Converting to Power Brakes

itow · Post by **itow** » Mon May 18, 2009 2:21 pm

Hi all. I have a 71 F100 with manual 4 wheel drum brakes. What is needed to convert it to power brakes? Can I just buy a booster and bolt it up or is there more too it than that? Also, when I looked up the boosters on the NAPA website, they show one with an adjustable push rod and one without? The adjustable one does not come with the short piece that hooks to the pedal though, where/how do I get one of those or should I not use the adjustable one?
Thanks!

Scott

mrtleavitt · Post by **mrtleavitt** » Tue May 19, 2009 10:20 am

It is a pretty simple process. Basically you will need just the booster plus you will have to get the brackets that connect the booster to the firewall. They are probably $5 at a junk yard. I'm not sure about the adjustable and non-adjustable push rods though. When I did mine all I ordered way a booster for a '72 F100, Napa didn't ask me which one I got. Then of course you'll need some vacuum line to hook it up.

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Tue May 19, 2009 11:04 pm

what are the part numbers so i can look them up? they are suppose to come with the brake pedal thing i thought. there are two kind of bosster. besides the rod thing. there are dual and single diaphram boosters.

itow · Post by **itow** » Wed May 20, 2009 9:23 am

mrtleavitt wrote:It is a pretty simple process. Basically you will need just the booster plus you will have to get the brackets that connect the booster to the firewall. They are probably $5 at a junk yard. I'm not sure about the adjustable and non-adjustable push rods though. When I did mine all I ordered way a booster for a '72 F100, Napa didn't ask me which one I got. Then of course you'll need some vacuum line to hook it up.

What brackets are you talking about??? Can you post pics??

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Wed May 20, 2009 8:58 pm

hes talking about the mounting brackets for thebooster to set out away from t he firewall.

itow · Post by **itow** » Thu May 21, 2009 7:44 am

fordman wrote:hes talking about the mounting brackets for thebooster to set out away from t he firewall.

My 69 I just sold didnt have any mounting brackets? The booster was just bolted to the firewall??? Does anyone have any pics or does anyone HAVE the brackets they would sell..????
itow@frontiernet.net is my Email

dcbullet · Post by **dcbullet** » Thu May 21, 2009 6:30 pm

Your booster did have a bracket. You probably just thought the bracket was part of the booster. It is impossible to bolt the booster to the firewall without the bracket.

67mann · Post by **67mann** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:30 am

In the back of the booster you'll see the bracket

these are not part of the booster

itow · Post by **itow** » Fri May 22, 2009 8:58 am

dcbullet wrote:Your booster did have a bracket. You probably just thought the bracket was part of the booster. It is impossible to bolt the booster to the firewall without the bracket.

Ahhhhh, ok.. So If I am going to use this 77 stuff, should I just use a 77 booseter then as well I assume?

mrtleavitt · Post by **mrtleavitt** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:23 am

You can go either way. If you use a '77 booster then you need the '77 brackets and they mount a little different so you'l need the linkage for the '77 booster as well. The '72 booster has no linkage, the push rod from the booster hooks straight up to the brake pedal. My bro had to use a '77 style booster for clearance issues with his solid roller rocker assembly with taller valve covers. I run the '72 setup with normal valve covers and both trucks perform the same.

itow · Post by **itow** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:32 am

mrtleavitt wrote:You can go either way. If you use a '77 booster then you need the '77 brackets and they mount a little different so you'l need the linkage for the '77 booster as well. The '72 booster has no linkage, the push rod from the booster hooks straight up to the brake pedal. My bro had to use a '77 style booster for clearance issues with his solid roller rocker assembly with taller valve covers. I run the '72 setup with normal valve covers and both trucks perform the same.

Ok, so your saying if I take all this stuff off of the 77 it will bolt directly onto my 71 (I would have to use my 71 mastery cylinder because of all drum brakes) and all bolt on with no modifications?

mrtleavitt · Post by **mrtleavitt** » Fri May 22, 2009 11:25 am

fordman · Post by **fordman** » Fri May 22, 2009 11:27 pm

yes it will fit. some of the 78 and 79 boosters have the different bracketry that would have to be used with that booster only . it is best to stay with a booster from 68-77 1/2

itow · Post by **itow** » Tue May 26, 2009 7:53 am

Thanks for the information.. I searched on here many times but couldnt find a "clear cut" definitive answer..

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