[Murf'sDad]

Originally Posted by vidguy

Here are a few shots of the Hydroboost installed and pretty much ready. the motor is just getting the final wrapup items.
I used the TFE hose and made the ends myself using Aeroquip reusable fittings I bought online. The hose I bought from an ebay seller who had some extra I guess.

I bought the fittings mostly from sweetperformance.com.

Thanks to everyone that helped and shared info. I'll let you know how they work.

Nice installation. Hope mine looks as clean when finalized.

Stewart

[vidguy]

Oh heck it shouldn't be too hard to best mine.

Thanks though!

[marauder]

Yeah, looks good! Thanks for sharing the information, I'll be working on mine in the next couple weeks as well.

[GStage1]

I just got one for someone who changed their mind.....from a 2002Astro, 998 unit, $45 + ship

If anyone is interested, please email me direct at

GStage1@BuickPerformance.com

Thanks!

[marauder]

Finally got mine installed today.

[Murf'sDad]

Looks good. I like the braided lines and Wilwood m/c. Not as stealth as mine though.

Stewart

[vidguy]

Very Nice Marauder, I says "I got Brakes!"

Mine is pretty... "stealth" too..... You have some nice parts on that car!

[marauder]

Thanks.

Had some problems with that high pressure hose leaking and have a trail of power steering fluid down the road and up my driveway. Maybe I didn't put those Aeroquip fittings on quite right??? Decided to get one professionally made for $60 and have more piece of mind.

[vidguy]

They are tough to assemble.. I'd do the same in that situation!

[sailbrd]

Hi everyone,
This seems to be the best spot on the web for info on doing your own hydroboost conversion. I am working on putting a HB out of an Astro on my blown 455 70 Buick Skylark. The one bit of info that I have not found is how to remove and install a different peddle rod. I know it is a "staked" style rod. Anyone done this?

By the way I do have Pontiac style exhaust tips on my Buick.

[marauder]

Originally Posted by sailbrd

Hi everyone,
This seems to be the best spot on the web for info on doing your own hydroboost conversion. I am working on putting a HB out of an Astro on my blown 455 70 Buick Skylark. The one bit of info that I have not found is how to remove and install a different peddle rod. I know it is a "staked" style rod. Anyone done this?

By the way I do have Pontiac style exhaust tips on my Buick.

My hydroboost unit came with a couple different rods in the box and I just grabbed one that fit...Sorry I don't have a picture of that part of it.

[vidguy]

When necessasry, many guys cut the rod, use a die to thread both ends and then use a threaded sleeve readily available at say, piratejack.net
http://www.piratejack.net/index.php?...&limitstart=20

That page or the previous page.

Or cut the end of the rod right near the eye, thread it and then screw on with a lock nut, the new eye you can get at the same place.

After I installed mine the length was of such that the pedal was in a good place. All I had to do was alter the Brake light switch length a minor amount.
The hole in the eye worked out ok after some minor work too.

I would wait to see if the length works for you after you test install it using whatever bracket arrangment you use. I used what came with mine but I had to alter the holes with a drill.
I also used some foam behind my bracket and some nuts on the studs to line up the angle and the fore / aft location a bit. The bracket and the mounting can make up for some minor amount of rod length issues I would think.

I have read of guys pulling the rod out, and swaging it back in, but I have no experience with that.

[sailbrd]

I have the new rod. Once I switch it out should be able to just reconnect with stock clevis. Thought about and my still do the cut the end and rethread the stock rod. One new source for Hydroboost conversion stuff http://www.tallonhydraulics.com/stor...rs26fc6agnl492

Just got my billet firewall adaptor from them. It is really nice and they send the removal tool with the adaptor.

[Joel Koontz]

Which model of the billet adaptor did you get? Any pictures?

I have read that some people have had trouble trying to swap out the rods. IIRC they got the original out OK, but could not easily get the replacement staked in place. On mine, I cut the end off and threaded the rod while still attached to the HB then just used my original end to attach to the brake pedal. This worked very well so I never tried swaping rods.

Did you ask Tallon for suggestion on how to swap out the rods. If you bought the parts from them I would think they should be willing to provide some advise.

[sailbrd]

I will get some pictures out next week. My setup will be a little different than most. I use a Lee remote reservoir pump setup because of the Procharger. Will run all -6 on the lines.

I talked to the people at Tallon. Need to have the parts in front of me and get a little more explanation of how to make a tool to remove the rod. Looks like I get the be the one to document how to do this. Will keep everyone here posted and thanks for the help.

[Socrates]

I found the Astrovan HB rod to be spot-on lengthwise on my 66 GTO, putting the brake pedal right in line with the clutch pedal. I also have a similar year (mid-late 90's) HB from a GMC Safari Van that has a much longer rod, which I cut and welded to use in my Scout...

I tried removing the HB p-rod on two spare units, only to totally destroy the cup they sit in, thereby killing the units (and I had more tools on hand then most "real" mechanics). I've asked one multiple BB's for the correct method on how to remove the rod and no-one could answer...

