Adding a power brake booster to a '65 C-10

[nxtruck]

I'm looking at adding power brakes to my son's '65 and was wondering which booster I should use. I looked at my local Napa's website and they list a booster with a vertical bracket and a booster with a horizontal bracket. This truck has manual brakes right now. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Thanks in advance!

[brokenspoke]

I used mine from a 1985 C 10

[jocko]

Will you be adding a dual reservoir master cylinder in the process? (I'd recommend it, and it's inexpensive).

If retaining 4 wheel drum brakes, my recommendation is to use the following:
a) buy a dual reservoir, dual drum master cylinder and power booster together as a unit (67 C10 is a great starting point, parts readily available and it was a drum/drum arrangement from the factory)
b) mount it with CaptFab's booster bracket.

Buying the mc and booster together as a single part number from somewhere (Oreily's Carquest, you name it) ensures that you will have the correct intermediate pushrod length between the mc and booster.
You will still need to adjust the length of the pedal to booster pushrod, but that's true for this particular upgrade no matter what setup you use. Normally will need to buy a longer adjustable rod or lengthen your own in some way with an adjustable locknut arrangement to allow fine tuning.

CaptFab's bracket keeps the booster pretty darn close to the firewall and is a neat, compact install. I am not positive, his bracket may be geared more to the mid-70's booster,which is disk/drum and a slightly different booster bolt pattern, but I do know that if that is the case, the mounting holes can be oblonged a slight bit and it will still work just fine. I bought it, planned it all out, but sold the truck before I installed it. Capt would have all the details for you.

[Reyals Bemus]

Captainfab's bracket is awesome.

[nxtruck]

Thanks for the replies, guys!
Jocko, I'm planning on leaving it drum/drum for now, so I'll look into Captnfab's bracket setup, as it looks like a clean install going that route.
Thanks again guys!
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[jayoldschool]

Keep us posted, I'd like to stay drums (for now), but add booster.

[64shortbed]

This is why i started the brake booster tread. So people would have some ideas of what works and what to stay away from. I currently have a booster from an 85 c10 and one from a 71 3/4 ton. I dont like how far they are going to stick out from the fire wall with the original brackets. The 71 i can unbolt from the bracket and the 85 is one piece.
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[jocko]

nx and jay - just to clarify what I was talking about - you can use Captain's bracket for drum/drum AND disk/drum. My drum/drum comment was geared toward the mc/booster combo I was recommending because that is a dual reservoir (for safety) original GM drum/drum mc/booster combo. Good luck, it's a great improvement. I only did the dual res mc on mine initially, and then was planning on the booster addition. Captain is great to deal with and very knowledgeable on this stuff. Enjoy!

[Captainfab]

The '71 C20 booster is likely a dial diaphram booster, which will give you excellent braking assist with a mostly stock engine. If you have a engine with a bit of a cam, and lower vacuum, the dual diaphram booster will help make up for the low vacuum.

The '71-'72 boosters can work with my booster brackets. You will just have to remove the factory brackets, and slightly elongate the holes in my booster bracket. My booster brackets are designed to be used with brake boosters having a 3-3/8" x 3-1/2" stud pattern. The '71-'72 boosters have a 3-1/2 x 3-1/2" stud pattern.

There are links to my booster brackets in my signature line \/ \/ \/

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

This is why i started the brake booster tread. So people would have some ideas of what works and what to stay away from. I currently have a booster from an 85 c10 and one from a 71 3/4 ton. I dont like how far they are going to stick out from the fire wall with the original brackets. The 71 i can unbolt from the bracket and the 85 is one piece.
Posted via Mobile Device

[nxtruck]

Originally Posted by jocko

nx and jay - just to clarify what I was talking about - you can use Captain's bracket for drum/drum AND disk/drum. My drum/drum comment was geared toward the mc/booster combo I was recommending because that is a dual reservoir (for safety) original GM drum/drum mc/booster combo. Good luck, it's a great improvement. I only did the dual res mc on mine initially, and then was planning on the booster addition. Captain is great to deal with and very knowledgeable on this stuff. Enjoy!

Jocko, I follow what you're saying and appreciate the help! I plan on leaving it drum/drum, unless a money tree pops up in my backyard. I am planning on adding a dual reservoir m/cyl, though, for the very reason you stated.
Thanks again, guys, for all of the help!!

[ACK]

A question for those who have installed a booster to their drum brakes, how much of an improvement does it add? Would you say it's falls under "I like it, but wouldn't miss it" or "I can't live without it now that I have it".

[nxtruck]

Originally Posted by Woogeroo

The horizontal or vertical is dependent on what year your truck is.

my booster on my 1965

I knew someone else would run into that one day, which is why I took those photos.

I found that out during my epic parts quest trying to find a replacement booster.

I want to say the vertical is '60-'63 and the horizontal is '64-'66.

Definitely check out captain fab's products too... a lot of folks on here have use 'em.

-W

Woogeroo,
Thanks for the clarification! I think I'll look into using Captnfab's bracket, as it looks a whole lot cleaner than trying to adapt a booster some other way.

[gimmy 64]

you can still buy the stock booster for these trucks from autozone or where ever. a later m/s will bolt right to it. the booster will have right bracket for your truck.

