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Install Hydroboost in a Maverick or Comet Page 2

Removing Existing Parts

I began by removing the master cylinder and the vacuum booster. The booster is actually attached to a "bracket" (more like a spacer) by four studs that go through the firewall as well as the actuator rod that connects to the top of the brake pedal arm. Since I already had the driver's seat out for another project, it was not as hard to get up under the dash to take this stuff apart. Still, it was not real fun. The brake light switch is held on with the same pin that holds the actuator rod to the pedal arm. I removed this with needle nose pliers. The studs are held to a firewall with 9/16" nuts. The hardest part is getting to these up above the steering column. Since I was also working on a tilt wheel project, I dropped the column out of the way. One thing to note...since my car is already set up for power brakes, the pedal I have is set up to accept the actuator rod from the Hydroboost unit. A manual brake pedal will be different and may require modifications. The firewall would also requires an extra hole that is not there on manual brake cars(at least before power brakes were an option...it *may* already be there on later cars.)

Vacuum booster with master cylinder removed

Vacuum Booster with no Master Cylinder


Vacuum booster and master cylinder removed

Vacuum Booster and Master Cylinder Removed


 
Installing Pump and Hoses
High Pressure Hose Routing

High Pressure Hose Routing


High Pressure Hose Routing

High Pressure Hose Routing


While I waited for Van to finish building my Hydroboost unit, I decided to install the new pump and hoses. The pump is basically the same as the stock Maverick pump, but it has an extra return line on the top of the reservoir. Although I was not able to confirm this, I decided to change out the pump to one specified for a Hydroboost application because I suspect it may have a higher pressure output. Van says that the stock pump is usually fine. I also would have had to use a "T" fitting in the return line if I used the stock pump, and this can restrict flow and reduce steering and brake boosting performance. I decided to err on the side of caution. I also had to swap the pulley from the old to the new pump(bought a puller at Auto Zone). There is a long bolt and nut with a washer included with the remanufactured pump to be used for pressing on the pulley.
There is no doubt about it...with everything I have stuffed into my engine compartment, swapping the pump sucked. I had to remove the big mounting plate on the front of the motor(which actually came from a Monarch as well) and move the A/C compressor out of the way to work the pump out of there. A completely stock Maverick would probably not be nearly as hard. I discovered an issue with the high pressure connection on the pump when test fitting the hoses...it was set up for a flare fitting, and all the hoses I had were "O" ring style fittings. Ford switched between styles over the years, and I almost thought they sent me the wrong pump. I then discovered the brass flare fitting is removable with a little determination and a small screwdriver.
Routing and connecting the hoses was pretty straight forward. The stock high pressure hose is in two pieces between the pump and valve. I removed these. The new hoses do NOT connect to one another, but instead are routed up for later connection to the Hydroboost unit. Fluid will flow from the pump to the Hydroboost and then down to the control valve. The ends of the hoses both route up near the pump. When the Hydroboost is installed this is where the other two hoses will connect.

 
Installing Hydroboost Unit

Unfortunately Van had complications making a bracket to adapt the Hydroboost unit to the firewall at the correct angle. He could not find a bracket/spacer in his vast collection of different vehicle brake parts to use as a guide. The angle is necessary because the Hydroboost needs at least 12" clearance between the firewall and the shock tower and the Maverick only has 9". This is also why the stock set up is angled. I sent him the one that came off my car. In it proved to be easier to use a flat plate to adapt the Hydroboost to the stock spacer/bracket, instead of fabricating something from scratch. Within a few days, I received the completed unit ready for install.
The unit I received was the external accumulator type instead of the internal that I believed I was getting. Would it fit with the EFI? I did a test fitting. It did fit, but the accumulator was just touching the side of the upper intake. I also noticed that the bottom of the master cylinder was touching the shock tower. ARGH! I contacted Van, and he said I could swap for the internal accumulator design at no charge if I shipped this one back. Instead, I solved both of these issues by installing a few washers on the left and bottom of the firewall studs. Of course, now the studs were not long enough to get a nut started on the inside. I did a short search at Lowe's for longer stud bolts and was not able to find ones that would work like the factory ones, with the "knurled" area near the head to firmly hold them in place. I used standard hex head bolts. The penalty, of course, is that they want to turn when you try and install the nut on the inside. Since I didn't have a helper, I improvised by wedging a wrench on the heads of the bolts in the tight area under the Hydroboost. I was able to tighten all four studs/bolts to the firewall. Examining everything after this I think I could have used less/thinner washers and used the stock studs and still kept the master cylinder off the shock tower, but now everything is in and tight and I don't really feel like taking it all apart to test my theory...
Would the internal accumulator Hydroboost have fit better? Maybe. There would definitely be more room on the side near the intake, but again, this one now fits and I don't feel like taking it apart. Either way, I was quickly discovering that installing Hydroboost would NOT be the Holy Grail of space saving that I thought it might be. Hopefully how well it worked would make up for this. I had to use different size nuts to tighten down the master cylinder, but otherwise things were now moving along. After some testing, I connected the hoses to the Hydroboost and then linked them to the ends of the hoses previously installed near the pump. I found that the Hydroboost was also set up for flare fittings, so I carefully removed the brass fittings so I could tighten down my "O" ring equipped hoses. The return line connects with a standard hose clamp.
I had already extended the lines to my master cylinder when I installed the Corvette disc/disc M/C last year, so it was just a matter of bending them a bit to make them reach now that that everything was out farther from the firewall and up a bit higher. I also took the opportunity to install a Wilwood adjustable pressure regulator in the rear brake line. This assured that I would need to bleed the brakes again. I have a power bleeder, which makes this a one man job. Aside from a burst plastic line that had brake fluid spewing waayyy too close to my nicely painted fender, I got through bleeding the brakes fairly quickly.
I went back under the dash and connected the actuator rod to the pedal arm. It connected in an identical way to the stock power brakes. The only difference is that the brake pedal sits about a half inch lower than it did before. This shouldn't be an issue since the pedal was kinda high to begin with. I tested the brake lights and they worked fine. Now to start the car and see how many leaks I created in my formerly leak free power steering system...

This is the bracket/spacer that goes between the vacuum booster and the firewall

Bracket/Spacer That Mounts Vacuum Booster to Firewall


 
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