JPhil
Huh?
I'm seriously thinking of installing a hydraboost brake booster "while I'm at it" this winter. The main reason is just to get that dam big-ass vacuum booster out of there so I can access #7 plug without having to jack up the car to get to it from underneath, plus have some more working room in that corner of the engine bay. I don't need it for low vacuum reasons, although I wouldn't mind removing another potential vacuum leak source.
I understand full well it does not change the physics of how well the car stops, that is the relationships of tire traction and rotor friction and moving mass. It is only a change in method and amount of pedal to master cylinder leverage enhancement.
I'm not really dissatisfied with my vacuum brakes, although sometimes I wonder just how much boost I'm actually getting, as heavy as they feel. I have never locked up the brakes, even in my hardest stops. (Although I never have had to make a full on panic stop yet, either.)
I've read lots of articles & posts, and one of my final questions now is "How does the pedal feel compared to vacuum?"
The believers all say "It's great!" "It's wonderful!" "It stops better than ever before!" "It stops on a dime!" "You'll be smacking the steering wheel with your face it stops so fast!" "It'll lock 'em up like nothing!" etc. Those comments are all so generically subjective they give no information other than, "OK, so you're sold on it."
My question is, how does the feel compare to vacuum boost? Is it more solid? Is it a whole lot more sensitive? Is it touchy? How is the feedback? I understand I'll have to get used to it, but will it make the brake application disproportionally 'light' to how 'heavy' the rest of the car is to operate? I don't really want to have to worry about "locking 'em up" in a situation where I'm not expecting it, either. Locked up brakes are a crash about to happen.
I've even considered changing it out to manual brakes, but if my brakes are as heavy to operate as they are under a hard stop with power assist, boy, they'd be really heavy without it.
I've been back and forth on this for years, but if I'm going to do it now is the time.
Gene, you want to go first? :crylol:
I understand full well it does not change the physics of how well the car stops, that is the relationships of tire traction and rotor friction and moving mass. It is only a change in method and amount of pedal to master cylinder leverage enhancement.
I'm not really dissatisfied with my vacuum brakes, although sometimes I wonder just how much boost I'm actually getting, as heavy as they feel. I have never locked up the brakes, even in my hardest stops. (Although I never have had to make a full on panic stop yet, either.)
I've read lots of articles & posts, and one of my final questions now is "How does the pedal feel compared to vacuum?"
The believers all say "It's great!" "It's wonderful!" "It stops better than ever before!" "It stops on a dime!" "You'll be smacking the steering wheel with your face it stops so fast!" "It'll lock 'em up like nothing!" etc. Those comments are all so generically subjective they give no information other than, "OK, so you're sold on it."
My question is, how does the feel compare to vacuum boost? Is it more solid? Is it a whole lot more sensitive? Is it touchy? How is the feedback? I understand I'll have to get used to it, but will it make the brake application disproportionally 'light' to how 'heavy' the rest of the car is to operate? I don't really want to have to worry about "locking 'em up" in a situation where I'm not expecting it, either. Locked up brakes are a crash about to happen.
I've even considered changing it out to manual brakes, but if my brakes are as heavy to operate as they are under a hard stop with power assist, boy, they'd be really heavy without it.
I've been back and forth on this for years, but if I'm going to do it now is the time.
Gene, you want to go first? :crylol:
