Hydroboost pros and cons please post your thoughts.

[staged67gspwr]

I`m looking to get hydroboost and i need to know the pros and cons before i spend the money to purchase it,feel free to post your thoughts.

Thanks

[oestek]

George,

I recommend them to everyone. They aren't too hard to install, and they really make your car stop! Best thing I've added to our '62 Galaxie.

[PhillipM]

While I do believe there has been a few of these threads over the past couple years I will post a negative. Ours is set up on a LS7 with Baer 13" front disks and a 1.125" bore master. We do not have much "feel" in the brakes and if you get in a panic stop it locks up the fronts instantly (the rears do lock up first) and modulation of the system is very difficult. I do not usually recommend them. Currently at the caliper I am seeing pressure readings near 1400 in the front. Maybe someone can help but I'm not sure. If you have no vacuum and your car is too large for manual brakes then I would say yeah go ahead and run it... But if you are in any other situation I would suggest looking at some other avenues before pulling the trigger.

[MarkM66]

Cons. One more system that can go wrong. Ads clutter to the engine compartment. Extra expense. Pleanty of people are doing just fine without power assist.

[oestek]

They are an additional system, but a simple one. Don't forget the increased valve cover clearance and that they don't require vacuum as benefits. I agree, larger vehicles gain the most, that's why they are factory installed on most towing package GM and Ford trucks. But Cobra Mustangs had 'em, too.

[John Wright]

I have mixed feelings about it on my 3500 Silverado. It feels really weird to be near threshold braking and have the pedal viberate and the truck pick up speed. Manual modulation only helps slightly. At the same time the steering gets stiffer and harder to turn until you let off the brakes. Maybe it's better on vehicles with better weight distribution, I dunno.

[d.c.]

They are quite simple to install, but the pedal feel is odd and turning the wheel at low engine speed and your foot on the brake is sometimes difficult. It does give you huge stopping power. If you are going power assist and you have no room for a booster or low vacuum it is a yes and better then an electric vac pump. Some on this board may not like this hint, but you can build your own for less then half the money of a kit. Lots of oems have used them over the years. Any diesel vehicle, astro vans, some buicks.....etc

[Racerxtx]

Stay away from using a cast iron master cylinder with unit. The weight of the assembled package combined with its length will cause the whole thing to bounce quite a bit during driving, causing fluid leaks over time.

[silver69camaro]

I've always thought they provide way too much assist and lack of feedback. To me it's similar to '60s power steering - way overboosted and no road feel.

[HILROD]

I will admit in some stock applications, the setup is way too mushy. That said I have converted a handful of cars to Hydroboost. They all have great pedal feel and are easy to modulate, except for one. It needs a bigger master cyl bore, but the owner likes it. Another pro is that all the newer units have an accumutator that stores enough backup for 3-5 normal stops, maybe more.

[gort69]

I have it on a 69 Camaro with a cast iron MC and I love it. Been there for about 4 years with a fair amt of mileage and no leaks. I don't road race so I don't really care about modulation. The pedal is high and firm, and it doesn't take much effort to slow the car down in a big hurry. It might have a different feel than a vacuum boosted or a manual system, but I learned to like it in short order. It took a hundred or so miles for all of the air to bleed itself from the system. I notice nothing goofy in steering or braking at slow speeds.

[srt1010]

I've been running a hydroboost for about 2 years now. Like gort69, no issues at slow speeds. I went to it due to low vac or should I say no vac. It takes a little getting use to the touchy pedal, but that comes quick. I love it, best thing I've done next to the TKO600.

[73z-6sp]

Thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth. I have two cars with Hydroboost. The first is my 66 Chevelle with disk front and drum rear. My big block didnt leave room for a booster which is why I went for it. The stopping power is huge! Too much I think sometimes. The rears lock up immediately with a panic stop. Fronts never have. I installed a proportioning valve...adjusted it all the way and the rear brakes still lock up immediately. Maybe I need a different master cylinder? Dont know. Im waiting to do my C5 brake conversion and see what happens then.

The other car is my 82 Mustang with Mach 1 drivetrain and 13" cobra brakes. It feels awesome! Feedback is good. No locking up on panic stop though it does retain the Mach 1 ABS and traction control which Im sure helps.

Anyways...I am hoping once I go 4 wheel discs on the Chevelle it will feel better.

[lnirenberg]

Another vote for hydroboost in big cars. Almost had a heart attack with new SSBC brakes reusing small booster and vacuum pump that were on the car when I bought it. Larger booster wouldn't clear the valve covers. Just got the car on the road 2 weeks ago with hydroboost and the car is transformed, great pedal feel, stopping distance and easy to modulate the brakes.

[Taman]

With the cam I had, I need something . I used to run an electric vacuum pump. I switched to manual . I run Wilwood 6 piston front and 4 piston rear. I just auto crossed today and the pedal effort is not bad. Not much more effort. I prefer it over power assist.

[PhillipM]

I've always thought they provide way too much assist and lack of feedback. To me it's similar to '60s power steering - way overboosted and no road feel.

Exactly what I was trying to get at with my post.

[PhillipM]

The stopping power is huge! Too much I think sometimes. The rears lock up immediately with a panic stop. Fronts never have. I installed a proportioning valve...adjusted it all the way and the rear brakes still lock up immediately. Maybe I need a different master cylinder? Dont know.

Thats funny.. Our problem is the opposite. The fronts lock up imidiately and the rears never do. I have our prop valve all the way open and it still doesn't help the rears get more bite.

[Randy67]

But Cobra Mustangs had 'em, too.

So did the 4.6L 2V Mustang GTs as well.

A well setup hydroboost system is sweet, I had no issues with the setup on the 03 Mustang GT I had, abs helps with lockup issues. I do prefer manual brakes for better feel and control.

[TnBlkC230WZ]

Thats funny.. Our problem is the opposite. The fronts lock up imidiately and the rears never do. I have our prop valve all the way open and it still doesn't help the rears get more bite.

You don't normally want the rears to lock up. They should keep rolling to follow the fronts.

[Roadrage David]

Have been road racing abit and did plenty of high speed runs with the Hydratech system. have SSBC force 10 4 piston calipers in frond single in the back. brake feel is great stoping powers is very good.. con is that when whe road race it the DSE power stearing pump was running so hot afther20 min it started to wine bad. have changed my fluid 3 times . disided to use a earl oil cooler up frond in combination with the DSE oil cooler i alredy had.
i also plan to increase the oil capasety as the remote oil canister is to small. all in al great system, but you need some serius oil cooling and more oil to keep it cool..