Brake Booster Ugh... opinions

[live4theking]

Guys,
I ordered a brake booster last week from a local, not national chain, parts house.

This is what was on my 68 NYer.

This is what came in. They said the old part was superseded by it. I'm not doing a restoration, even though I would like for it to look correct... My biggest concern is the brakes working properly.

So. what do you think...?

 

[MOVE N UP]

I just went through the same disappointment, I was expecting the "band clamped" Midland Ross unit, and I received the pinched sealed version from rockauto.... The one that you have pictured (what you received) is for a disk brake set up, not drums = if that is the actual unit that you have = it will not work properly for a drum application

 

[MOVE N UP]

Here are a few pics of the drum brake M/C powerbooster unit I received.....
I painted the PB unit to simulate cadmium as best as I could = I "wet sprayed using gold, silver, day glow green, day glow pink, and a transparent gold spray paints - then after all that mess dried I sprayed a few coats of clear coat..
The unit fits and works great - just be sure to adjust the intermediate rod ( the rod between the power booster and M/C) out = for proper pedal height and feel

 

[live4theking]

I went and looked at it closer and that is not the booster that I got. I couldn't find a picture online. This is what I ended up with. It doesn't look like yours either.

 

[MOVE N UP]

I went and looked at it closer and that is not the booster that I got. I couldn't find a picture online. This is what I ended up with. It doesn't look like yours either.

That is a bit different than my new unit...but it does appear to be a correct size (depth) for a drum system. See that 3/8 acorn "nut" on the end of the push rod.. it is actually a bolt head = use vice grips to hold the rod , and a 3/8 wench and turn it counter clockwise for a few turns out before you bolt up the M/C - depending on your preference you may have to adjust it a little more to get proper pedal height and correct M/C push - not to much though or the brakes will drag, or lock up !!

 

[MOVE N UP]

Oh, and that adjustment just requires you to remove the 4 nuts holding the MC to the PB, and pull away a few inches = no need to remove the brake lines to perform this adjustment!

 

[live4theking]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll probably install it tomorrow night. I'm not feeling up tot it now.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

I went and looked at it closer and that is not the booster that I got. I couldn't find a picture online. This is what I ended up with. It doesn't look like yours either.

That looks exactly like my booster on my '69 B body. The indentations are identical as best I can tell from the photos. If so, it is a Bendix drum brake booster.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

Oh, and that adjustment just requires you to remove the 4 nuts holding the MC to the PB, and pull away a few inches = no need to remove the brake lines to perform this adjustment!

To adjust properly, measure the depth of the cup on the M/C piston. Then compare that to the height of the pushrod out of the booster. You want it very close but about 0.010" clearance when you let off the pedal so the piston can return fully.

 

[live4theking]

Thanks, I'll take the measurements before I do anything.

 

[Dobalovr]

I am following your progress closely as I am about to replace my booster with a Rockauto version as well. At least yours arrived in one piece

Rockauto was great though they refunded the purchase immediately.

 

[tbm3fan]

I'm curious why Rockauto vs. your own rebuilt. I see that Rockauto $111-113 for a booster including core charge. Is the old one being sent back? I know I didn't send back my original power steering rack because the cost didn't make sense for the core charge. I'll just rebuild it.

Now since these booster can be rebuilt by Booster Dewey, for around $120-130, why not go that route since they are correct and well done?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

The interesting thing is that when I went through rock auto I got one that didn't match what I had, what I needed was like what you got. I ended up having mine rebuilt by Booster Dewey.


Alan

 

[live4theking]

So, who is Booster Dewey and where is he? I've never heard of him.

I'm considering calling an online company to see if they can verify that the product they have shown is what they are going to ship.

 

[300rag]

I'm considering calling an online company to see if they can verify that the product they have shown is what they are going to ship.

Sorry, that's just funny.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Let me google that for you


Alan

 

[live4theking]

Sorry, that's just funny.

Yeah, it sure ended up being a funny conversation... ah I cannot guarantee what they will pull off the shelf.

Let me google that for you


Alan

I did end up searching and finding it. I didn't know if it was a business or an individual, I hadn't heard of them before. So, how in the world did you animate that?

 

[tbm3fan]

Let me google that for you


Alan

I never used google to find him as when I first used him there was no internet.

 

[live4theking]

This might seem almost like a stretch, but it's totally true. So as I was trying to figure out what to do I remembered when I sold me first NYer like 16 years ago. The guy that hauled it to the buyer asked if he could have the booster. The guy was like sure come back in a few weeks and I'll have it off. (Car was badly wrecked.) So, I called him and he still had the booster he never got around to installing it on his RR. I went out last night and picked it, took it to work today to clean it up some and installed it tonight. It works better than the other one did. I just need to get used to driving a car with all drum brakes. Thanks for all of the input guys.