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Brake hydroBoost Upgrade walk throught

132K views 221 replies 49 participants last post by  Hillbilly Heaven 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
New parts obtained from Advanced Auto parts and the part numbers from them. Parts are for a 1996 F350(also for a F250 and F450) Diesel. This model booster was also optional from 1992 to 1997 on the some F250's F350 and F450.

Parts needed:
Hose from Pump to Hydro unit - 71442 - $22.99
Hose from Hydro unit to Gearbox - 71416 - $20.99
Return hose - 71206 - $11.99
Brake Hydrobooster - 527079 - (total with a core charge) $171.69
Prestone power steering fluid 1 quart - $4.59
Hose clamps for the return hose - 5203v - $4.98
Vacuum cap for old Brakebooster hose line - (I had in my garage already)
Brass T for return Lines - lowes plumbing department - $13.78
Rod, spring and retainer from a used unit from a Junkyard.

Hose from Pump to Hydro unit


Hose from Hydro unit to Gearbox


Brake Hydrobooster return hose


Brass T for return hose's



Brake Hydrobooster



Picked up a used Hydroboost unit cause my vac booster has gone out and needs to be replaced now. Otherwise I would be looking for a F250/350/450 in a pick n pull now still.Took out the Rod, spring and retainer out of the used one and will be putting them in the new unit I had gotten from discount auto parts. Picks below of the used unit and the parts. When removing the 3 parts from the used unit pull the rod out first than you can work out the retainer with a screw driver. (defenetly wear safety glasses if you dont wear them.....should be wearing them on anywork you do)careful thought cause the retainer will fly out of it very fast and will fly a good distance. mine flew about 8ft from me lol.
used Hydro unit

Parts needed (I also took the rubber booty that goes over the end of the shaft for my new one)


New Hydro booster with the rod, spring, retainer and boot installed.

 
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#2 ·
What year vehicle did you use to find the parts? I assume its for a F series truck?
 
#3 ·
Parts are from a 1996 F350.

For the return hose you could just get some 3/8's hose. I chose to buy the part that they had listed due to it was a cheaper route than the cut to lenght hose you can buy from the reels. The reel hose was going for about $4 a foot I think. the lenght of the hose that was listed with the part number was 48inches.

reason for the brass T: on the F350 the power steering pump has the option of 2 return nozzles. I dont have hte cash now to do that swap and my PS pump is working fine for now so I am going to be using the t to tie in hte return lines from the Brake booster and the PS gearbox to the pump. I was looking for a solid brass T but I didnt see any at lowes and didnt want to make extra stops on hte way home seeing the lowes was right across the street of the advanced auto.

I was planing on starting and finishing this today. However I am going to have to head to work soon so It will all have to wait till tommorrow.
 
#6 ·
Went to Napa to look at the parts, since that was the closest... They couldn't find the hoses, had to argue with them to look in the steering :)

Anyways, why are you not upgrading your master cylinder as well? Are they the same one?
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
Cause the MC will not be a upgrade and you will have braking issues. unless you replace your front calipers and rear wheel cylinders with a F250/350/450 brake system.
Before tearing the engine bay apart.


Removed intake hose

Removed old MC with out disconnecting the brake linse(reason is so I will not have ot bleed the Brake system later)

 
#10 ·
Everything on my truck is still stock. This is the first real mod I am doing to it that isnt stock. besides the accessories I have put on it.

Judging by the picture above it looks like your M/C is leaking.
I believe on of the prevous owners have already replaced the olc MC. My pedal has been feeling fine and has not been sinking. Also when I pulled them apart there was no fluid on the inside of the MC. In the pick it does look shiney and leaking, It's cause I soaked all the bolts with PB blaster to avoid any hassles when I was ready to pull it all apart.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
Old Booster removed from the Bronco




I am going to be reusing the old gasket that was on the used Hydrobooster, managed to peel it off the old booster with out damaging it to bad.


Booster bolted up to the truck


Covered up the intake holes and the New booster to keep aluminum debree from getting into places where its not good.


Trimed out the old MC to fit the New booster


MC mounted onto the Booster


Next is to install the hose's for hte Hydrobooster.
Yes I'm taking breaks in between as I am doing the work and making the posts during those small breaks. Its hot out side here in FL lol

Installed Pump to Hydrobooster hose


Installed Hydrbooster to Gear Hose


I did have to bend the Metal hose going to the gear box, wasn't fitting right. Thinking during shipping or packaging it may have been tweaked a little.

