drum brake power booster help

[takehikes]

I have a 68 with a 240-6 and manual drum brakes. I have no wish to go to disc but would like to add a power booster. I can not seem to find anywhere that sells a power booster AND master cylinder for a drum brake set up. I find the booster (I have no core though) and I find M/C's but no combo not to mention brackets for it.
My truck is a shortbed stepside and actually brakes fairly decently for how I use it but with power it would be very acceptable to me. Not to mention save me a lot of money over a disc swap. I should mention this is all in an effort to keep the truck as stock as possible with only "period correct" modifications to it.

[hillcountryflt]

There are whole setups out there such as this http://r.ebay.com/pUZjy7. I know I routinely run into them advertised in my Classic Truck magazines.

[takehikes]

Thanks that's great info! I totally forgot about looking on Ebay.

[hillcountryflt]

That's just one option. I have encountered them elsewhere maybe Macs or the like.

[Mach428]

You can also try NPD. I have used them for years and they always stand behind their products.

[F100 Dad]

There are whole setups out there such as this http://r.ebay.com/pUZjy7. I know I routinely run into them advertised in my Classic Truck magazines.

I just installed this one on my 2wd 4 drum. My old manual master cylinder lost pressure on the front circuit.

I'm going to drive it for a while and see how it does pulling my car trailer. If I want/need to I can add an adjustable prop valve if I swap in disc brakes in the front. GPS Auto's tech support is great.

[ultraranger]

1969 F100 short bed Ranger, 240, C-4, 9-inch 3.50 geared 31-spline TL rear end.

Originally, my truck had manual 4-wheel drums and manual steering. I added the booster and a new 1.00" bore cast iron MC (2012) when I still had drums all the way around. With the powerful dual diaphragm F350 booster, a 1.00" bore MC, and drums all the way around, the brakes were a bit sensitive.



Later on, I replaced the front drums with a complete disc brake front suspension from a '77 F100 and went to a modern MC with a slightly larger 1-1/16" bore. --probably would have been better off, from the jump, to have installed the modern MC when I still had front drums and the added booster, to have reduced some of the sensitivity they had then with the 1.00" bore cast iron MC. That way, it would have already been in place when I swapped to front discs.

1975 F350 dual diaphragm booster, (new) 1995 Ford Explorer 1-1/16" bore MC, OEM NOS disc/drum brake valve from an '84-'86 F150/Bronco.

[Jbott]

I tried to buy from npd but the master cylinder that came with it didn't fit quite right for my 72. I'm lucky enough to live in nascar USA (Charlotte) and drove up to mp power in Mooresville, NC. Their setup worked perfectly for about $400 or so. I'm running all drum and had no power brakes before. Their setup works wonderfully.

http://www.mpbrakes.com/

[idahiboy]

Thanks for information on the mp brakes parts
Would that work on an f250 highboy?

[Jbott]

Thanks for information on the mp brakes parts
Would that work on an f250 highboy?

I would give them a call and see. I wouldn't see why not. The people working there are extremely helpful.

[Craigerf100]

Hey I went with this setup on the right.

A early 90s explorer MC, new universal dual diaphragm booster, adjustable brake push rod and I used the oem booster brackets.


Did the same set up on my dads 64, minus the explorer MC but I did find a new single MC not remand. I also used new universal booster brackets.


And for each set up I payed maybe a $100 for everything. If you're interested hit me up, I'd be happy to tell u how I did it and where I got the parts.

But the reason why I'm not running a remand MC and booster is because I did on my 68 f100'and a 67 fairlane. And both suuuucked (pic bellow) In short, remand products are hit or miss if u find a good one. Not to mention a remand booster is waaaay $70 easy compared to $40 new. Plus remand old technology isnt as good as new.

[calipilot227]

1969 F100 short bed Ranger, 240, C-4, 9-inch 3.50 geared 31-spline TL rear end.

Originally, my truck had manual 4-wheel drums and manual steering. I added the booster and a new 1.00" bore cast iron MC (2012) when I still had drums all the way around. With the powerful dual diaphragm F350 booster, a 1.00" bore MC, and drums all the way around, the brakes were a bit sensitive.

Any reason the F350 booster wouldn't work with the '70 F250 stock master cylinder?

[ultraranger]

1969 F100 short bed Ranger, 240, C-4, 9-inch 3.50 geared 31-spline TL rear end.

Originally, my truck had manual 4-wheel drums and manual steering. I added the booster and a new 1.00" bore cast iron MC (2012) when I still had drums all the way around. With the powerful dual diaphragm F350 booster, a 1.00" bore MC, and drums all the way around, the brakes were a bit sensitive.

Any reason the F350 booster wouldn't work with the '70 F250 stock master cylinder?

The old Ford cast iron MCs as well as many of the more modern Ford MCs (aluminum body with a plastic reservoir) are interchangeable on the brake boosters. If the 2-hole mounting flange on the MC has a 3-3/16" mounting stud hole pattern, it will bolt up.

It then becomes a balacing act, in MC bore diameters, as to what gives the best braking vs. the amount of force it takes being applied on the brake pedal to get the truck to stop within a reasonable distance but also that the bore diameter isn't too small, which would make the brakes too sensitive.

[calipilot227]

1969 F100 short bed Ranger, 240, C-4, 9-inch 3.50 geared 31-spline TL rear end.

Does that particular booster have an adjustable push rod? Yours is the O'reilly part number 54-73112, correct?

[ultraranger]

The booster output rod (to the MC) on the booster I have is adjustable. Yes, that's the part number for the booster I'm running.