aftermarket brake boosters

[jarred]

hi all,long time reader,first time post writer.

im going through the process of deciding how to boost my brakes,read a lot of options with gemini booster and xa master, or hk booster(little big but still not bad) or the vh40 remote idea,then read different reviews of how the vh40 performs in peoples opinions. also looked now at these on ebay in the states now being sold locally on the gold coast through ebay

Ebay Item #150723005728

~ HOT ROD UNIVERSAL CHROME BRAKE BOOSTER &MASTER CYLINDER~
PLUS CHROME MASTER CYLINDER  CLIP ON CAP 1/2  -  9/16 PORTS BOTH SIDES RC 3510-1C
7" CHROME SINGLE DIAPHRAM Brake booster PART NO RC 7007-1C

according to what i've read for hours last night this has the required stats of being 7" booster as per gemini, 1" bore and dual ports (i imagine this means dual circuit) . its chrome and brand new at $215 and 15mins from my house so i can return it under warranty if need be. zinc plated version is $170 brand new. is there a reason i cant seem to find anything on here about this option? is it a good option? considering i'd need to buy an xa-b-c master ,gemini booster, get rebuild on it for reliability,then make brackets to fit.... or pay about $295 for rebuilt vh40. this ebay setup will look better,require the same amount of work making brackets (i have no welding skills so it'll be a treat) and fitting and is a brand new unit,unsure on quality so far as i have no prior dealings with this item. however i did nearly go through a house in my old fc 192 ute with vh40 boosted hr disc brake because i cracked a brake line doing diff work and it gave up all its fluid (being a single system) on a down run of a massive hill... fc handbrakes don't help!! neither did the lack of seatbelts... im now looking at the following setup:

fc holden sedan  
hr crossmember
hk stubs, brakes and steering arms
hr rear diff -think 3.36 (with wheel cylinders from disc brake front)
186 red with double chamber weber 32/36(motor work unknown but supposed rebuild-we'll see )
m20

i have the stubs and arms cleaned for paint,diff is unrestored but doing it now, hr member is better than new now and in,motors painted and nearly ready to run but have radiator dramas,engine bays painted but discs and calipers not yet purchased until i have a booster sorted.

any brake guru's help greatly appreciated as i nearly bought the new unit gung ho style last night ,but common sense got the better of me and said ask someone who knows and is not trying to sell me the stuff!

cheers - jarred

[mcl1959]

I used the chrome twin diaphragm job on dozens of cars while at Hoppers Stoppers - the best option is buy a new XA master cylinder - they are quite cheap really.
They do adapt quite well but the XA master cylinder does need a little modification to fit. From memory a slight reduction in the diameter at the back and a slightly shortened push rod.
If you are uncertain Hoppers Stoppers will sell the pair already mated up and ready to go. Beware they just don't bolt together.
There is also a Corvette master cylinder (memory again) which is chromed and will bolt straight up to the chrome booster - it isn't cheap!!
I think they are a good option for the reasons you state, but they will still require fitting to the firewall and some custom work on the pedal box. I would suggest that welding - especially the pedal box - would be required.

You don't mention trans?    Anything other than an auto will require more custom work to make the clutch master cylinder work.

Ken

[jarred]

my god how could i have missed that! my trans is an aussie 4 speed (as yet not fitted)... and you're right i missed the fact that a wall mounted booster means my clutch master will be in the way. i read "show us your booster" and was so interested in other things i never noticed... ok so my options now change to just vh40? or did i see smaller masters on some of those other examples? this pre made booster unit from hoppers.. any ballpark figure on how much?

also the welding is something i hope to learn along the way... however my brothers a panelbeater by trade so im covered. i intend to do the linkage conversion on the m20 as well which looks like a somewhat monumental task. i have been doing my own mechanicals my whole life and done a few paint jobs etc but enjoy the fact that this is building it up myself. i work in towing so have a few friends around that i swap favours with too  thats how i got my HR crossmember converted for free 

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

I've modified my firewall to fit an LC/LJ Booster, fitting a clutch master looks like there might be a little interference. If you offset the booster to the right and ran the pushrod on the brake pedal on the RHS you should be able to get the clutch master in.

[weddo]

Jarred,

You can move the booster forward on a bracket and extend the rod, it will then give you room for the clutch master cylinder





click on photo to enlarge

regards

Weddo

[jarred]

i see, i did wonder about extending the push rod but thought someone in another post had said it wasn't desirable for some reason? hard to say till im knee deep in it which of these two ideas will be easier to make happen. any opinions of difference of performance between your current setup and using the vh40 booster? i only ask because it seems way simpler the vh40,and a local brake guru at better brakes in southport took out his book and was saying that if need be,i think it was a nissan patrol? master cylinder has 2 input filler bottles and output lines to split the system before boosting ,and since i dont need to boost the rear as its still drum (for now) this may be an idea,and it would eliminate the safety issue of having no brakes at all if fluid is lost out of one system (front or back). also it was shaped so similar to the fc that it may bolt up without too much manipulation. but mainly concerned with knowing what the performance difference is between your setups and the vh40 booster. would i (being relatively naive) notice the difference with just a 186?

[FCRB26]

Mine ran well datto 200b booster commy master cylinder and a toyota corona clutch master cylinder they are tiny.



Pete

[jarred]

thanks guys, this has helped me make some sense here, i love the corona clutch master idea,will use that for sure as whatever setup i use will have to have a clutch master so smaller will be better to doctor together, as far as which of the options i take im still a little up in the air,the engineer im going through for blue plates (found him today) uses early commodore setups, i think judging by what i see here and on "show us your booster" the boosters with the bracket prior to the booster like the hk should allow enough (with some enginuity) to fit the corona clutch master. i do appreciate the patience with me,i normally try not to post and bother people with what are probably questions that have been asked many times . cheers - jarred

[FCRB26]

This is when i had the RB25 head and T3/T4 turbo set up on her RB26 wont allow the clutch to clear because of the pleneum.

But RB30 Ect fit easy as.

[Stash]

does any one know if the one advertised, meets requirements for HR front disc conversion.
It looks very neat.

Cheers

John

[mcl1959]

More than adequate

Ken

[jarred]

that looks really neat! doesn't look out of place at all and actually looks as though it were designed to be there. i like this idea. i take it the corona slave isn't a "bolt up" mod either? was it just adjustments in the shaft length?