Power Steering and Power Break suggestions

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1under

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I have a 71 bronco, i have it stripped down to just the frame, engin, drive train at the moment. I was hoping to get some suggestions on adding some form of power breaks and converting to power steering. The power steering is not as important but i would love to beable to stop with out having to put all my weight on my break pedal. Any ways or any suggestions to doing this would be great.

 
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Broncobill78

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You have a number of options for converting to both. I've done a few and always grabbed the parts from anf F-truck and transplanted them but I know there are other stand-alone kits available that use Ford parts. I'm guessing that S bolt will chime in soon and I'd listen to what he has to say since he knows more about EB's than I do. Power brakes are the same, steal what you need from an F-truck and swap it, you'll need an intake with the rear fitting for the vacuum barb for the brake booster but that's not hard to find. They're both easy swaps. I've done each a few times but admittedly probably didn't take the easiest route so I'm reluctant to suggest it until someone else weighs in.

 

S_bolt19

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It depends on what you want as far as your brakes go. There are a couple of different options you can go with here. First, as Bill mentioned, is the vacuum assisted (VA) setup. This is going to have a couple of different things you are going to need. The booster, the bracketry for it, etc. I am not sure of everything because I have never done a vacuum boosted brakes system.

The other option is the hydroboost (HB) system. It requires you to have power steering. End of story, if you don't have PS you cannont do HB brakes.

Now, there are pros & cons to using both of them and folks who use one and not the other (or vice versa) will argue one way. I am a HB man myself for a number of reasons. The problem with both systems is that if the engine dies, so too does your power brakes. The advantage to having the HB over the VA here is that HB will revert back to manual brakes and will not leave you without a way to stop. Because the VA system relies so heavily on the vacuum, it will not stop as easily as the HB, even if the engine dies. That was my main reason for going to HB. Another thing is that I have disc brakes all around and VA doesn't push the pressure as easily that HB does (and the pressure that those calipers require).

But, if you look at this in a manner of what needs to be done first, I would suggest you decide on what you want to eventually do with this rig and work from there. If I were in your shoes (and I was at one time) I would start out with putting power steering on my rig first. Manual drum brakes can be adjusted so that you have more than enough stopping power with "minimal" pressure, for a non-power/disc setup. After you have the PS, then I would do front disc brakes, HB-brakes & finally add rear discs. That is the easiest and actually the most sensible way to go about it. Your current master cylinder will handle the disc/drum set up, but it will not handle a disc/disc set up. There just isn't enough pressure being created to push the calipers.

As for power steering, there are also a number of choices here too. There is the Scout box, Toyota box, the F-150 box, the 4x4x2, or the simple and easiest swap, the Bronco swap. You can get the needed parts from a 73-75 Bronco and everything will bolt directly in without any modification to mounting bracketry like all the others need. The only difference is that you will have to do some minor cutting on your inner fender & core support because of the steering shaft rag joint & the PS box is longer than the manual box. That is the direction that I would go.

Hope that helps you out.

 

Bully Bob

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Yep...power steering 1st. Brakes last, (per S bolt19) as it sounds like you have your body off. Easy to swap the box as it just bolts on...no drilling (the stock Br box that is) Others req. drilling the frame.

I've done 3 installs (2 Br & 1 F-150) & prefer the stock setup. Once the body is on & the colum is installed...you can install the upper & lower shafts & joints. (they would come with a used set-up...or you can order them) I didn't have to relieve (cutout) the fenderwells.

The stock brakes work great when all systems are correct. (& clean) i.e. shoes, drums, wheel cylinders, lines/hoses, & master cyl., ...&fluid. Power brakes are a good upgrade....when the funds allow. ^_^ /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

HTH

B

 

lentulo

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Good morning S_bolt19,

I am in the same situation as 1under...and had already planned on going with the power steering upgrade for my '77 Bronco first. I have seen several options on different sites. Can you give me a little more specifics in your recommendation for the easiest way to go about adding power steering with little or no modification to my Bronco which has a newer rebuilt 351 in it?