Connected Return hose from Hydro booster to Pump(Brass T I made from Lowes Supplies)


T connection for return pump/Gearbox/Booster



Caped Old vac booster supply


Assembled other parts that I had removed to do the install. filled the PS reserve full and turned on bronco and steped on the Brake pedal and turned steering wheel a few times and toped off the PS fluid and looked around for any leaks.


Took it for a test drive and feels great. much better than the manual brakes I had before while hte old vac booster went bad LOL
will drive it around for a bit and recheck all fittings for leaks tommorrow.
 
#29 · (Edited by Moderator)
For the OP

Booster bolted up to the truck
How did you re-hook up your brake switch? Did you use the std white washers between the pin and switch on the brake-peal stud?

My booster pedal attachment, has a hump on it and I can't tell if this in intefering with attachment of the brake-light switch. I have the "U"opening facing the pedal, with the black nylon sleeve stuck within the pushrod and in the middle of the brakeswitch body and I can't seem to get my pin insert with a white washer sandwich in between pin and switch.

My install has been going very good up to this point. Any ideals on what could be the problem?


FWIW, I used a dremel with flex-head attach to widen my MC holes while it was on installed in the vehicle. If the MC was not installed and was loose, this task of widening the holes, would have been a 15min job.

Looks very good and nicely done.
 
#12 ·
I had trimed a small piece off the new return hose to make the t connect to teh PC return nozzle and had left the rest of the hose the same lenght it was. I am planning to get a PS resivor with the dual return nozzles to eliminate the T later on. Atm my PS pump is working fine and I need to save up some cash to get the new resivor.
 
#14 ·
I checked out napa last night and the price is onyl about $100 more to do hydro boost if your already swapping master and booster. The only real difference is the price of the hoses..
 
#16 ·
Why is there a rod, spring and retainer between the Hydroboost and the Master Cylinder? It's not just a rod that pushers the master cylinder open?

I saw you put a spring down by the brake pedal. Is that what your talking about? Unfortunatly I can't see photobucket here at work. So I'll have to look later on... I'm sure those parts can be bought at napa as well.
 
#18 ·
The spring pushed the pedal bake in the none engaged position. The retainer keeps the spring in place. the rod pushes the MC piston in to engage the brakes. No they can't be bought at a parts store. even ford doesnt have them listed. that is a pin by the brake pedal that locks in the pedal to teh booter rod.



Not sure if a New booster form ford would come with one or not but the reman ones from parts stores dont come with it. Yes you need it.
 
#19 ·
What did you trim on the Mast Cyl? Was it the ears where the bolts go through? Are those studs or something on the hydroboost that don't come out? Picture is a little blurry & I'm not sure what else it could be that you trimmed. This is a must for brakes on the 96' for me after the handful of other projects I'm in the middle of....Great that this post is on a 96' too. Thanks man, good job! -Kevin-:thumbup
 
#21 · (Edited)
I had to trim the ears on the MC.


So I guess you would use a reservoir off a 96' F350 to get the duel return nipples if still available at a Dealer or parts house right?
Yes or you can get a entire rebuilt PS pump from a parts store.

The housing can be purchased directly from the dealer, the number is E5LY-3A697-A

 
#23 · (Edited)
I am gona say yes it's better. But I cant be to sure about how much better. I had just gotten my bronco in march and had not started driving it till a few days before easter. Back than I had suspected my old vac booster going bad and than comfirmed a week before I went to hydroboost when there was a constant hissing sound coming from it most of the time. I dont think the MC would be a upgrade as the front and rear brake systems are different than the bronco.I also havent seen anything about people trying to upgrade the MC. I think It would actualy cause a braking issue If you did go to the F350/450 MC.

Next on list for my bronco is a 4inch lift. I have a few bad bushings up front that require droping the arms and I figure while I'm at it I'll do the lift. Just need to save up for some cash and hope nothing else gives out by than. wasnt planing to to the booster till later in the year.
 
#30 ·
I dont remmeber how it went on, but I do know it took me some time to get everything lined up and a few times had it lined up but didnt have the pin ready in hand to lock it all in. I know it took me at least 10 to 15 min to get that hooked in place. I was assuming that it took me so long cause I'm big and fat. LOL
I know I did not do any modifications under there and It should go back together like your old booster. That hydro booster is used all the way back to the mid 80's I believe on a few f series trucks.
 
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