astro van h-boost with auto, no angle bracket, and no bodylift

[malcolmzilla]

Ok, I will take pictures tonight, but I think I have a way to get the flat astrovan h-boost in the stock brake pedal position:
- without a body lift to clear valve cover
- no angle bracket and bellcrank
- clears the column shifter with the accumulator on top

You will need a throttle cable conversion for sure though.

After trying to fit it both stock orientation (accumulator hit valve cover and flipped 180 (booster hit column shifter at Park), I filed the booster bracket indexing tab and rotated the booster 45 degrees to clear the valve cover.

Late last night it went in on a rough fitment, did not check hoses yet tho.

I am going to make a clocking plate and pushrod extension to get the master back to flat - anyone see any problems with that?

TIA

 

[NYLES]

Why you not going to the far side? but anyway l still wanna see what you come up with....

 

[malcolmzilla]

Nyles, tight on that side too, and didn't want the hassle of cutting the firewall and welding pedals together. This looks like a good solution as its a straight shot from the pedal into the booster too.

I think this will be a "no welding" solution, altho I might weld the index tab back in, but I doubt the booster needs it, the teeth on the locknut are beefy - the index pin was probably to speed assembly.

 

[Broncoman]

A h-boost will clear the the valve cover of a 302 when mounted where the stock master was. You don't have to rotate it either. Its really close so new body mounts would help.
JoeWilliamsBronc did it.

 

[ken75ranger]

I built my astro booster out off the firewall with some 1x3 rectangular stock. Put it on the the long edge. It lets you clear the stock gas pedal bracket and you can mount it up a little bit to clear the valve covers better.(I have tall valve covers)
Let me know if you need a pic or 2.

 

[TOFIC]

Wwwhat!!

What are you doing?? Attached are two pictures of my FIRST hydroboost install. This is the one that is in the write up but the pictures did not make it. The bronco is stock height, 302 in stock mounts, and other than the new firewall bracing plate no alterations. the hydroboost is clocked 180 degrees and is in the stock pedal location. It is a straight mount with the stock Bronco master cylinder. I do not understand what you are doing to make this EASY job so complicated. I have other pictures if you want some more to reference by.
Do I have to drive to Cowtown and drink your beer while I assist you??
TOFIC

 

[malcolmzilla]

Broncoman, my h-boost, astrovan with flat bracket, did not fit, in regular orientation it hit my valve cover - 302 no body lift but new poly mounts, flipped it hit the column shifter (automatic in park).

So I removed the index pin from the bracket, rotated it clockwise 45 degrees from stock and it fit well (can get valve cover off) but the master was tilted, so I then built a clocking plate out of 1/4" and a booster to master input rod spacer (1/4"). Also my pedal was on the floor so I am welding up an extension. It also interfered with the stock throttle linkage so I have a BCBroncos cable one to put in.

 

[malcolmzilla]

More pics.

 

[malcolmzilla]

Ken, pics would be great.

Don, my stock master leaks, and the ports were on the passenger side. So I'm using the Astro disc/drum MC; also your h-boosts don't look like my Astro -Are your Fords? Maybe that's why they fit?

 

[Broncoman]

Broncoman, my h-boost, astrovan with flat bracket, did not fit, in regular orientation it hit my valve cover - 302 no body lift but new poly mounts, flipped it hit the column shifter (automatic in park).

So I removed the index pin from the bracket, rotated it clockwise 45 degrees from stock and it fit well (can get valve cover off) but the master was tilted, so I then built a clocking plate out of 1/4" and a booster to master input rod spacer (1/4"). Also my pedal was on the floor so I am welding up an extension. It also interfered with the stock throttle linkage so I have a BCBroncos cable one to put in.

Who knows why yours didn't fit and his did. Your motor mounts may be taller. So much for it fitting like I said. Your way looks good though.

 

[4x4x289]

Great pics malcolm. I need to install that same booster with a zf hydrolic clutch. Your pics will be helpful.

