thumpn
01-09-2012, 12:14 PM
I know there are a lot of you guys looking for a way to change to manual brakes. So he is a way to do it on a budget.
I see a lot of guys looking for a manual master cyl. and I am gonna be totally honest with you, there is no difference between the power master cyl and the manual master cyl, They are the same part #'s. the only difference is the mounting plate to the fire wall. and let's be honest those mounting plates are hard to come by. so here is my budget fix for not being able to find a plate. tools needed for this project are:
Die cutter or air saw
welder
grinder
tape measure
and about 3 hrs of your time
Ok the first thing you need to do is remove your master cyl and brake booster form the truck and separate them, make sure not to spill any brake fluid cause it will eat your paint. But you can leave the brake lines from the master cyl down in the truck. So that would leave you with a bare fire wall.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7495.jpg
Now with the booster you want to use your die cutter/ saw and cut out the pedal side of the booster following the firewall mounting surface plate around the bolts.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5017.jpg
next you do the same to the other side of the booster that the master cyl bolts too. On this side as you are finishing the cuts be careful this side is spring loaded!
and make sure to cut a big enough area to avoid the spring.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5681.jpg
Now that you pieces are cut out of the booster you need to cut out he center collar out of the piece you just cut out to allow the pieces to go together. but you can a little lip there to allow a better mating surface for welding.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6254.jpg
now you can cut the master cyl side down to size you want as log as you leave surface room for the master cyl to mount too. I left about 3/4 of an inch all the way around except at the otter edges of the mounting bolts so that I could weld the bolts directly to the firewall plate. the reason for using the 2 plate peices is for strength. the one firewall plat by its self is too flimsy.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9446.jpg
At this time find you center piont between the top and bottom bolts of the firewall plate , and draw a line between them from one side of the plate to the other, this will be the line for the alignment of the master cyl bolts. making sure that you have both center holes aligned , weld away! making sure you weld all the way around your master cyl plate and the center hole. After you are done you can clean your welds to you liking or if you are good enough no worries. You just need to make sure that your master cyl fits flush against the plate.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3382.jpg
once you are done test fitting and grinding any rough surface and edge. you can throw on some paint and mount up the master cyl to the plate remount the fire wall gasket w/ the boot and back into the truck.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_4533.jpg
Now the tricky part, What to do about the brake pedal push rod? It's to short! Well it took alittle time 4 years ago when i first did this on my blazer but it has been perfect ever since with not one problem.
The booster rod is held in the boost by a snap ring, so remove the snap ring and the rod. This is what it looks like, now remember this photo cause I will refer to it again.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7684.jpg
what you need to do now is cut the rod as close as you can to the alum collar at the big end of the spring, so that you can remove the spring and have just the rod by itself. Now you need the push pin from between the master cyl and the booster. Next you want to measure the length you need for you pedal rod. this is not hard you just need to use a tape measure. Fist slide the tape measure end in the boot in the firewall so that the end of the tape is hitting the master cyl plunger, then holding your brake pedal in the out position measure where the rod mounting pin center is. Mine was 7 3/4 long. now take that measurement and use it to make the correct length push rod by welding the push rod and push pin together. I used the full length of the push pin and trimmed the pedal rod down to fit. when I did that I measured out from the flange on the pedal rod a 1/2 inch and then welded the push pin to the end of the rod.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8225.jpg
Once you finished welding the rod you need to grind down the welds so that the rod has no rough edges to catch on the firewall boot. It should look like the pic above. also make sure you welds are solid you don't want any possible weak points in this rod! now that you have this done you can install the rod , making sure that the rod rests in the center of the master cyl plunger.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2678.jpg
Next make sure you have your brake lines connected and test your pedal motion. If you have a good master cyl the pedal should return to the out position with no problem. if it doesn't return very fast you might need to add a return spring to you brake pedal.
Now the only thing left is to bleed out your brakes! doing this project is also a good time to replace all your brake fluid, cause dirty fluid doesn't work as well. Now have some fun! just remember having manual brakes doesn't stop as fast as power brakes but it is fairly close just takes a little more effort on your part.
