Brake thoughts

[mlbrickey]

I'm wanting to keep my drum brakes for now but add a booster. Am I way off base or ok? I have seen that most swap the front to disc but, not sure if I want to do that. If I keep my drums what would be a decent booster? I almost grabbed one off of a 82 GMC at a salvage yard this weekend. Thoughts??

[57larry]

why do you want a booster?

[tcrist]

I am old school and never thought about a booster until I got my current truck that did not have one. When you are used to having one, not having one seems very strange and for me felt unsafe.

Anyway, I bought a used OEM booster setup from a local wrecking yard type place and am glad that I did. Not only is it stock Chevy parts but it works great.

[Lattimer]

Just FYI---if you use anything other than the stock setup with the stock brackets, you are stuck buying a "kit" or doing some fab work. I had to do some welding and make some pieces to get the late model booster to fit even with the stock brackets. Not bad if you can weld and have the patience.

If you don't have or don't want the stock brackets, search for Captain Fab. He makes a firewall bracket to mount pretty much any Chevy booster. Still requires some fab to get the rod to connect to the pedal.

In the last 2 years since I bought the truck I went from stock manual drums to power drums to power disk/drum. Looking back I really wish I had done the disk conversion upfront.

[VWNate1]

Go with the factory booster ! .

I bought one for my '69 C/10 and I'm shickled titless with it ~ I now have toe touch drum brakes that stop on a dime .

1/4 the price of disc brakes and unless you're actually racing , you don't need discs in your hobby truck .

[TBONE1964]

I agree if you are going to add a booster then add the one intended for the application and stay away from odd ball off brand different size boosters. They are nothing but a pain in the keester.

Keep it simple and you will have a system that works well with minimum effort on your foot. Having power brakes does not make the system safer, it just aids with the effort required to apply the brakes.

I also agree that a good working drum brake system will do the job just fine as long as it is well maintained.

Hope this helps,
Tom

[mlbrickey]

Thanks Fellas, I will think some more on this. Might just stick with what I have.

[Lou Boffa]

I used a Captain Fab bracket and an O'Riely booster. Works like a dream and now I dont have to change my underwear as often as when I did not have a booster. My goal with the Captain Fab was to get a rig that didnt extend so far into the engine bay as the original.