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Astroboost Master Cylinder

kaw550

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
1,136
I found some fluid leaking between the hydroboost and Astro van master cylinder. It looks like the MC is from a 95 van. Is there a significantly better option? If not I will just get another one for a 95 to avoid plumbing changes.


I have not determined if it's brake fluid from the master cylinder or power steering fluid from the hydroboost. Is there an easy way to tell? Both were a little low.
 

phred

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
3,549
Loc.
Earth
F250 camper special, early 80’s corvette or camero, 90’s f250 superduty. All fit and work.
 

Apogee

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
6,189
Isn't the stud spacing on the Astro HB 3.40"? While the C3 Corvette master cylinder has the same 3.40" hole spacing as the hydroboost (and 2nd-gen Camaro/Firebird), the former is a disc/disc unit and the later is a disc/drum unit, but either would probably work for your application. The Ford MC's noted above by phred have a 3.20" or 3.25" hole spacing if I'm not mistaken, and would require those holes to be slotted before they would mount up, so they wouldn't be my first choices. Bore size is the next question, as the early GM stuff (C3, GMF2, etc) will most likely be Ø1.125" whereas the 1990-1995 Astro units are Ø1.250", with an approximately 23% larger effective piston area (lower output pressure, shorter pedal travel).

What disc brake calipers and drum wheel cylinders are you running? The size of the slave cylinders in conjunction with the other brake system variables (booster, pedal ratio, etc) will set the hydraulic requirements of the system with respect to the master cylinder bore size, but if you like how the Astro unit works and feels, then staying as close to that as possible would be a good.

I don't personally love the snap-loc lid design of those GM master cylinders, nor do I prefer the stepped reservoirs found on the Astro minivans for hood clearance, but if you're looking for a direct replacement with a better (IMO) reservoir configuration, I think there were some similarly sized units for the 1988-1998 C1500 applications that could be a good option.
 

rocknhorse76

Contributor
Bronco owner since 1993 💪🏻
Joined
Jun 7, 2014
Messages
443
Loc.
Central WA
I used the MC for a ‘95 K3500 and the rezzy off of a mid-90’s (can’t remember exactly lol) S-10
 
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