 

[ken75ranger]

What are you doing?? Attached are two pictures of my FIRST hydroboost install. This is the one that is in the write up but the pictures did not make it. The bronco is stock height, 302 in stock mounts, and other than the new firewall bracing plate no alterations. the hydroboost is clocked 180 degrees and is in the stock pedal location. It is a straight mount with the stock Bronco master cylinder. I do not understand what you are doing to make this EASY job so complicated. I have other pictures if you want some more to reference by.
Do I have to drive to Cowtown and drink your beer while I assist you??
TOFIC

That mounting method won't work with a c4 column shift. The shifter would be right where the accumltator is. IIRC,it also makes you dump the stock throttle bracket.

 

[NYLES]

Looks Ok to me! Dont know if you all saw em but here is my pics on the other side....I see you have a cooler there so yes would be tight the pedal thing is easy though....Ill see if I can get more pics of final pedal bending and postion.

 

[malcolmzilla]

Ken, the spacer thought also occured to me, can you get you your valve cover off? With the booster another inch off the firewall I probably could have cleared the valve cover - not sure if I could have got the cover off with out pulling the booster, and since its such a PITA to get at the mounting nuts on and off way up behind the dash column and pedal bracket I went with rotating it.

4x4289 lemme know if you need anymore pics.

It will be coming out tonight to for a few tweaks - its not quite as rigid as I'd like - its not the lack of the 4th stud... its the firewall flexing so might make a larger reinforcing plate... this will also hide the paint stripped by my old leaky master. Also going to add the index tab back so I can torque the locknut a bit better, forgot the snap ring too. So not looking forward to trying to get back under the dash LOL - might chop the studs down a bit to lessen the back ache and rapped knuckles - guess I could pull the column... Also will trim the master clocking plate a bit cleaner.

Input hose is on top, output to steering box is on drivers and low pressure return is also on drivers, so hose routing should be clean.

Question: how far off the floorpan is the stock brake pedal at return? I didn't measure and need to get my pedal extension finalized - or I might cut and thread the input rod and make it adjustable, would be nice not to have to tho.

 

[TOFIC]

That mounting method won't work with a c4 column shift. The shifter would be right where the accumltator is. IIRC,it also makes you dump the stock throttle bracket.

I beg to differ, the pictures are of my Bronco with a C-4 automatic shift with a tilt ford column. It is really close but it works fine.
Malcolm yes it is a Ford hydroboost, it is the one out of the Mercury Wagon in the pictures of the article. I have also done this one with a GM hydroboost out of a 1 ton diesel pickup.
I agree with the throttle cable issue, but all Hydroboost installs need the cable install for the throttle.
TOFIC

 

[malcolmzilla]

Tofic, as Ken mentioned it seems the Astrovan castings interfere with the shift arm when flipped 180 - not the accumulator but the high pressure to steering box portion... Guess the chevs and fords are a bit different.

Screaminreel gave this unit to me, as he went with a Lincoln unit and had this one sitting around - the Astro seem easier to find.

 

[malcolmzilla]

I did a search 6.5 to 7" pedal swing is recommended for the stock brakes, seems high but if the front circuit of the MC fails it gives room to mash down more to the rears - does the h-boost generally require less pedal travel?

 

[TOFIC]

yep found mine was down by half most cut down but not as much, most of my other installs have been 1/3 to 1/4. It appears to be more because the effort required is so much less
TOFIC

 

[malcolmzilla]

Thanks Don, I will set it in stock postion and then tune it after if necessary.

 

[ken75ranger]

I beg to differ, the pictures are of my Bronco with a C-4 automatic shift with a tilt ford column. It is really close but it works fine.
Malcolm yes it is a Ford hydroboost, it is the one out of the Mercury Wagon in the pictures of the article. I have also done this one with a GM hydroboost out of a 1 ton diesel pickup.
I agree with the throttle cable issue, but all Hydroboost installs need the cable install for the throttle.
TOFIC

Maybe it's a difference in the Astro booster? It might have been a line issue? I really can't remember.:-[
Here's some pics setup with the stock throttle linkage.
To get the valve covers off I unbolt the entire unit and move it to a side. leaving the brackets on the firewall. I also move it up the brackets a bit and enlarged the hole in the firewall.
On the pedal side I welded a coupler nut to the bottom booster arm and threaded the stock Bronco arm to fit. That will take care of the offset from moving the booster up.