Power Drum Brakes

[marvin2]

I am curious how much improvement a power drum brake setup would have over a manual drum brake setup. I've recently bought a new truck and it is manual drums in all corners. I want to improve braking ability, but don't want to get invested in a total disc brake swap at the moment. Will I see a reasonable improvement in stopping power with the addition of power brakes?

Thanks guys...

[ultraranger]

I have a '69 F-100 with a 240 and drums all the way around. When I bought the truck, it didn't have power brakes and it took a good bit of force on the brake pedal to stop the truck.

I spotted a factory 8-3/4" diameter Bendix dual-diaphragm vacuum booster on a '75 F-350 in a local wrecking yard and I grabbed the MC (didn't use it though), the booster brackets, the disc/drum combination valve/mounting bracket (I have a disc brake setup from a '77 F-100 that will be installed at a later date. The disc/drum combination valve will be used then). I got the plastic tube that goes between the back of the booster to the firewall and of coarse the booster itself.

I traded the booster in as a core for a newly rebuilt booster. Now, it takes little effort to actuate the brakes.

[72BahamaBlue]

I don't think there's any difference in stopping power, but the vacuum assist/ brake booster reduces pedal effort quite a bit.
If your keeping the drum brakes, it's an easy addition.

[marvin2]

I appreciate the info guys. I think the reduction in pedal effort is probably improvement enough to justify the swap.

Couple of questions:
- If I buy a booster setup for a '71 (that's my year model), I shouldn't need to make any adjustment to my pedal assembly, right?
- Do I need a new master cylinder? Again, I'm staying all drum brakes, so I would think it is re-usable.
- Does anyone sell the firewall brackets aftermarket (LMC, Dennis Carpenter, etc.)?

Thanks guys,

[sargentrs]

Flashback F100s sells the brackets.

[ultraranger]

Flashback F100s sells the brackets.

...but, the fabricated brackets don't come with one of the main components of the setup for a booster with a straight input rod (non-bell crank type brake booster). --The moulded plastic tube that covers the hole in the firewall and bridges the gap between the firewall to the back of the power brake booster.

It would probably be best to source the entire booster assembly from a donor truck. Otherwise, this key component is going to be missing.

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... p?p=608704

[sargentrs]

Flashback F100s sells the brackets.

...but, the fabricated brackets don't come with one of the main components of the setup for a booster with a straight input rod (non-bell crank type brake booster). --The moulded plastic tube that covers the hole in the firewall and bridges the gap between the firewall to the back of the power brake booster.

It would probably be best to source the entire booster assembly from a donor truck. Otherwise, this key component is going to be missing.

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... p?p=608704

So nobody remains that boot? I'll be needing one for my install too.

[ultraranger]

Flashback F100s sells the brackets.

...but, the fabricated brackets don't come with one of the main components of the setup for a booster with a straight input rod (non-bell crank type brake booster). --The moulded plastic tube that covers the hole in the firewall and bridges the gap between the firewall to the back of the power brake booster.

It would probably be best to source the entire booster assembly from a donor truck. Otherwise, this key component is going to be missing.

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... p?p=608704

So nobody remans that boot? I'll be needing one for my install too.

To my knowledge, it isn't reproduced. When I pulled my donor booster setup, the factory plastic tube was with the booster/mounting bracket setup. When I traded the donor booster in for a newly rebuilt booster, the new booster came with a short rubber bellows style boot on the back of the booster. It was too short to bridge the gap between the firewall and the back of the booster. I removed the rubber boot and installed the original plastic tube. I've seen others mention the same problem that the supplied rubber boot wouldn't work in their application either and they had to use the plastic tube that came with their donor booster.

What did your booster come off of and does it have a long, straight input rod sticking out the back of the booster or is it the bell crank type?

[sargentrs]

I don't have one yet. I'll be buying new/reman complete with m/c.

[ultraranger]

This is the reman booster I have on my F-100. My setup came off a 1975 F-350 1-ton truck. It's a dual-diaphragm 8-3/4" diameter unit.

http://m.oreillyauto.com/mt/www.oreilly ... &ppt=C0066

https://imageshack.com/i/5odsc0004ipj

I didn't get the MC/booster combo together at O'Reilly's because the MC for a '75 F-350 has a 1-1/4" bore diameter. That's too large for my 4-wheel drum brake setup and still too large for the single piston '77 disc brake I-beam setup I'll be installing in the coming months. The brake pedal, even with the booster, would be too stiff and would not apply the brakes as well as a smaller 1.00" bore MC.

This is the MC I bought and mounted to the booster. I normally recommend buying new MCs, not rebuilt but, I was having a hard time getting a MC with a 1.00" bore and ports on the drivers side.... Fitting sizes are 1/2"-20 on the primary port & 9-/16"-18 on the secondary port.

http://m.oreillyauto.com/mt/www.oreilly ... rd=10-1386

I picked up a couple of booster/bracket assemblies from the wrecking yard this evening --same wrecking yard I got the '75 F-350 booster a couple of years ago that's on my truck now. One of the booster setups came from a '68 F-250 Camper Special and the other from a '74 F-350 1-ton truck. The plastic tube on the '68 was a bit brittle and the flared portion that butts up to the firewall was cracked and broken off. Not sure if its tube can be salvaged or repaired (??).

If I can get some photos of them tomorrow, then I can show some of the differences between these boosters and what the plastic tubes look like.

[Craigerf100]

here i strongly recommend this:

universal brake booster:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Brand-New-7 ... 98&vxp=mtr

universal brake to booster rod:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-brake ... d9&vxp=mtr

universal booster to fire wall bracket:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Right-Stuff-Det ... 97&vxp=mtr

if u buy all of this with shipping it adds up to $95.28 and it all works really well with minimal modifications if any.

any remand booster from an auto parts store would run u around $90 depending on where u live.

if you choose to stick to the remand booster i recommend still buying a dual diaphragm booster.

but you are still gonna need to find u a booster bracket, local junk yards might have one. i recommend not using the canti-lever type.

here give this a read if u haven't already:
http://www.fordification.com/tech/clutc ... ackets.htm

[marvin2]

Craigerf100, that looks like a pretty good setup. Is this something you've installed?

Also, would I still need the plastic tube that's been discussed in a couple of the previous posts?

[ultraranger]

The choice of any owner to use OEM parts or aftermarket is obviously up to the individual. Aftermarket boosters vary in size, construction, fit, quality, output, reliability and performance. All aftermarket parts are not created equal for a particular application --but all OEM parts are. It's just up to you what you want to go with.

[ToughOldFord]

Big difference, you'll notice it more going from manual to power drum than if you went from manual drum to manual disc.

[Craigerf100]

Craigerf100, that looks like a pretty good setup. Is this something you've installed?

Also, would I still need the plastic tube that's been discussed in a couple of the previous posts?

from what I understand this plastic tube to be. Is simply the boot that stretches from booster to the fire wall. If that's it then this is for protecting many things like your brake rod and to plug the whole that the brake rod goes through to connect to your brake peddle. I'm not sure if that's what u mean.

Yes it works great. In my personal experience the universal dual diaphragm boosters work tons better. I mean re manufactured means they are rebuild refurbished. New is always better I think.

yes I have installed this on 2 fairlane
http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/attachm ... g_0859.jpg
and one buddy's 65 f100. And I'm about to install this exact setup on my 64 f100. All of but one of these has 4 drums like yours. Disc brakes are a great option but tons more work to do.

By the way which ever route you choose. You will need a MC (master cylinder) made for a booster and all 4 drums.
Here's a good setup with a new not remand MC.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/171130369014

Remand MCs work just fine. And cost $20-30