[nxtruck]

Originally Posted by gimmy 64

you can still buy the stock booster for these trucks from autozone or where ever. a later m/s will bolt right to it. the booster will have right bracket for your truck.

Well, this is what I originally planned on doing. When I started checking into finding an OE booster, I ran into the questions I posted at the beginning of this thread. This is good to know, as I would think that this would be the most trouble-free way of adding power brakes to the truck.

[nxtruck]

I was looking through a Jim Carter catalog last night and noticed that they have a booster listed as working with the stock, single reservoir m/cylinder. Supposed to be a bolt-in deal, even coming with an adjustable pushrod. No brake bleeding needed. Has anyone used this one? I know, I probably should add a dual reservoir m/cyl. when I do this, but I'm thinking that the stock m/cyl. worked for many years of normal driving, and this truck ain't a racer, so maybe this may be another option.

[dantimdad]

Let me assure you, that dual bowl MCs are not an option... they are a MUST!

I fixed up a 65 falcon for the wife. New everything under the hood, entire brake system including lines replaced. I used the original style MC.

2 weeks into driving it one of the NEW wheel cylinders blew. If she had not had the sense to pull the E brake, it would have all been over.

Please, do not use a single bowl MC.

Steven

[luvbowties]

...another vote to NOT USE ORIGINAL MC...by ALL means, swap to dual-line mc...s-a-f-e-t-y...
My $3,000,000.00-worth!
sam

[gimmy 64]

this happened to my grand daughter and her 65 mustang. no problems with brakes ever this was a daily driver, went to stop for a light and brakes went to floor. ran into the back of a lexus. car tolaled but she only got a fat lip out of it. thank god

[nxtruck]

OK, guys, you've convinced me. I won't fool with using a single tank cyl. when I do this.
I appreciate all of the input everyone's gave me on this!

[fsckewe]

Originally Posted by jocko

Will you be adding a dual reservoir master cylinder in the process? (I'd recommend it, and it's inexpensive).

If retaining 4 wheel drum brakes, my recommendation is to use the following:
a) buy a dual reservoir, dual drum master cylinder and power booster together as a unit (67 C10 is a great starting point, parts readily available and it was a drum/drum arrangement from the factory)
b) mount it with CaptFab's booster bracket.

Buying the mc and booster together as a single part number from somewhere (Oreily's Carquest, you name it) ensures that you will have the correct intermediate pushrod length between the mc and booster.
You will still need to adjust the length of the pedal to booster pushrod, but that's true for this particular upgrade no matter what setup you use. Normally will need to buy a longer adjustable rod or lengthen your own in some way with an adjustable locknut arrangement to allow fine tuning.

CaptFab's bracket keeps the booster pretty darn close to the firewall and is a neat, compact install. I am not positive, his bracket may be geared more to the mid-70's booster,which is disk/drum and a slightly different booster bolt pattern, but I do know that if that is the case, the mounting holes can be oblonged a slight bit and it will still work just fine. I bought it, planned it all out, but sold the truck before I installed it. Capt would have all the details for you.

I am having some brake issues (brakes locking) on a '65. While(maybe after) I am tackling that I am going to add boost and a dual pot to my single pot setup. I will likely be following your advice on setup selection. While I am mechanically inclined and insanely intelligent, I know nothing about automobiles. Purchasing this vehicle a year ago has been a learning experience. I have a question.

Can someone please help clarify something for me: what does jocko mean by his comment regarding the pedal-to-booster pushrod and adjusting the length? I know this is likely a simple question, but confusing to me. Might there be a diagram or photo that exists? I just don't have real world hands-on experience with braking systems.

Apologies if this is a thread hi-jack. Thanks.

Edit:
ah, scratch that I think. Much like every other forum on the internet, the search function is your friend!
I think this will suffice my question (for anyone else who finds this):
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=548472

[joeydirt]

Is it ok to run a disc/disc or a disc/drum mc on a disc system? My mc is bad and I would like to go ahead and do the power conversion...but down the road I would like to do a 73+ xmember and further down the road a rear disc. I know there is issues with the residual valves on certain types of systems.

[T and S]

Hey Chris, did you ever get this done? If so what set-up did you end up going with. Thinking of doing booster also.
Thanks, Tom

[vince1]

I got a dual cylinder from a 67. Got extra long lines from the junkyard with lots of curls on top and found appropriate fittings at my auto parts store. Closest to the pedal (rear rservoir) is 1/4" line and for forward brakes which goes into the LH Tee on crossmember. I cut that shorter as requ. and flared it. The rear 1/4" brake line at the Tee on the RH side of the crossmember gets disconnected and joined to forward reservoir (farthest from pedal) 3/16 line. The RH tee with the line removed gets blocked. At least that was my experience with it all.

With the dual cylinder I haven't noticed any difference in pedal effort but at least it should be a lot safer.

I'll be ordering Capt.Fab's bracket to have it over to power drums pretty quick.

[vince1]

Maybe 67 cylinder will take a 1/4 line in the forward reservoir (rear brakes), I'm not sure. I used lines from a newer truck and they worked.

[kevinjr]

1964 C 10 Cant you use 1/4 inch lines all the way with a dual MC front & Rear .What is the reason they down size to the 3/16th to the rear lines from the rear tee Junction
I found a OEM Booster do i mate it with a 67-72 C 20 Master Cylinder
Thanks in advance