The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 59 power brakes

My HydroVac unit on old engine #1 59 firetruck needs rebuiding. My question is has anyone adapted a conventional power booster set-up to
replace the HydroVac. If so let me know.
thanks

If you talking about a firewall mounted booster I don't think that they have enough "power" do give you safe brakes. I have heard of guys using a hydroboost system from a 1 ton truck that uses the power steering pump for its boost.

Actually I am referring to a under the floor board system. I have a 56 1/2 ton pick-up that
I bought an after market system that uses a under floor booster and it works good. I was wanting to know if anyone has done a booster conversion in place of the hydrovac on a big bolt and if so how did it work and what components were used.

I know Griggs and some others have modified their AD's to accomodate a dual M/C and booster. But they made the bracket, etc. themselves. I have not read anyone doing it with 55.5-59, but probably someone has.

The kits you find available are for 1/2-3/4 tons. However, I did read that someone installed one of those kits on their 1.5 ton and he said it works great....plenty of stopping power with heavy loads.

It made me wonder how that would work...is it because a smaller M/C (1" vs 1.25") is suppling the same amount of fluid to two brake wheel cylinders (because you now have a reservoir for front and rear) that the old M/C supplied to four brake wheel cylinders? I don't know..........it's above my pay grade!

All I know is I would like to convert to a dual M/C with booster like you do and I haven't found a way to do it yet. Let me know if you come up with something.

I would not mount anything to the cab that the factory didn't put there. You could fabricate a bracket to hold the aftermarket frame mounted master cylinder, I'm not sure how they are on the larger trucks, I'm sure it is similar to the smaller ones.