The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Booster Necessary W/ Disc Brakes?

I'm getting conflicting advice, as always.

I'll be running discs on all 4. Under cab pedal. Is a brake booster necessary or can it be done SAFELY with the correct mc?

With 4 wheel disc brakes I'd say a booster would make them work easier.
We had a GMC pickup in the mid 1970's that had disc brakes on the front only with no booster. They are just harder when pushing the brake pedal. I'd assume 4 wheel non boosted disc brakes would be different from boosted 4 wheel disc brakes, the same as non boosted 4 wheel drum are from boosted 4 wheel drum brakes.

John

Remember that with drum brakes, the shoes are self energizing when applied, and you do not have that with discs. For 4 wheel discs, I would recommend the booster.

You could get a Corvette without power brakes. I had a friend who had a '68 that didn't have power brakes. You could get a Corvette master cylinder for your project. You can probably pick it up from Brake & Equipment Warehouse in Minneapolis, chances are they will have it on the shelf.

I have to wonder why you would not add a booster if going to all the trouble to add 4 wheel disks and a new MC. I suppose the trans cross member mod is the only real added work, but really not too difficult.

I love the booster front disks on my '52. The brakes are a non-issue or concern and exudes confidence.

You can use manual brakes, but as DavidF said I'm not sure why you would.

Manual discs are harder to push than drums because the pistons are larger, and there is no adjuster holding them close to the pad, so you need a residual valve, plus they're not self-energizing as Woodswarrior said. You'll be happier in the long run with a booster.

I run 4 wheel, manual disc on my Sub. They are a little harder to push but stop the truck just as well. I could have put a booster on it but just decided not to. I used a Corvette M/C, I want to say it was from the early '70s.

I am a big purist where modifying things are concerned, I do not want anything cut, or welded to the point where I cant put it back to original. Someday, this wont be my truck and I just want it easy to put back to original if the new owner feels that way.

The booster would make me have to get a different crossmember or modify my original. Since I have never done this front disc brake mod before, I want to see first how the pedal feels when I apply the brakes without the booster. I would rather not have to have more parts to replace if they go bad if I can help it. If I do not like how hard it is to put on the brakes, I will unbolt the crossmember and put the custom one in and the booster later.

I am one of those that has to see the difference first and since none of you live near me with and without the booster, I have to learn the hard way.