I have been lead to think that my brake booster has gone belly up. SO I am going to try and replace it this weekend. I have never done this and was wondering what I am in for?
Stiff Brake Pedal?
- Thread starter 80Bu355
- Start date
If you are just replacing the booster, then you don’t have to remove the brake lines. Just unbolt the master from the booster.
Get the pushrod ready to be removed from the brake pedal. It will come out with the booster, but the booster will have to be unbolted from the firewall first to give you enough room to remove it off the stud on the brake pedal.
Have deep sockets (15mm if I remember correctly) to remove the bolts on the firewall from underneath the dash. Have various length extensions for your ratchet. Too short and you won’t be able to crank on the ratchet. Too long and you won’t be able to get the ratchet up under the dash. You don’t have to remove the brake pedal from the car to do a brake booster swap.
For your comfort and accessibility, you can remove the front seat, but you can do this swap with out it removed. If leaving the seat, put it in the rear most position. Leaving the seat will get you an OK ab and arm workout (I’m out of shape though).
Unbolt master cylinder from booster. Remove pushrod retaining pin. Take note to how far the bolts are bolted down on the firewall that retain the booster. Unbolt booster from firewall. Remove pushrod from brake pedal stud. Remove booster from car saving original gasket.
Installing is the reverse of removing. Install booster on the firewall with original gasket. Install pushrod on the brake pedal. Bolt booster back to firewall (don’t over tighten) and tighten down bolts to original depth on bolt. Because of the insulation on the firewall there will be a tendency to over tighten. Install retaining pin for the pushrod.
Get the pushrod ready to be removed from the brake pedal. It will come out with the booster, but the booster will have to be unbolted from the firewall first to give you enough room to remove it off the stud on the brake pedal.
Have deep sockets (15mm if I remember correctly) to remove the bolts on the firewall from underneath the dash. Have various length extensions for your ratchet. Too short and you won’t be able to crank on the ratchet. Too long and you won’t be able to get the ratchet up under the dash. You don’t have to remove the brake pedal from the car to do a brake booster swap.
For your comfort and accessibility, you can remove the front seat, but you can do this swap with out it removed. If leaving the seat, put it in the rear most position. Leaving the seat will get you an OK ab and arm workout (I’m out of shape though).
Unbolt master cylinder from booster. Remove pushrod retaining pin. Take note to how far the bolts are bolted down on the firewall that retain the booster. Unbolt booster from firewall. Remove pushrod from brake pedal stud. Remove booster from car saving original gasket.
Installing is the reverse of removing. Install booster on the firewall with original gasket. Install pushrod on the brake pedal. Bolt booster back to firewall (don’t over tighten) and tighten down bolts to original depth on bolt. Because of the insulation on the firewall there will be a tendency to over tighten. Install retaining pin for the pushrod.
For the couple of bucks I'd give it a go. I should have posted this before, but my mind is getting rustier every day. :lol: A quick check is to press the brake pedal to the floor with the engine off to to release any remaining vacuum, then slowly pump the pedal three times & hold it down after the third pump, but not real hard. Start the engine & if the pedal moves down at all, the booster is OK.
Tommy
Tommy
LS6 Tommy said:
Yeah I have done that already. Pedal doesnt seem to ever go to the floor. Pedal just went hard one day. I will try replacing the check valve first. Thanks for the info Tommy.
I have had the check valve issue before. Occasionally, the pedal would be hard and no brakes. The check valve was the culprit.
UPDATE: finally got around to checking the check valve and it seemed fine. So i went ahead and replaced the Booster. I now officially have brakes on the dang thing. Thanks for all the input fellas
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