Thanks much!

It depends on what you want as far as your brakes go. There are a couple of different options you can go with here. First, as Bill mentioned, is the vacuum assisted (VA) setup. This is going to have a couple of different things you are going to need. The booster, the bracketry for it, etc. I am not sure of everything because I have never done a vacuum boosted brakes system.
The other option is the hydroboost (HB) system. It requires you to have power steering. End of story, if you don't have PS you cannont do HB brakes.

Now, there are pros & cons to using both of them and folks who use one and not the other (or vice versa) will argue one way. I am a HB man myself for a number of reasons. The problem with both systems is that if the engine dies, so too does your power brakes. The advantage to having the HB over the VA here is that HB will revert back to manual brakes and will not leave you without a way to stop. Because the VA system relies so heavily on the vacuum, it will not stop as easily as the HB, even if the engine dies. That was my main reason for going to HB. Another thing is that I have disc brakes all around and VA doesn't push the pressure as easily that HB does (and the pressure that those calipers require).

But, if you look at this in a manner of what needs to be done first, I would suggest you decide on what you want to eventually do with this rig and work from there. If I were in your shoes (and I was at one time) I would start out with putting power steering on my rig first. Manual drum brakes can be adjusted so that you have more than enough stopping power with "minimal" pressure, for a non-power/disc setup. After you have the PS, then I would do front disc brakes, HB-brakes & finally add rear discs. That is the easiest and actually the most sensible way to go about it. Your current master cylinder will handle the disc/drum set up, but it will not handle a disc/disc set up. There just isn't enough pressure being created to push the calipers.

As for power steering, there are also a number of choices here too. There is the Scout box, Toyota box, the F-150 box, the 4x4x2, or the simple and easiest swap, the Bronco swap. You can get the needed parts from a 73-75 Bronco and everything will bolt directly in without any modification to mounting bracketry like all the others need. The only difference is that you will have to do some minor cutting on your inner fender & core support because of the steering shaft rag joint & the PS box is longer than the manual box. That is the direction that I would go.

Hope that helps you out.
 

S_bolt19

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The fastest & easiest swap is the 76-77 Bronco PS swap. Then after that would be the 73-75 Bronco swap. Neither require any redrilling of your frame and the difference between the two is that the newer PS units have a shorter lock to lock throw and the pitman arm shaft is different than the earlier ones. I would look for a Bronco swap before I ever looked for anything else. Just the ease factor alone gives it more credibility than any of the other swaps.

 

Bully Bob

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Again,

Don't forget the Column & shafts.... Neither poster mentioned if their rigs were automatic or stick. The stick shift is one long shaft.....

The (stock) power steering set-up is a two piece shaft....with a U-joint & a rag -joint.

(not sure 'bout the shaft in the automatic..? never owned one)

Either column(auto or stick) can be modified to accept P/S shafts.

The column re-work, & shafts are an additional project needed for the conversion....& additional expense unless one has a donor vehicle.

The F-150 conversion can use the orig. one piece shaft...but it has to be cut/shortened, & re drilled.

Also... don't forget the pullys needed (2) & V-belt set-up.

The whole proj. seems astronomical but it's really a piece-o-cake..!

 

S_bolt19

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Actually, if you have a manual (column shift or floor) it is still a simple swap. There is no modification to the column at all. Everything still fits below the collar at the firewall. If you like, I can take a couple pictures of both my EBs, a 70 w/manual & a 72 w/PS conversion, and let you see the exact difference in them. But as far as auto goes.....I am with you on that one Bully, I have never done it and have never torn one apart, so I wouldn't know otherwise. But I can find out fairly easy.

I will also agree that the Bronco swap is extremely easy. I did mine in a single afternoon, from start to finish I would say it took me about 5 hours.

 

Bully Bob

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YAH..,

I meant the column should be "cleaned up" modified meaning with the proper shafts installed with cleaned bearings, etc.

When your that far into it...it's easy to insp. & clean up the column.

 

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