Manual brakes to power brake?

[oldblue1968chevy]

been reading some faq on how to make your manual drum brakes, power drum brakes...looks seems pretty easy/cheap.

I understand it all but the underdash part.

undo mc from firewall, get the booster in there gently get a brass T for the vacum lines...can i use the vacum in back of carb. between carb. and distributor?

can somebody explain what im supposed to loosen/change under the dash, and when i go to hardware strore for the T fitting, can i just take the fitting off my truck at the store, bring it in and tell em i need a T, come out of the store, and put my fitting back on and drive back home lol, my trucks and a driver, and my only driver, not a project lol...

heres a link to the writeups thanks!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=163387

theres another one but i cant seem to find it, THANKS!

[westofb]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

been reading some faq on how to make your manual drum brakes, power drum brakes...looks seems pretty easy/cheap.

I understand it all but the underdash part.

undo mc from firewall, get the booster in there gently get a brass T for the vacum lines...can i use the vacum in back of carb. between carb. and distributor?

can somebody explain what im supposed to loosen/change under the dash, and when i go to hardware strore for the T fitting, can i just take the fitting off my truck at the store, bring it in and tell em i need a T, come out of the store, and put my fitting back on and drive back home lol, my trucks and a driver, and my only driver, not a project lol...

heres a link to the writeups thanks!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=163387

theres another one but i cant seem to find it, THANKS!

You don't say what your drive train consist of, but for aurgument sake I am assuming you have a small block with quadrajunk or edelbrock. Yes you can use the port located in the rear of the carb near the base plate. That is where the factory gets the vaccum from for the brakes. If you have access to the donor vehicle, get the piece of tubing from the carb to the booster, there is an adapter there converting the carb female to the npt of the hard line...if not go to parts store and get this adapter and piece of hard line (I can't remember for sure but think it is 5/16 fuel line). From the donor vehicle, you need the booster, the vaccum line (should have a one way valve installed on it to keep vaccum booster charged incase of engine failure, then you still have power brakes to get it stopped), the brackets on the booster where it attaches to the firewall, and the complete linkage assembly that attaches to the brake pedal. You have to remove the old linkage at the brake pedal and replace it with the one on the power booster. It is a lot simple to do than try to explain here...once you get thing comming off you can see how it goes back together. One note, you will probably have to adjust your brake light switch, this is a giant pita, very tough to get to...stubby wrenches are a god send to adjust it. The only thing I removed inside the truck was the steering column brace which is held on with 4 bolts, removing the bolts from the column at the dash also makes it a little easier to get the linkage off/ on the brake pedal.

[westofb]

If you have all the parts you need, you can change it out in about an hour or less...a buddy to help is nice especially when hooking up the linkage on the power booster to the brake pedal.

[oldblue1968chevy]

yes ive gotta quadrajet 4bbl and sbc with 3ott

so the vacum T is on the donor truck somewhere, or does my existing truck already have the T....so everything off my 72 power brake truck is everything i'll need, even the lines...if so i wanna go do it now IN THE RAIN

[oldblue1968chevy]

okay, im taking the booster off right now, i need to disconnect the rod that goes thru the firewall (and im assuming is the rod that connects the foot brake to the booster???)

somebody hurry up and say yes i dont wanna be tearing stuff down that i dont know wat it is lol, gott have this thing driving/and stopping by monday 7am lol

thanks goin back out to work in the rain lol bye and hurry and post back

[Irishpilot]

You are correct. However, the manual brake rod is longer than the power brake rod due to less travel. Make sure it fits together.

For adjusting the brake light sensor, take your time as fine adjustment will be in order to get it right.

[oldblue1968chevy]

do i need to use the footbrake from the 72?

im putting it back together all on my 68 now...for you other 'noobs' like me, its VERY easy..well so far haha its pretty fun, its one of the more 'major jobs' ive done so far lol...hope its a good mod, ima test it out on the wet raods in the dark and thanks for the help fellas!

the brakelight sensor,,what were is that lol

AHH WHO NEEDS BRAKELITES lol jk

[oldblue1968chevy]

okay, im bout done, but now the brakelines for my master cylinder are looking too short unless i bend them...can i bend em lol? thanks

[oldblue1968chevy]

oh and where the heck does the lil support bracket mount to???????!!!!!!!!

[westofb]

You don't actually need the support brackets will work fine without them. Yes you have to slightly bend your brake lines to get the master cylinder to move forward to its new location. Just go easy so you don't kink them, you may need to slightly loosen the brake lines so they can rotate to help with getting the mc to new locale. If you break them loose, you may have to bleed the system...if you are careful, everything will fall into place. The brake light switch is located up high in the brake pedal mount...very tough to get to... stubby wrenches are your friend on this job, there are nuts on both sides of the mount and I think you can reach the upper one okay but the lower one has an access hole for your wrench, I am thinking it is on the driver's side of the mount.

[Tx Firefighter]

Yes, the lines will bend just fine.

The support bracket goes to a stud on the firewall. It should already be there, just remove the existing nut, install brace, and reinstall the nut.

[oldblue1968chevy]

theres not a nut or bolt sticking out of the firewall there lol wtf

im done for the mostpart im done gotta put parking brake back...and do the tailight thing....took it for a spin and MAN WHAT WAS I MISSING, POWER BRAKES ARE AWESOME COMPARED TO MANUAL, ANYBODY THAT HAS MANUAL NEEDS TO SWAP, TOOK ME 4 HOURS, BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING!! PRETTY EASY BUT YOU NEED 2 PEOPLE! cant wait to drive it round tomorow, man ima be able to brake torque them tires.............lol

but yeah im excited, what exactly do you do to adjust the tailights so there not always on lol

thanks for all who helped me with this mod!!!

[oldblue1968chevy]

oh and 1 more question...

the brake pedal sits closer to the floor than the clutch pedel, why is this and can i readjust it back? thanks!

[logger]

I am trying to read the links that are posted by WestofB, but told I don't have priveleges???

What has changed on this site??