Brake Boosters? Can you add them?

[ChevyThunder]

One of the nicer upgrades to the 04 AV's is the addition of a brake booster. Can someone explain in simple terms how these work, and is it possible to add one to an 02 or 03 as a mod or upgrade?

Later.
CT

 

[joediver]

Alot of folks are interested in improving the stock brakes on the Av. Hopefully one of the guru's will chime in soon.

Joe

 

[Blueruck]

I will tracking this one - had't seen the 04's cam with a booster

 

[james21]

I would be interested as well, if there is a way to improve the brakes, other than upgrading the whole system to Baer or Brembo.
Thanks.

-James R.

 

[sthomp]

I became interested in this, but I really don't feel like my 03 has any braking problems whatsoever, even towing a 2500lb boat with no trailer brakes...I had just heard of braking issues from others on this forum. It seems like from 02 to 03 an electric inline vacuum assist was added to help the braking. You can look on your truck to see if an assist motor is attached to the brake booster inline to the vacuum line. On the 04 they will apparently will use the Hydroboost system that is found on the 2500. This system uses the power steering pump to hydraulically assist braking, supposedly more powerful. I would think the 03 electronic assist could be retrofitted to an 02 but I am not sure, or if it would even be a significant improvement in braking. The hydroboost would seem like a more difficult and expensive mod, but I have not priced or looked into it.

 

[ygmn]

One of the nicer upgrades to the 04 AV's is the addition of a brake booster. Can someone explain in simple terms how these work, and is it possible to add one to an 02 or 03 as a mod or upgrade?

Later.
CT

Most all vehicles have a booster of some sort....the 2002 avy and 2003 do.....

they are VACUUM assist power brakes...that is the big thing bolted to the firewall with a vacuum lone hooked to it behind the master cylinder....

What this does is decrease pedal effort by using engine vacuum to assisst your foot in moving the master cylinder plunger....this plunger when moved is what builds hydraulic pressure which then forces the cylinderrs in the calipers to clamp the pads on the rotors.......

I bet the 2004 have a different design.......

So if you drive an AVy you have a brake booster......if ya wanna feel what it is like with out...turn your key to off and try using brakes......real PIA,..,as the lever effort of is such to balance foot travel....this is where the boosters help,,,,,,

HTH......

If ya have info on what the 2004 have now please post a link

 

[jgwatsonjg]

The 2003's are different from the 02's. At least my cousin's 03 av is different than my 02. I think the 02's were vacumm assist and the 03's are something called Hydra boost.

Agent M.

 

[DougD]

'04 gets Hydraboost, not '03.

 

[ygmn]

The 2003's are different from the 02's. At least my cousin's 03 av is different than my 02. I think the 02's were vacumm assist and the 03's are something called Hydra boost.

Agent M.

Ah yes...I think the 03 use a the power steering pump to help....
the power steering pump will move oil under pressure to the brake system to help the pedal move the master cylinder plunger and decrease pedal force required.....

So in effect the PADS and all are the same but the foot force required is less.....so the effect to the driver is easier to use brakes.....not better in that it stops quicker


To make brakes more effective (read stop quicker) you have to increase the brake pad area (SWEPT AREA)....this is where braking starts........

The pads need a force behind them to press against the rotors and bring the truck to a stop by converting the kinectic energy of the truck (moving energy) to heat energy which causes the truck to stop,,,,,,

this force is from the caliper pistons which gets pressure from the master cylinder....

the pedal regulates the pressure on the pads....so when they change the booster....what they did was change foot pedal effort.......and maybe stroke as the booster is doing more now then...

So in the 2002 the driver needs stronger foot and more foot travel then a 2003 for the same stopping performance....

but overall the stopping performance of the truck is the same if the truck is stopped at or near thew ABS lock up limits

To improve the braking performance..which is to shorten the distance required to stop from a speed:

Better tires ..the tires have limit to when they will lock up due to static friction versus dynamic friction properties.....so more tire contact area softer rubber etc etc.....the tire can be a limit that is why we have ABS brakes....

Then more brake pad area and better friction material....this allows the pads to scrub off speed by be able to cause more friction and make more heat...and toloerate more heat before they lock up......

Larger rotor diamete in conjuction with pads....this allows the braking force to create more braking torque on the wheels and hence more stopping power....drawback is the structure has to be able to withstand

all this is with the presumption the pedal force required is within SAE requirements which means all drivers have no problem smashing the brakes.......


I hope this helps a bit....

for those wanting more info on brakes I suggest checking the web site how it works as they can explain any thing better then I can......



HTH