The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Power brakes on a 1958 Apache

When adding a power brakes booster, is there any disadvantage to keeping it under the cab? I would like to keep the engine compartment original.
Thanks

Factory put them under cab.

Ed

There are kits available to keep everything in the stock location. 🛠

A vacuum booster will suck in some air every time you hit the brakes. Firewall installation will draw in cabin air, under the floor will draw in whatever air/water/dust that is under your truck. At least keep the little foam filter in place if you install under the floor.

That I didn't know. Are the filters easy to get to?
Thanks

Chances are the booster in the kit you use will not have a filter. Probably will have a plastic check valve. Don't worry about any of that. Never heard of anyone worrying about that. The booster draws in air around the foot pedal rod. No filter there. The vacuum is from engine vacuum. Some say the filter would be to protect he engine. Check valve stops backward flow towards booster. Some people say it keeps "fumes" from entering the booster. There was a recall re diaphragm failure allegedly from fumes. Just a bad choice of diaphragm material at the time. No filter necessary. The charcoal filters are from an emissions panic attack.

The disadvantage of under the floor is it can be difficult to check level and to fill. Some use a mirror or finger, some cut a hole in the floor, some use a remote reservoir on the firewall. Once properly bench bled and then system bled, you should not have to worry about checking level very much. The kits used to come with a squeeze bottle with a hook shaped tip so as to add fluid.
On your truck, you may have to reroute the Ebrake cable. All instructions come with the kit and thousands have been installed.

Bartamos,
Thanks for the insight. Looks like a non issue. Never done one, but it doesn't look too difficult.

It's not, except using the correct enhancement valves: regarding all drum, or front disc/rear drum and etc. If you are not a good tube flaring guy, use pre flared lengths from FLAPS to do the plumbing. Don't cut any of them. Mix and match lengths and use couplings. You probably should borrow their bender. (O'Reilly's, Etc.)

A good practice would be to learn how to flare or buy the tools that idiot proof flaring. The more joints and connections you have, more places you have the opportunity to have failure or leaks. Not only does your life depend on you to be able to stop, so do the lives around you.

Thank you! Sound advice. I do have flaring tools and a small tube bender. I will definitely replace all lines and fittings, however it gets accomplished.

DIY flaring is not idiot proof and may be more dangerous than my method, which is not dangerous. My satisfaction is not admiring my flares and hooking up the whole system 12 times until all the DIT leaks are gone during practice, once in 10 years. My satisfaction is getting the power brakes installed.
The Eastwood unit is $200 plus ship. That's $20 a flare plus flare nuts and tubing. The tubing I use is leak proof. I only have one or two more couplings than the factory had.

Bartamos, this is not a personal attack. There is always more than one way to accomplish a job.

You are right. It just sounded like a scary dangerous thing I suggested. Wanted to dispel that part. Many folks do their own. Some can do it, some can't. I can't with the normal goofy flare tool. I did one truck DIY and took too long to get the leaks out. Don't need any more high dollar tools sitting around.
Thanks for pointing out my misunderstanding. I respect your opinion and work.