Hydrostat brakes

[driverswanted]

What's the best hydrostat brake to switch to on my 85 Dodge Ram?

 

[Scot]

I recently did the hydroboost on my conversion. It appears that the units for Ford and GM are built by the same company. (I couldn't find any Dodge ones in the wrecking yard) The differences are the m/c and the length of the rod. I bought one out of a 2K Superduty. I built a new plate to adapt it to firewall.



on edit I also had to shorten the rod.

 

[ARhine]

They are made by saginaw IIRC.



GM used them on the old 5. 7 and 6. 2L trucks/cars as well as mid 80s and newer trucks with a 454 and the 6. 5L



I didn't realize people were putting them on these trucks. I have a working setup out on a truck in the pasture/parts yard.

 

[driverswanted]

scott,

Did you have to rework your brake lines?

ARhine,

Interested in selling your's?

I have a reply at the 1st Gen section for a commercial place that makes these for an older Dodge but they are $700.

 

[driverswanted]

Dodge hydroboost brakes

I found a Dodge truck hydroboost brake unit. They were available on at least the 1997-2003 Ram 2500 and 3500 diesel trucks. Dodge p/n is 52009644AA and a Cardone reman. unit is #527355. I suspect I will have to replace my master cylinder too.

 

[Scot]

The one I bought had the old lines cut off. I took those ends and my old p/s pressure line down to the local "we build hoses" auto parts store and had the lines built. The h/b return line can just T into the p/s return line.



You will likely still have to alter the rod to make it fit.



The 70's Ford p/u brakes were poor. Replacing the vacuum diaphram with a h/b is like night and day.

 

[driverswanted]

Not sure which is the incoming line on this Dodge unit and which goes to the steering sector. I see some Dodge hoses on ebay. I suppose I could start with those and have slight modes done by the hose shop. I'm hoping that my brake pedal is a perfect match since my pedals are from a 2001 Ram truck. I think my problems may arise with the rod between the master and the hydroboost units. I only have what is in my '85 vacuum boost sytem to try make fit.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Not sure which is the incoming line on this Dodge unit and which goes to the steering sector. I see some Dodge hoses on ebay. I suppose I could start with those and have slight modes done by the hose shop. I'm hoping that my brake pedal is a perfect match since my pedals are from a 2001 Ram truck. I think my problems may arise with the rod between the master and the hydroboost units. I only have what is in my '85 vacuum boost sytem to try make fit.

Dodge has used hydro boost on their trucks before the 2nd gen diesels. THe older 440 and large engines had them IIRC. I have purchased hydro boost systems from NAPA for under $250. 00 with the core price included in this. The early 80's GM trucks had two different Hydro boost units on them. They required different length shafts to engage fully. If you want an inexpensive solution, I would recommend trying one them. I just priced one out for a suburban I am repowering to do away with the vacuum boost. Part cost was under $200 for both the hydro boost as well as the master cylinder, can't remember the core cost, but it wasn't much more than $50 if I recall.

 

[driverswanted]

Were they those engines because of low intake vacuum? I have the '97 dodge hydroboost in the garage. Sounds like the GM units or even Dodge units from NAPA may have been cheaper than what I got. I could have gone even less on eBay but those units ('97 & '98) have some of their life used up and no warrenties. Is their a way to tell which port is incoming on the Dodge and which is outgoing to sector? I'd like to have my hoses made tomorrow at the hose(r) shop but i need to know the flow circuit.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Were they those engines because of low intake vacuum? I have the '97 dodge hydroboost in the garage. Sounds like the GM units or even Dodge units from NAPA may have been cheaper than what I got. I could have gone even less on eBay but those units ('97 & '98) have some of their life used up and no warrenties. Is their a way to tell which port is incoming on the Dodge and which is outgoing to sector? I'd like to have my hoses made tomorrow at the hose(r) shop but i need to know the flow circuit.

Yes, big Blocks are known for low intake pressure for things like brake boosters etc. Without seeing the booster I can't tell you which is which, a service manual for the corresponding vehicle will tell you though. The parts techs at my Napa are old school and have been able to verify things like this for me with little effort, if you have any of the older yellow guys at your local store, I recommend you bring it in and ask them. There are markings on the hydro boost body to designate which is which, but I don't remember which they are. Most have 3 ports or connections, One is a pass through port to supply pressure to the power steering, the other is a low pressure return line, the third is the high pressure to the hydro boost itself. Most I remember had a smaller diameter on the return line so that's an easy indentifier. Can't help you much more without a photo to reference the ports locations by sight.

 

[driverswanted]

hydro boost help

Here's some pics. The larger port has the green plug. Is that inlet or outlet to the steering sector? I noticed that the master cylinder mounting studs are not aligned with the firewall bracket. In the one view I'm holding the studs horizontal and the bracket is 45 deg. off from that. there is a slot at the bottom edge of the master cyl. mounting inlet that I figured was a tattle tail for a leaking unit. I've oriented that down in the pic thinking that I would be holding the whole unit in proper orientation, but that puts the firewall bracket in a slightly screwed postion. ??????

 

[BCronk]

I just looked at my truck. The pressure line from the power steering pump goes to the green plug. The line from the red plug goes to the pressure side of the steering gear. There is an adapter that bolts to the hydroboost to make your master cylinder mount level.

 

[driverswanted]

Thanks. Love to see a pic of that chevy conversion . One last question. Is the inlet port (green) on the driver's side or passenger side? I see that adapter is another part beside the front boot and boost to master rod I'll have to find somewhere:{

 

[BCronk]

The green port points straight up. The red port and return are on the driver side.

 

[driverswanted]

Hydroboost setup procedure

Does anyone have the procedure for bleeding/ setup of a hydroboost unit? mine is a 1997 unit. The store that I bought it from lost the procedure sheet and my manuals are too old to show this.

 

[driverswanted]

It looks like i have to make my own plate between the hydro unit and master cylinder. Does anyone know if there is any reason why the hydro unit could not be rotated slightly so I can bolt the master cylinder right up to the hydro unit without making a spacer plate? I have to make my own pin that goes between the master cyl. and hydro unit so I can make that to a shortened length.

I can rotate the firewall bracket on the back end of the hydro unit to get it squared up with the old firewall holes.