Hydro boost brakes

[FORDification]

According to the experts, they say it's one of the weakest units out there and has some wierd line sizes, meaing hooking it up will be more of a PIA. Also, they say that the Mustang master cylinder is about the only unit that would fit it, whereas the other versions allow a much wider variety of MC choices.

Just from what I've read by those who have actually done the swap, you'd be better off finding one from a full-size car or truck.

[mickster]

I do have the MC and all the other components mentioned in the affor mentioned post . Including but not limited to the 4.6 and Auto trans. Complete wiring harness from '96 GT. All was going in a '68 long bed truck with a nice set of leather seats finished off with a set of 17" bullitt wheels. I thought if I used every part from ONE donor car. And avoided the hodge podge of mix and match roulette. Some I'll's could be iliminated. Go figure defeat snatched from the jaw's of victory yet again.

[Leadfoot]

I got one question why bother? if you got a normal asperated gas engine
why mess around? now if it was a diesel or something that made no vacuum I could understand. from my experience the hydo boost units are a pain, leaking lines, seals......

Id rather a vacuum leak than more oil spray under my hood.

but with this said could a person not just pull the hydro boost off a mid 70's f600 I have seen them in trucks with the FT engine, so the pumps Brackets should work on a fe right?

[averagef250]

Ever driven a truck with H-boost? The brakes work far better than vacuum. H-boost makes for just two extra hydraulic lines and eliminates the need for vacuum in an old truck.

[FORDification]

Definitely...there's a night-and-day difference. Hydroboost is the preferred setup for large heavy trucks because of that, and the offroaders who run very large tires prefer it over the vacuum boost, saying you can easily lock up a set of 44's on the highway.

[customcrewcab]

i can't see a reason not to run it from what i read. was pretty easy to install to the firewall. didn't cost that much and works with any brake system. got mine mounted.

[mickster]

OK what I'm hearing is Hboost systems are a smart upgrade. Just not the mustang's. Because of the scale or weight differencs between the mustang's and old truck's.

I've got one more truck to sell. Then I'm picking upa '68 mustang to drop all the late model mustang part's in. So I will be making a nuisance of myself there.

[customcrewcab]

well you might want to double check and make sure it will clear the shock tower. i know my setup will not fit in a 65. might be more room in a 68. or you could kick it at angle toward the pass side.

[mickster]

I checked with the local expert's. There is about 3 different aftermarket co's that are producing frontend's for the old mustang's. Depending on the co or kit there is room because the shock towers are removed along with the cross member. It's all replaced with a much stronger unit that performe's like late model equipment. Ofcourse these kit's begin around a couple grand.
This was discuraging news to me, but the show must go on.

[MadMaxetc]

Looks like he spent a few $$ on that car!

If I have PS can I split the line to run the Hydro boost?

[mickster]

That is a sweet car can you get more specific pics of the front crossmember and struts? How much for a '68 coupe and do I need the rack out of the donor '96 GT

[FORDification]

Looks like he spent a few $$ on that car!

If I have PS can I split the line to run the Hydro boost?

A Hydroboost power booster is hooked up in series with the power steering gear pressure line and then a return line is tee'ed in with the power steering return line right next to the reservoir. (Or can be piped directly into the reservoir, which is how most came from the factory). The return line needs to be either right into the pump reservoir or right next to the pump. If it isn't, then backpressure on it can cause the booster to do weird stuff. Here's a graphic I whipped up showing how the lines need to run if using the 'T' method of connecting the Hydroboost's return line, instead of the preferred dual-return Saginaw pump which is plumbed directly into the pump reservoir:

[averagef250]

Nice diagram Kieth! The hydroboost is real simple stuff. If you can find brackets to put the saginaw pump on your ford engine definitely use them. The saginaw pump is a great unit. If you get the saginaw, the reservoirs with the extra return fitting are real common in GM trucks at U-pullit. That's where most GM's go anyway isn't it?