As far as leaking DIY hoses go (isn't that part of the design feature of the blingy SS wrapped aftermarket stuff?), the Buick Grand National hoses work nicely in an early A-body and require just a little bending for a very tidy fit...

Here's the best pic I have uploaded on flickr of the HB setup...

[Curly Joe]

did you use the master fron the safari van. what year HB had the short rod on it ?
thanks.

[Socrates]

Originally Posted by Curly Joe

did you use the master fron the safari van. what year HB had the short rod on it ?
thanks.

Curly Joe,

I did use the masters from the vans, but not the reservoirs they came with. The Safari Van's and Astro Van's I've seen all have goofy, ugly, tiny separate reservoirs. Large GM/GMC trucks from the same era have nice, large, more aesthetically pleasing (to me) reservoirs on them that readily pop into place on the Van MC base. Just take a steel ruler or a large, wide flatblade screwdriver or two under the plastic rez and gently pry up and the rez (with rubber grommets) pops right out. Lube up the grommets with a touch of fluid and gently pop the rez back in place and you're good to go. I just swapped the rez while at the junkyard, putting the nice large rez on the HB setup. I think I have a spare larger one but not as large as pictured here that I'd be willing to give away for shipping cost. It's slanted but looks a heck of a lot better then the two tiny separate rez setup found on the vans from the factory. Some vans are disc/drum, others are disc/disc, so look out for this when choosing the right setup for your car. I have one of each and both work great. I do use adjustable prop valves in the rear line to get a better performance bias on the brakes as well, and would highly recommend others doing this swap do the same, as without it the rear brakes will lock a little too soon in my experience.

I want to say the Van's were both ~1995 vintage, but didn't pay super close attention to this detail, rather I just looked for the nicest, cleanest, leak-free HB setup I could find at my local pick-a-part. You can easily tell the short vs long rods apart, as the long Safari rod is a good 3x as long as the astrovan rod.

[arrowem]

Hi, I just got a HB setup from the local pick a part (HB,reservoirs, and distribution block-$46) and am wondering exactly which Aeromotive hose and fittings did you use? Also, is the front for the front brakes and rear res for the rear brakes?

[vidguy]

I'm not looking at the car right now so I think my notes about how I used the fittings is right, but.. I can verify if needed.. But after lookin back at my reciepts and thinking about what I did here is what I used:
HOSE:
I bought the HIGH pressure hose from a fella on ebay. It is the TFE hose, Teflon lined. Got a great deal on some new leftovers.

You need the HIGH pressure line, not the hose they use for oil or gas.
I made the hose. There are instructions around. It was simple, but took some muscle and a little care cutting the ends real clean. I used a die grinder with a cutoff wheel. Search for "making reusable aaroquip hose" or something along those lines. YouTube has a few videos too.

Here are the fittings I bought from Summit which used at the steering GEARBOX:
-----------------------------------------
STEERING BOX:
Russell 648050 Straight -6 AN Male to 11/16-18 in. Inverted Flare

Aeroquip FBM2964 Straight Zinc -6 AN M to 5/8-18 in Inverted Flare

------------------------------------------
Here are the other fittings I bought from Hydratech:
http://www.hydratechbraking.com/prod...cessories.html

which I used for the Pump and the HB unit:
HYDROBOOST

HBS-1122
AEROQUIP FBM 1122 HOSE END 90
Qty: 2 at $11.39 .............................................. $22.78
On the hose end that screwed onto the fittings on the HB, (the 2608 & 2609)

HBS-1112
AEROQUIP FBM 1112 HOSE END 45
Qty: 1 at $11.99 .............................................. $11.99
On the hose end that screwed onto the fittings on the HB, (the 2608 & 2609).
You can use 45's, 90's or a 45 and a 90 depending on how you want to run your hose off of the fittings that are on the HB. I used this 45 and a 90 ( the 1122)

HBS-9100
HYDRATECH 9100 LOW PROFILE RETURN LINE HOSE END
Qty: 1 at $21.95 .............................................. $21.95
This goes on the small return fitting on the HB and is hooked up to low pressure rubber hose to the "T" in your line

HBS-1144
AEROQUIP FBM 1144 HOSE END
Qty: 1 at $12.39 .............................................. $12.39
Back of Power Steering Pump

HBS-2608
AEROQUIP FBM 2608 AN-6 ADAPTER
Qty: 1 at $14.95 .............................................. $14.95
Smaller fitting on the HB

HBS-2609
AEROQUIP FBM 2609 AN 6 ADAPTER
Qty: 1 at $14.95 .............................................. $14.95
Larger fitting on the HB

Been driving the car now for about 3 months and the brakes work really well. And I am fairly sure I didn't do a top notch bleed on them.. I'll get to that. After I bled them the first time, I was still getting some bubbles but I had to button it up. I went to test the car and they worked so well, I never went back to bleed again..They stop the car well when you have to stop suddenly with a nice feel.

Not grabby like I feared. UNLESS you stomp.. THEN they REALLY grab!