Making more space under the hood...any suggestions for a smaller brake booster?

[Yellow Truck]

Not strictly an FE question, but it is about my FE. I don't have clearance with the short Ansen aluminium valve covers to use a rear breather. I've been looking at changing the valve covers, but the only cast ones I've found are the tall Ansen covers. From the specs these will probably touch the brake booster, if not when I slam it, there will be contact and I don't think I want to put in a torque strap to prevent that.

The other possibility is a smaller booster. I'm a little concerned that with the relatively low idle vacuum I won't get much boost out of a smaller diaphragm. I don't know if the old Ford booster is single or double, and I can't find any info on the amount of boost I can expect out of a smaller booster with two diaphragms.

Does anyone have any guidance to offer? I've looked at hydraulic boost kits on line, but they are expensive and I don't see any that fit an F100.

[Chrisss31]

https://rrs-online.com/stealth-under-dash-brake-booster.html

[winr1]

I read a post somewhere a guy used a 1970 Torino booster

It was bolted directly to the firewall of his F100

IIRC, the mill had 9" or 11" of vacuum



Ricky

[GerryP]

The Torino booster isn't that much smaller diameter than the stock booster.  There are much smaller boosters out there but I've never heard anyone using one who didn't have brake issues.

If you really need to open up some room, run a hydroboost.

[C8OZ]

Does the F100 have enough room for the early Bronco setup that angles out over the wheelhouse?

[Yellow Truck]

Not sure how to answer the question about Broncos, but here is a picture.  The booster is about 10 inches across.

Booster by Fred Snoyd, on Flickr

[C8OZ]

Looks like a big nope. I just remembered them angling out to the left, but apparently more than I recalled.

[RustyCrankshaft]

I built my own hydroboost conversion for my 69, 74 and 77 using stuff out of a SuperDuty so everything takes the same parts. I just had to fab up an adapter for the firewall, but there are a couple off the shelf options - they were just more than I wanted to spend.

https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Hydroboost_Braking_System/Brake_Kits_7879yr

http://www.powerbrakeservice.net/new-1957-1976-ford-truck-f100-hydroboost-brake-booster.html

Theres a couple others, I just can't remember who made them off the top of my head.

[chris401]

Not strictly an FE question, but it is about my FE. I don't have clearance with the short Ansen aluminium valve covers to use a rear breather. I've been looking at changing the valve covers, but the only cast ones I've found are the tall Ansen covers. From the specs these will probably touch the brake booster, if not when I slam it, there will be contact and I don't think I want to put in a torque strap to prevent that.

The other possibility is a smaller booster. I'm a little concerned that with the relatively low idle vacuum I won't get much boost out of a smaller diaphragm. I don't know if the old Ford booster is single or double, and I can't find any info on the amount of boost I can expect out of a smaller booster with two diaphragms.

Does anyone have any guidance to offer? I've looked at hydraulic boost kits on line, but they are expensive and I don't see any that fit an F100.

I had success swapping the big 73 booster for a smaller 68 booster from an F-100. They cleared the tall Motor Sports valve covers.

[gregaba]

I used a hydroboost unit out of a 2003 Mustang cobra on my 71 Ranchero.
You don't need to run power steering on your car but you will need a power steering pump to power the hydroboost.
Not a hard job.
You will have to buy the adpaters for the master cylinder to the brake lines to go from metric to an inverted flare. Edelmann makes them for about $3.00 each.
Greg

[My427stang]

How about poking another hole up front and plugging that breather hole.  Or maybe switch sides if both are in the back now

[stubbie]

Will this help
https://d1e9fx1w19hfkk.cloudfront.net/shop/catalog/uploads/specifications-229-180410-094502.jpg or
http://mbmbrakes.com/brake-booster-faq/

[Yellow Truck]

Stubbie, that is quite useful. Thank you.

[wcbrowning]

Have you considered an electric brake booster conversion?  There's at least one company to market with a product to adapt the technology to older vehicles.  Shouldn't be hard to find with a Google search.  From what I recall, the apparatus can be installed remotely from the master cylinder, yielding more room in the engine compartment.  I believe electric brake boosters are currently used on new Mustangs.

Not strictly an FE question, but it is about my FE. I don't have clearance with the short Ansen aluminium valve covers to use a rear breather. I've been looking at changing the valve covers, but the only cast ones I've found are the tall Ansen covers. From the specs these will probably touch the brake booster, if not when I slam it, there will be contact and I don't think I want to put in a torque strap to prevent that.

The other possibility is a smaller booster. I'm a little concerned that with the relatively low idle vacuum I won't get much boost out of a smaller diaphragm. I don't know if the old Ford booster is single or double, and I can't find any info on the amount of boost I can expect out of a smaller booster with two diaphragms.

Does anyone have any guidance to offer? I've looked at hydraulic boost kits on line, but they are expensive and I don't see any that fit an F100.

[gdaddy01]

I used a 1977 bronco boaster on two different builds , just bolted the master cly to the boaster , adjust the little rod between the two . still works well .