Brakes:Did You Know?

[HuggerCST]

Originally Posted by cstanley

that's kinda what this thread has turned into. that's the route i'm gonna try, at hugger's suggestion. so if it doesn't work, i'll just send him the bill

I'm glad I found some guiney pigs to try it!

[HuggerCST]

Originally Posted by cstanley

WELL, AS I DIG DEEPER, I'VE FOUND THIS INFO IN MY gm rESTORATION PACKET, LISTING OE equipment, having to do with brake sizes (this is by no means 100% accurate, as i've found a few discrepancies in it before.)

in '72, C10s had:
Front - Disc 11.86" rotor
Rear - Drum 11" x 2"

C30's had:
Front - Disc 12.5" rotor
Rear - Drum 13" x 2-1/2"

anyone think that using this more powerful booster will have an adverse effect on the braking, due to the differences in the brake sizes?

The one ton master cylinder could have an adverse effect, but the booster should only help your braking power. I see no reason why the 1 ton booster won't work. If I needed one right now, that's what I would buy, but my truck isn't even driveable yet, so I'm not the best test subject.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

My truck had a C10 booster on it for who knows how long. It worked OK, but it finally gave out one day, I could bearly get the truck stopped. I got a booster off of a '72 GMC 1 ton, made a huge difference. You won't need front discs with a 1 ton booster.

[cstanley]

Originally Posted by HuggerCST

I'm glad I found some guiney pigs to try it!

that's cool, i have a money tree out back. only problem is that i haven't been able to afford to water it this summer...

[fearnatine13]

Originally Posted by cstanley

that's cool, i have a money tree out back. only problem is that i haven't been able to afford to water it this summer...

you have a money tree that grows on water? freakin sweet! my money tree grows off gasoline...92 octane gasoline...at 3.40 a gallon...and it needs about 40 gallons to make any money.

[PICKMUP]

The master cyls are bigger on 3/4T & 1T, but seem to work fine on 1/2T. The early drum/drum booster will work with the 1/2T MC...however, the 71-2 booster disc/drum uses a MC that is unique and not the same depth hole as the 1/2T.
You must run the matching 71-2 MC with the same year booster...and note that the dual boosters do use a matching set of brackets. The 1/2T brackets are not the same and don't space the booster off the firewall correctly.
Confused yet?
It is a good upgrade...if you don't screw it up!!!

The top booster set is 1/2T drum/drum and also drum/disc.
The bottom booster set is 3/4T & 1T drum/drum. Notice the differences?
I don't have pic of 3/4T & 1T disc/drum 71-2 set, but they are completely different again.
If you don't have the correct brackets & MC to go with the booster, you are in trouble!

[ERASER5]

Which brings us back to my question. Where can I find the brackets? Most of the junk yards around here are picked clean.

[cstanley]

well, i guess you'll soon see a post from me requesting 1 ton brackets!

[shifty]

Originally Posted by PICKMUP

The top booster set is 1/2T drum/drum and also drum/disc.
The bottom booster set is 3/4T & 1T drum/drum. Notice the differences?
I don't have pic of 3/4T & 1T disc/drum 71-2 set, but they are completely different again.
If you don't have the correct brackets & MC to go with the booster, you are in trouble!

Of all of those mentioned, which ones support having a the brake vacuum hose into the booster? all, or none?

Anyone know how much different an 89+ GM truck booster + MC assembly and bracket differ from the stock setup for a 67-70 and 71-72?

[Richard Dobson]

Is there a core charge with these purchases? I want to know because I want to go from a std brake disc system to a boostered one, and I would'nt have a core with a booster. Thanks.

[shifty]

$25 core on the booster.

[cstanley]

Originally Posted by shifty

$25 core on the booster.

there would also be a core on the m/c setup i ordered, except that i ordered a NEW one, therefore there wasn't a core charge assessed. i spoke with the guy at advanced yesterday, and he was even surprised that Cardone was producing a new version of the m/c. the picture showed it as having a modern-style clear plastic reservior on the top, instead of a cast one. i don't know if that's really what it will look like or not, but we'll see.

had i ordered the reman one, it would have been an $8 core charge, i think. the different suppliers varied on these core charges, though.

[dougs69c10]

Originally Posted by jacobs

Typically I like NAPA parts BUT I purchased a rebuilt booster from them and it failed after about 18 months. I won't ever buy another one from them.

every part company is gonna have a problem part, no one is perfect. Ive had less problems with hard parts at napa than I have at autozone or oriellys.


Id put more trust in napa parts than anyother part house out there, prob helps Im a store manager too lol

[Longhorn Man]

With the exception of the starters, altenators, batteries & GM style fuel pumps. Othe than that, NAPA has some good stuff.

[fearnatine13]

i'm still wondering if the 1 ton booster from a '69 will fit a 1/2 ton 69...no one has really come out and said yea or nay yet...as for napa, i've had good experiences from them, and will continue to use them!

[cstanley]

regarding the posted pics (and other references i've found for parts) my m/c is not the same. so far i haven't found it in any of my references, either, so i'm wondering if it's correct. see below, unequal reservior chambers. also, i got my new 1 ton m/c today, but not yet on the booster. it looks like the original cast one...

[dougs69c10]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

With the exception of the starters, altenators, batteries & GM style fuel pumps. Othe than that, NAPA has some good stuff.

everyone has opinions..........

[ERASER5]

The NAPA booster /mc and the ones from Advance, do not seem to come with the needed mounting brackets or the pedel/booster rod. Please correct me if I am wrong.

The P/N NBB 501011 1 ton dual booster + mc is $ 159.00 plus $33.75 core. That comes to $192.75. Returning my mc will get me $8.75 back. So a total of $184.00 would be spent and I would still need brackets and a rod.

So would $175.00 plus $21.00 shipping for an entire dual booster/mc/brakets/rod look like a good deal? That would be a total of $196.00. $12 dollars more than NAPA with the hard-to-find parts included.

[ThatOneBlue67]

Now, would this all work on a half ton 1967 with all wheel drums?

[ERASER5]

The attached printout says so. I need to do some more research. The mc is a corvette style. The front and rear bowels are the same size. Both drum/drum and disc/disc mc's are made this way. There still might be some differences. Also there is no proportioning valve included so that could be a problem. I was going to try and use my original valve.

[special-K]

You guys are on your own with all this swap-around brake stuff,you know.I believe the brakes were already engineered by GM and work as well as you could need.Is someone experiencing poor braking from a properly functioning stock brake system?Isn`t the booster just an "assist" component and not part of the hydraulic system that actually stops the vehicle?I`m just putting thought to where it seems to have been overlooked,since this has become a booster think tank.

[ERASER5]

Originally Posted by special-K

Is someone experiencing poor braking from a properly functioning stock brake system?

Only everytime I fill the 350 gal water tank and drive home. The down hill sharp curves are a lot of fun if the front brakes weren't just recently adjusted. Even if the brakes were adjusted, it is a real leg work out. And that is not going over 30mph. Under normal unloaded driving, I still have to adjust the fronts brakes every 6 months or so. Ultimately I want disc brakes up front.

[special-K]

I was talking more about guys with 1/2t trucks w/power discs wanting to use a 1t booster.

[SB406]

I've got stock disc up front, added disc from an impala SS in rear...
Truck was originally NOT PB
Using a 3/4T booster & brackets....MC is from an impala SS.
Stops nice but I've always felt that it should be a little better. I'm wondering about my booster since some brake fluid got in it from the previous MC.

Is it possible that 1 of the diaphrams is bad, but not the other? How can I tell?
Here's the other thing...There's a rubber "boot" between the MC & the Booster...Without that installed, there was a major vac leak & PB didn't work too good.

By the way, the pedal rod it pretty SH****Y on the 3/4T setup. I had somebody cut me off...I mashed the pedal so hard I bent the friggin rod! had to make a new one out of a grade 8 bolt & some other materials.

[cstanley]

Originally Posted by special-K

I was talking more about guys with 1/2t trucks w/power discs wanting to use a 1t booster.

for me, my 1/2t booster is dead, and the m/c isn't in very good working order, either (never been replaced to my knowledge) and i thought i'd take the opportunity to improve performance if i could, if it's mainly just a parts swap. to me, the truck never has stopped very well, even with the front discs. (a few VERY close calls and having to really STAND on the brakes while only towing an old stepside trailer.) i just decided to try it out, since i was at it anyway. and yes, the drums and discs are still in decent shape...
right now i want ANY improvement, the more the better.

btw, i got my '72 1t booster today. i'm still at the office, but it looks nearly identical in size/shape/rod length to my 1/2t booster. i'll try to put it on tonight and take pics...maybe i won't need 1t brackets?