culprit if the pedal hits the floor. I have never heard this before.

Had my grandma's cream puff pedal go right to the floor at 50 mph, vacume boost. Was fine at the prior light. Sailed right thru without a scratch thank goodness.

This comes from 70s P30 grumman, 90s conversion van, 90s 1 ton cube van, 99 Ford powered stroke, 200x gmc 2500, 200x, gmc savannah, my own and countless others I've had my finger prints on.

Every one of them had fully function brakes & multiple applications without the engine running.

 

I ran a Lincoln unit on a 63 Unibody F100 we built. Due to a problem with the Power Steering Pump not being able to keep up with the Hydro and Power Steering (Corvette Rack) it would lose pressure due to not enough fluid reservoir. The Brakes ALWAYS continued to work just fine, only the pedal pressure went higher. I made a new larger reservoir for the PS pump and it all works like a charm, but the brakes ALWAYS worked fine whether there was pressure, or for that matter even if the motor wasn't running.

 

You need to install a hydraulic accumulator. They use them on end loaders with fully hydraulic brakes to get up to ten applications without the engine running. I'm sure my 77 and 78 Eldorado had an accumulator built into the system.

 

Sorry it doesn't change it from being true. Why do you think I said they should be outlawed. The systems that they are selling to the late high zoot crowd do not function without the engine running, at least I have two separate systems from two separate vendors that work exactly the way I described. Two seperate installers, one a professional brake man.

I have actually been in both cars and the same thing if the engine isn't running the peddle goes straight to the floor. When the engine is running they work like gang busters.

I know that sometimes I come across as a technophob but I am not. I don't run all the latest gadgets in my stuff but I really do keep up.

You guys run 'em if that makes you happy and maybe it will work out for you. I certainly hope it does, I don't gain enjoyment from someone else's misfortune.

 

PB, I have to disagree with you my friend.

I have a 2003 Silverado with a hydroboost that I personally have driven since '02 and I can go out there and step on the pedal right now and the pedal does not go to the floor. I have personally installed a dozen hydroboosts in the last 10 years or so and have only had one (1) failure and it was due to the remanufacturer and not the design of the unit.

The last picture in my series was on a 50 Oldsmobile I built in 94. The unit was from a Vista Cruiser diesel. I rebuilt it myself and it is still on the car and operating today.

I know you have had bad luck with these things, I haven't. I find your expert's opinions a bit fantastic if you catch my drift.

 

I bought the electric version from ABS brakes, have not installed it yet. A friend installed one in his 63swc Corvette he built up. Worked fine for him. Have another friend that has built many Corvettes and he has used them as well. I have not heard anything bad about them.

 

Article in Street Rodder on ABS brakes

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/1007sr_abs_electric_power_brake_system/photo_01.html

 

re: PD - Hyrdo boost does not work with the engine off

I can 100% confirm that my hydro boost works like manual brakes when the engine is off. I have tested them in my truck.

I also had the motor die during some hard stops and the brakes acted like normal due to the acumulator.

If there is a break in the mechanical linkage then yes you have problems but this applies to vaccum and manual brakes as well.

Hydro boost systems are installed on almost all diesel cars as well as most Asto Vans as well as many heavy duty trucks.

I have seen hyrdo boost systems in factory Ford and Chevy cars and trucks.

Could you imagine all the accidents and deaths from factory installed Hydro boost systems if there were no functioning brakes without the motor running.

No association but here is some info:
http://www.hydratechbraking.com/FAQ.html

Q: What is the nitrogen reserve / accumulator bottle and what are its benefits?


A: The bottle on the side of most hydraulic brake assist units is referred to as an accumulator or nitrogen reserve. This stores up hydraulic power steering pressure in the event of an engine stall condition, to provide reserve brake assist power for up to 3 applications of the brake, similar to how a vacuum booster would function in an engine stall condition. Upon the first application of the brakes after an engine stall, you would find approximately 60 - 75% of the normal assist available, then if you were to release and apply the brakes again, you would find approximately 30 - 40% assist, then again approximately 10 - 20%, until you have depleted all stored reserve assist. Once you have depleted all of the stored pressure, the brakes will no longer have power assist and will be manual in their operations. The minute you start the vehicle back up again, the accumulator gets filled back up with pressurized ps fluid again and is ready to go!

 

PB just had a van with hydro boost thru here.
Blown low pressure return line and Was driven in. One oily mess and not much fluid in the system. Pump howling and carrying on. Definitely had no boost and no power assist on the steering but it had brakes.

What system is this that acts the way you describe ?

I'm not doubting your personal experience with them, mine is different. Sounds like it maybe a safety issue and is like to be aware.

BTW , I've been googling this subject today and can find nothing.

 

All I got to go by is experience and this is the experience that I have had with the two aftermarket units I familiar with. The instructions that came with the unit that I installed say that the resevoir should get you stopped if you have a failure like the ones I mentioned. It is worded should by the way, not will.

I am not giving experts opinions someone asked what our experience was and I gave mine. No one has to take my word for it, I won't run one in anything that I build and I won't install another one. Not worth the risk to me.

Vicky
I'll be up to sort out another problem with the car tomorrow, and get the name off the unit. I can also give Joe a call and get the name off of his unit as well.

I think that with few exceptions there is a major difference between what is sold to the hot rodding public and what comes out of the factory. I know it is bad of me to do so but when someone askes about something on the HAMB I do make the assumption that they are not asking for information prior to buying a new car.

 

A simple fix for Vacuum Boosted Brakes on a vehicle with a hot cam is to install an alternator off a Jap Diesel.

They have a vacuum pump on the back of them, you can also use them for vacuum wipers [ when driving up hills ]

 

Good info in this thread. Do hydroboost MC setups exist that do not rely on power steering pump (for antique car lacking ps)? Also, are there any electric booster versions for 6V pos ground? Thanks.

 

Yes. Diesel delivery trucks have them w/o PS. I know well.

Not sure, but I think not.

Cosmo