Hood won't shut with power brake kit

darkmagus · Sep 23, 2012

I just purchased an extreme power brake booster setup from bronco graveyard. I bolted everything up and my hood doesn't even come close to closing. Its hitting the master cyl reservoir cap. I have a fiberglass hood but it doesn't look like a stock hood would shut either. Anyone had this issue? I don't see how it could be installed differently but maybe I missed something. There seems to be more space between the master cyl and the fender than some other photos I've seen. Sorry for the bad pics it was dark outside. I'll try to get better ones tomorrow. Thanks in advance!

Broncitis · Sep 23, 2012

Whose kit is it?

The bracket should angle down some.

You could try putting a washer or two between the top holes in the bracket and and the firewall.

darkmagus · Sep 23, 2012

I got it from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard. Yeah, I thought it should angle down some but it seems to come straight out. There's a good 3+ inches between the master and the inner fender well. Some other photos of kits look like the master is almost touching the fender well. And it also seems like the Tom's kit is the same as the Bronco Graveyard kit. I was thinking about shimming it but not sure if that will gain enough clearance.

broncnaz · Sep 23, 2012

Cant remember whose kit I used I think it was WH but anyway mine did the same thing had to modify it to get the hood to close. If your lucky you might be able to bend it. by the time I had mine fitting correctly I figured I could have built my own. Took a lot more than bending to get mine to work.

NicksTrix · Sep 23, 2012

i've notched that brace it's hitting to get one to fit.

darkmagus · Sep 23, 2012

I thought about that too. I may try a combination of shimming and notching.

StnePny · Sep 23, 2012

I've never seen them point Up. Didn't the '76 - '77's have the wheel well notched.., from what i have heard .. the new Brackets do not need Notching ...

But, that just looks WRONG ..

I have heard complaint.. when .. people open the cover of the master that fuild drips out because of the downward tilt.... ? ? ?

spap · Sep 24, 2012

I was just going to say that the 76 and the 77s had different in fender wells on the driver side so the brake booster could angle down to make room for the booster never seen one angle up

rwill · Sep 24, 2012

Duff's add on required the fender well to be "modifeied".

bmc69 · Sep 24, 2012

rwill said:
Duff's add on required the fender well to be "modifeied".

That's because the Duff's bracket angles the assembly downward..just like the factory setup.

I've worked with both bracket styles; my trail rig has hydroboost hung off a straight bracket and I just cut out the hood and put a "hat" over the hole. Crude..but effective. ;D

xcntrk · Sep 24, 2012

Looks like its running up hill? That's not right...

Revelation · Sep 24, 2012

Would it change the angle if you rotated the booster 180 degrees?

Timmy390 · Sep 24, 2012

Revelation said:
Would it change the angle if you rotated the booster 180 degrees?

Good call, my check valve is on the bottom not the top.

Tim

darkmagus · Sep 24, 2012

That's the first thing I'm going to try. It looks to be symmetrical though. I'll call JBG today and see what they say.

chuck · Sep 24, 2012

My brake unit clears the hood and inner fender without change. I thought everyone had fixed this problem within a few years after my unit came out. You may have gotten one of the old style that was on the back of the shelf for the last 15 years. Give them a call.
The check valve was designed to be on the top. I just put my down for a cleaner look.
PS I think you should turn the bolt over, I know the nut is not likely to come off but if you turn it over and the nut does come off the bolt will not fall up. Also the washers Broncitis mentioned should fix your problem.

71broncman · Sep 24, 2012

I have the Duff's on my 71. Check valve is in the same position as your photo, the MC is straight(horizontal), and everything clears. It's pretty close to the hood brace, but it clears. The MC is a couple of inches above the inner fender. No notching or mods needed for the install.
Mark.

01Dudley · Sep 24, 2012

Our Duff kit does not require fender or hood modification. We have this kit on our Red Bronco and if you notice the fender even has the jack still on it. Good luck with your shimming gentlemen.

http://www.dufftuff.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=3707

darkmagus · Sep 24, 2012

JBG said they had heard of one other case of this happening. They said try shimming it and if that doesn't work I can send the bracket back so they can compare it to their others.

jckkys · Sep 24, 2012

From your photos it appears that the wheel well is a 73'-75' that's notched for the rag joint, not the 76',77' that also has the top taper down to clear the booster. The booster is installed correctly. Tom's catalog shows what is described as power brake bracket that works on all 66'-75's with no mods to the wheel well. Your photos show a bracket that is different and not like my 77' either. I would call JBG,and describe the problem.
Let us know what they say.

NCSUWoj · Sep 24, 2012

I had the same issue with the bracket I purchased from them. Took some tweaking and pushing trying to bend it down without messing up the bracket paint in the bench vice. Ended up shimming the top down with two washers I think and that was enough to get the clearance. For some reason, I think I even cut the center turnbuckle or cam off about smidge and tightened the center bolt up to try and squeeze it together a touch. It wasn't much fun, thats for sure.

Hood won't shut with power brake kit

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