I see a lot of guys looking for a manual master cyl. and I am gonna be totally honest with you, there is no difference between the power master cyl and the manual master cyl, They are the same part #'s. the only difference is the mounting plate to the fire wall. and let's be honest those mounting plates are hard to come by. so here is my budget fix for not being able to find a plate. tools needed for this project are:
Die cutter or air saw
welder
grinder
tape measure
and about 3 hrs of your time
Ok the first thing you need to do is remove your master cyl and brake booster form the truck and separate them, make sure not to spill any brake fluid cause it will eat your paint. But you can leave the brake lines from the master cyl down in the truck. So that would leave you with a bare fire wall.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7495.jpg
Now with the booster you want to use your die cutter/ saw and cut out the pedal side of the booster following the firewall mounting surface plate around the bolts.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5017.jpg
next you do the same to the other side of the booster that the master cyl bolts too. On this side as you are finishing the cuts be careful this side is spring loaded!
and make sure to cut a big enough area to avoid the spring.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5681.jpg
Now that you pieces are cut out of the booster you need to cut out he center collar out of the piece you just cut out to allow the pieces to go together. but you can a little lip there to allow a better mating surface for welding.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6254.jpg
now you can cut the master cyl side down to size you want as log as you leave surface room for the master cyl to mount too. I left about 3/4 of an inch all the way around except at the otter edges of the mounting bolts so that I could weld the bolts directly to the firewall plate. the reason for using the 2 plate peices is for strength. the one firewall plat by its self is too flimsy.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9446.jpg
At this time find you center piont between the top and bottom bolts of the firewall plate , and draw a line between them from one side of the plate to the other, this will be the line for the alignment of the master cyl bolts. making sure that you have both center holes aligned , weld away! making sure you weld all the way around your master cyl plate and the center hole. After you are done you can clean your welds to you liking or if you are good enough no worries. You just need to make sure that your master cyl fits flush against the plate.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3382.jpg
once you are done test fitting and grinding any rough surface and edge. you can throw on some paint and mount up the master cyl to the plate remount the fire wall gasket w/ the boot and back into the truck.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_4533.jpg
Now the tricky part, What to do about the brake pedal push rod? It's to short! Well it took alittle time 4 years ago when i first did this on my blazer but it has been perfect ever since with not one problem.
The booster rod is held in the boost by a snap ring, so remove the snap ring and the rod. This is what it looks like, now remember this photo cause I will refer to it again.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7684.jpg
what you need to do now is cut the rod as close as you can to the alum collar at the big end of the spring, so that you can remove the spring and have just the rod by itself. Now you need the push pin from between the master cyl and the booster. Next you want to measure the length you need for you pedal rod. this is not hard you just need to use a tape measure. Fist slide the tape measure end in the boot in the firewall so that the end of the tape is hitting the master cyl plunger, then holding your brake pedal in the out position measure where the rod mounting pin center is. Mine was 7 3/4 long. now take that measurement and use it to make the correct length push rod by welding the push rod and push pin together. I used the full length of the push pin and trimmed the pedal rod down to fit. when I did that I measured out from the flange on the pedal rod a 1/2 inch and then welded the push pin to the end of the rod.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8225.jpg
Once you finished welding the rod you need to grind down the welds so that the rod has no rough edges to catch on the firewall boot. It should look like the pic above. also make sure you welds are solid you don't want any possible weak points in this rod! now that you have this done you can install the rod , making sure that the rod rests in the center of the master cyl plunger.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/fizzer46/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2678.jpg
Next make sure you have your brake lines connected and test your pedal motion. If you have a good master cyl the pedal should return to the out position with no problem. if it doesn't return very fast you might need to add a return spring to you brake pedal.
Now the only thing left is to bleed out your brakes! doing this project is also a good time to replace all your brake fluid, cause dirty fluid doesn't work as well. Now have some fun! just remember having manual brakes doesn't stop as fast as power brakes but it is fairly close just takes a little more effort on your part.