Hydro boost swap worth it?

[Blue hauler]

I have a 78' K20 with 4" lift and 34" tires. Wondering if the hydro boost swap is worth the effort & trouble for my application? Or just stick with the vacuum power booster.

Thanks in advance!

[mongocanfly]

If your current setup works,I'd stick with it....but I sure do love my hydroboost

[v30crewcab]

only if you want to stop better.

[Dead Parrot]

Does the current setup lock the wheels up? Does it stop straight? If yes to both, then a swap probably won't help.

Once the wheels stop turning and the rubber starts burning, better pads/rotors/boosters don't make you stop faster.

[farmall]

[quote=Dead Parrot;8932622]

Once the wheels stop turning and the rubber starts burning, better pads/rotors/boosters don't make you stop faster.[/quote

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I have never done the swap, and had a dually with hydro boost for a minute. After I sold it. I did some work for a guy to fix his up like mine was.

It is really nice, but depending on how you use the truck. Depends on how worth it, it is. A empty dually no real difference except easier pedal.

With your set up you may to likely will feel it is worth it. Especially if your wheel tire combo is heavy.

[cadillac_al]

My vacuum booster has always worked fine. If I can't stop I roll over it. I had hydroboost on an Oldsmobile diesel and it worked like crap. Maybe it was a primitive system and they work better now.

[Blue hauler]

I'm in the process of building the truck from frame off right now, so just trying to figure out if is worth the effort.

[mongocanfly]

Then I'd say yes...do it...especially if your gonna run a healthy cam or low vacuum engine

[jocko]

I've never had a booster fail on me in any of the many power steering trucks I've owned (but I have purchased one from a parts store that was bad out of the box that I corrected prior to driving with it). I have only owned one hydroboost truck and that system did fail. It got contaminated and belched up all its fluid one day when I wasn't looking... Now... bad on me for not swapping out the fluid, however, it's worth noting the truck only had 15k mi on it when this happened. My point is - it's something I never had to worry about with a vacuum boost system. If it aint broke, don't fix it - there's nothing wrong with a vacuum boost system.

[hatzie]

Hydroboost is darn nice on the 3/4 & 1 ton trucks. Both of my 3/4 tons have it and it's been trouble free. I do change my power steering fluid.
If you don't have a low vacuum cam or a diesel in a 1/2 ton then it's not worth worrying about.

[LT7A]

Interesting question. I'd say it's just about a toss-up. Maybe 52/48 in favor of hydroboost. The big thing for me is whether or not you plan to tow, carry a camper, or load your truck up heavy with any regularity. If so, it could well be worth it because you're taking everything apart anyway. I don't know if there's a difference in parasitic loss between the two pumps, but I'm not inclined to add things to engine drive that aren't necessary. A brake system where the fluid is good, the hoses are good, the pads are high quality, and the shoes and drums are in good shape, I think works just fine. That said, I have hydro boost on a truck that is very similar to yours in lift and tire size and I'm glad to have it. It was a diesel truck originally though.

[Killer Bee]

hydroboost relies on a belt (ps pump), hoses, and a defined quantity of fluid - therefore more possible sources of failure..

I see a lot of hydroboost repairs 5:1 over vacuum system repairs, and most of the vacuum system repairs are caused by b/o master cylinders, like flooding the booster, not diaphragm failures..

hydroboost component failure in the field can also be difficult to remedy, blown hoses, b/o booster valve, etc.

hydroboost performance difference will probably be negligible in smaller automotive applications.. like mentioned above (regarding non-abs systems) when the tires stop turning, there's not much else for the brake system to do..

where hydroboost starts to shine is larger light truck and medium duty truck applications.. larger brake components clamping down on larger wheel mass slowing down heavier vehicles all adds to brake effort..

regular towing of heavier loads might also take advantage of a hydroboost system where more brake effort is useful or needed..

naturally, diesels, supercharged and/or cammy gas motors with poor low end vacuum are prime candidates for hydroboost where the vacuum booster won't work properly or at all..

is your 4x4 lifted 4" with 34" tires pushing the limits of the vacuum system?

will you notice a difference in brake effort or performance converting to hydroboost?

do you just want the absolute most effective brake performance available?

if yes to any of those, then I would suggest considering the swap and be happy with the results..

done properly or near as possible to a factory style installation should work well.. pay attention to the vulnerable components and mitigate as many failure issues as possible and you shouldn't have any trouble with it..

good luck!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by farmall

@Farmall, care to elaborate on your input?

[farmall]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

@Farmall, care to elaborate on your input?

Sure. Manufacturers do not use wooden blocks anymore to stop trucks.

Improvements in friction material, metallurgy, fluids, and power assists effect brakes ability to work cold as well as hot, steering wheel pull, water recovery. brake fade, constant braking on a grade, brake feel on dry, wet and ice. loaded, unloaded. and driver fatigue.
Double the line pressure for x amount of pedal input. the Hydroboost response time and no flat spots is superior.

Try straight line stopping performance test, 60 mph to stop 10 times in a row with economy vs quality components. The NHTSA has done all the testing.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by farmall

Sure. Manufacturers do not use wooden blocks anymore to stop trucks.

Improvements in friction material, metallurgy, fluids, and power assists effect brakes ability to work cold as well as hot, steering wheel pull, water recovery. brake fade, constant braking on a grade, brake feel on dry, wet and ice. loaded, unloaded. and driver fatigue.
Double the line pressure for x amount of pedal input. the Hydroboost response time and no flat spots is superior.

Try straight line stopping performance test, 60 mph to stop 10 times in a row with economy vs quality components. The NHTSA has done all the testing.

I get this.

But, if a commuter vehicle locks up all 4 wheels as-is w/o Hydroboost assist, I'm not sure I see where the sole addition of Hydroboost is worth it w/o additional changes.
Upgrading rotor size, pad quality, tire contact patch & adhesion quality would seem like they should be mentioned somewhere in the mix.