Brakes: Power brakes without the booster?

[Corley]

Guys, Here is a device that might give a power brakes feel without the vacuum booster bulk. What it does is to multiply line pressure, but only at higher pressures. That way, not much more volume of fluid (pedal throw) is needed to get higher line pressures. Have a look, it might be a good solution for high pedal pressures on a non-power assist car. Especially if you have a rumpty rump cam, with low vacuum, so a vacuum booster is not too effective, or if you want to get rid of the bulk of the vacuum booster. Have any of you tried one of these yet?

http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com/brake_pressure_multiplier.html

[53commander]

Interesting and the ad says it works well with a Ford Explorer. I should order two, I never liked the brakes on the Explorer and the Commander is going to stay four wheel drum. I'd also like to hear some first hand opinions.

[Treblig]

More pedal travel required!! As long as you have sufficient room.

treblig

[bensherb]

I guess you'd need one for the front and one for the rear if you have a dual master cylinder?

[64V-K7]

I guess you'd need one for the front and one for the rear if you have a dual master cylinder?

I thought the same thing but it appears to have 2 fittings at one end

[Corley]

More pedal travel required!! As long as you have sufficient room.

treblig

The whole point of this thing is that it doesn't take nearly as much extra pedal travel as going to a smaller diameter master cylinder would. So yes, a little bit more pedal travel, but not much.

[Treblig]

The whole point of this thing is that it doesn't take nearly as much extra pedal travel as going to a smaller diameter master cylinder would. So yes, a little bit more pedal travel, but not much.

I wasn't saying that it's a bad idea.........I was just pointing out that you have to be sure that you have sufficient pedal travel in order to use this special master cylinder.

treblig

[Corley]

I wasn't saying that it's a bad idea.........I was just pointing out that you have to be sure that you have sufficient pedal travel in order to use this special master cylinder.

treblig

Sorry to be so picky, but I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression. It is NOT a "special master cylinder" at all, it attaches in the middle of the brake lines. You still use your same old master cylinder with it. It has no effect on anything up to the point that a specified pressure is reached, then it redirects the fluid to a larger piston, that is pushing on a smaller piston that now supplies the brake cylinders. This provides the mechanical advantage, from that pressure on, and yes, at that point, you are having to move your foot further. However, since all the slack is now out of the system at this point, very little additional pedal movement is needed anyway. So, only a tiny bit of extra pedal movement is all that will result.

I don't mean to pick on you, but wanted to clarify terms. As to a bad or good idea, only feedback from an install will tell that tale.

[StudeRich]

I see 3 Ports, unless there is a hidden one, that could be a problem.

So do you Guys think it has 2 Ports IN and One Out or vice versa?

If it were 2 IN and 1 OUT, it would defeat 4/5's of the purpose of the Dual Master Cyl.

That IS a really neat Idea though, as I would hate having a Big Hydrovac under the hood on a C or K as it would be required with most Disc Setups if you want to stop sooner not later.

I also could not deal with a pile of junk hanging under the floor either, like a Dual M/C or a Mini Street Rod Booster and a bucket of Lines.

[bensherb]

I see 3 Ports, unless there is a hidden one, that could be a problem.

So do you Guys think it has 2 Ports IN and One Out or vice versa?

If it were 2 IN and 1 OUT, it would defeat 4/5's of the purpose of the Dual Master Cyl.

My thought exactly. I'm thinking it's one in and two out. With a single master cylinder, one in from the master, two out, one front and one rear. With a dual master you'd need two of them. One in from the master, one out to each front wheel ; and another with one in from the master and one out to each rear wheel. Just a guess though.

[Corley]

Or, it could be 1 in, one boosted out, (probably to the front brakes), and one unboosted out (probably to the rears). Just guessing at possibilities here... The reason for that thinking is that a lot of hot rods (and other cars) have to use a proportioning valve to limit pressure on the rears anyway.

[ddub]

I see that it got a new product award 13 years ago so there must be many installs out there to check on. Maybe not on Studebakers.

[Commander Eddie]

I could not find anything about using this on a full drum brake system.