69 C10 Power Steering and Hydroboost

[CRMW]

I've picked up a CPP 6 lug disk brake conversion kit for my 69 C10. Now i'm looking at collecting parts for a power steering and hydroboost conversion. The steering components can come off any squarebody truck, but I was just wondering if any of them came with hydroboost so I could grab all the parts from 1 truck.

Thanks,
Chris

[jeffahart]

I got my parts off a 86 1 ton. You will be looking for a diesel if you are going off the old trucks. The only mod I really had to do was weld a little tab to add some fat to the brake pedal for the rod; and I shaved the firewall mounting bracket a bit. It was a pretty simple upgrade. You want the gold accumulator for disc drum. I think silver for disc disc, if you are going rear disc. You will also need to factor in the hydroboost is o-ring and if you get early pump and gear you will have a combo double flare and o-ring line fittings.


j

[CRMW]

Did all the old diesels come with hydroboost or just the 1 tons?

[jeffahart]

Yes, diesels need hydroboost. Not sure if only 1 tons were diesel. It's just what I used for my parts. Plus, when you goto a junkyard who knows what you will find that people swapped. If you do a hydroboost conversion search, you will find a lot of people use them off the Chevy Astro vans. I just decided to keep all my parts from an 85. I noticed I put 86 above. But, my axles are out of an 85. So, I basically kept all my running gear off the same year. No issue with parts. From brakes to pedal is off a 85 cucv. But I think the booster might be out of an 86, but no matter.

Main thing is get the right accumulator and bracket for easy setup.

Also, I tossed that stupid claw tooth nut. No way was I patient enough to make a specialty socket. I just used a spanner nut and torqued it down with a gland nut wrench. The lock washer even fits!

Also, I can show you how to mark your pedal so you don't have to put it back in and remark after you weld it... if you go that route.

Good luck!

j

[CRMW]

Sounds good, just got a line on an 83 1500 diesel. Front disk rear drum so it should have the parts I need.

[jeffahart]

One other thing. If you swap the booster for a re-manufactured, keep your booster until you get it mounted. Why, if you take it to the parts store and swap it, I think you will loose the rod in the front going from the booster to the master. I think, I'm still running the junkyard booster(works fine) but don't risk it. Individual parts can be a pain to dig up. Like that stupid claw tooth nut... you'll know what I'm talking about when you pull the booster from the firewall mounting bracket.

When you're pulling parts take everything! Hydraulic lines, valve off the front cross member, brake lines if you can. Be a total vulture!


j

[100%Chevy]

If you grab a hydroboost power steering pump,make sure you get ALL the mounting brackets also!
This pump is clocked differently from a regular pump,although they look the same,it will not work on the regular pump mounting!
I'm talking about the 80's trucks.
Mike.

[CRMW]

I finally got around to getting the hydroboost installed but now the pedal goes to the floor and has very limited brakes. I've replaced the master and rear brakes and can not get pressure on the brake pedal. Any ideas?

Chris

[siggyfreud]

Stupid question but did you bench bleed the master and then do a good bleed on the system? If you're sure you did look for old lines. The additional pressure from the hydro may be expanding old soft lines.

[CRMW]

The guy that installed it originally didn't do one but I just checked the system by running a line from the port back into the master and rebleeding the brakes, there was no air in the system. I assume that if there was a problem with the front (all new lines) or the rear (old lines) i should still have brakes in the no affected system. Is that the case?

[CRMW]

I just managed to plug the front port on the master cylinder and now the pedal gets hard about half way down. I assume this means the problem is in the front brakes. That system is new as i did the cpp disk brake conversion and replaced the brake lines from the proportioning system to the wheels. The only things I didn't replace are the hard lines from the MC to the proportioning valve and the proportioning valve.

Any ideas on how to test from here on?

Chris

[CRMW]

I was back at the truck and may have solved the problem. I always assumed that the bleeders should be on the top of the calipers and these are on the bottom. Can anyone confirm where they should be?

[siggyfreud]

They should be on top. If they're on the bottom you likely have the sides swapped. You likely have air trapped in the calipers. Switch sides then rebleed and I bet it's solved

[KQQL IT]

What they said. Bleeders up

[BCOWANWHEELS]

I,vo got 99 % of new hydro setup I,d sell reasonable. pm me

[CRMW]

that solved the problem

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by CRMW

that solved the problem

Awesome! Glad you got it going .

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

One other thing. If you swap the booster for a re-manufactured, keep your booster until you get it mounted. Why, if you take it to the parts store and swap it, I think you will loose the rod in the front going from the booster to the master. I think, I'm still running the junkyard booster(works fine) but don't risk it. Individual parts can be a pain to dig up. Like that stupid claw tooth nut... you'll know what I'm talking about when you pull the booster from the firewall mounting bracket.

When you're pulling parts take everything! Hydraulic lines, valve off the front cross member, brake lines if you can. Be a total vulture!


j

Excellent advice here Jeff.
I have a good friend who gave his hydraboost core back to NAPA with the mounting bracket still on it. Yup you guessed it, reman unit didn’t have a bracket. Luckily they let him have his core back long enough to rob the bracket.