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Power Brake Booster - buyer beware

Larrys 48

Larrys 48

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Joined
Dec 7, 2007
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Location
Spokane, WA
Here's a word of caution:

Matinius warned me a day too late about this problem. The power brake booster sold by our host is actually drop shipped from CPP. It will not "bolt on with no cutting or welding", because it requires removing the stock transmission support cross member. Maybe a custom builder could work this out, but I think I would prefer to buy one that mounted on the firewall if I wasn't interested in trying to keep a stock look.

Here's the real kicker, I paid $60.65 shipping and handling to get it (no free shippping on this item), and now I need to pay return shipping plus a restocking fee of 20% to return it to CPP! Classic Parts will adjust my credit card someday after CPP notifies them that it has been satisfactorily returned.

FYI - my Vol. 6 Classic Parts catalog doesn't mention the cross member conflict, but "customer service" said that the current Vol. 10 and the CP website does...$110+ education/experience. :o

I've been a loyal fan of our host, but I'm not a very happy camper today. :(
 
Larrys 48 said:
Here's a word of caution:

Matinius warned me a day too late about this problem. The power brake booster sold by our host is actually drop shipped from CPP. It will not "bolt on with no cutting or welding", because it requires removing the stock transmission support cross member. Maybe a custom builder could work this out, but I think I would prefer to buy one that mounted on the firewall if I wasn't interested in trying to keep a stock look.

Here's the real kicker, I paid $60.65 shipping and handling to get it (no free shippping on this item), and now I need to pay return shipping plus a restocking fee of 20% to return it to CPP! Classic Parts will adjust my credit card someday after CPP notifies them that it has been satisfactorily returned.

FYI - my Vol. 6 Classic Parts catalog doesn't mention the cross member conflict, but "customer service" said that the current Vol. 10 and the CP website does...$110+ education/experience. :o

I've been a loyal fan of our host, but I'm not a very happy camper today. :(
Click to expand...

Wow, I do not blame ya for being unhappy. BS.
 
Ouch!

It seems that a person needs to call first and ask if there have been any complaints about the items we need to purchase before actually buying them~ That shouldn't be.
So, I wonder if the dual mc without the power would require mods?

The words "bolt on" should mean just that. :confused:
 
bolt on

after reading the 3 master/booster our host lists it seems "no cutting/welding" pertains to pedal itself.

"Convert your truck to power brakes with our bolt-on power brake booster kit. Our brake booster bolts in the stock master cylinders location and uses the stock pedal with no cutting or welding. May require tubular transmission mount or the need to modify your original crossmember" is from the listings.
not sure if any of these are what you purchased.

hope you can get it taken care of with out alot of hassle.
 
Before you send It back I would do some measuring, and maybe try and dry fit It up there. I put one on my 54 without any problems. The flat strap that has the two holes goes were the old master cyl was. The other part of the mount bolts to inside of the frame. The rod then mounts to the brake lever. I've used these on a 59 I had as well. Chris
 
TruckPoor said:
Before you send It back I would do some measuring, and maybe try and dry fit It up there. I put one on my 54 without any problems. The flat strap that has the two holes goes were the old master cyl was. The other part of the mount bolts to inside of the frame. The rod then mounts to the brake lever. I've used these on a 59 I had as well. Chris
Click to expand...

Hard to believe that this kit could not have been easily adapted with a little patience & ingenuity.

It is real easy to beat up on the parts seller but, sometimes it is the customer that is habitually problematic & will never be happy {even if you showed up in person & installed the part for them}.

I remember selling Larry a restored steering wheel a year or so ago.
I wrapped that thing up with all kinds of bubble wrap & popcorn to protect it but Larry claimed it had a hairline crack when he got it. I told him to send it back & I would refund his $$$$.

He sent the wheel back but he carelessly threw it back in the box with no packing material & when the wheel arrived back here.... it had a dozen cracks & chunks were missing from it from bouncing around inside the box with no packing material around it ....& all the horn button contact parts were missing {Larry decided to keep those parts}.

I refunded his $$$$ but still have a bad taste in my mouth from that transaction.

Not only do the buyers need to beware..... so do the sellers.
 
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Conflicts

Russ & Chris - There is 9" from the front MC bolt hole to the cross member. This allows enough room for the vacuum chamber, but not the double master cylinder attached to it without conflicting with the cross member. It is not apparent to me (or Martinius) on how to remove/relocate the cross member and still support the transmission.

My main intent was to warn any members considering going this route that it isn't as simple as "bolt on" and that our host was selling parts from CPP.

I apologize for the rant.
 
Larry, The master cyl and booster point to the back of the truck. In other words It's opposite of what it would be if it was mounted on the firewall. Chris
 
Power Brakes

Larry ;

I've seen several very clean installs where they simply created a rear ward bracket and usd a longer push rod.....
 
Nate,
That's a good idea. It might work behind the transmission cross member, with a stand off brakcet, but not with a stock '48 emergency brake. Thanks,
 
Larry-

Check this thread for some additional info:

https://talk.classicparts.com/showthread.php?t=14939

I ended up going with a manual dual-cylinder MC, which truly is a bolt-on piece. I came really close to ordering the same setup you did, but when I looked at the picture compared to the available space I couldn't see how to make it fit.

I saw a truck with a very thin booster that fit in the stock location, so I know it is possible.

Here's a site with some good info and some interesting products:

http://ecihotrodbrakes.com/index.html

-- Harry
 
I first ran an adapter from Master Power Brakes with a 67-76 vette disc/disc MC.

I swapped to a 7" power kit "Bolt on" from Ebay.......took 3 days to adapt the "Bolt on" kit. It really didn't make that much difference.

For all the trouble, I would run the manual MC.

Just my experience.
 
I ran into a similar issue with a "bolt on" front disc brake conversion kit. Neither the tech help from the seller (our host) or the kit manufacturer (CPP) could answer my questions. Ended up solving the problem on my own, but it's BS to have to do so in the first place when folks aren't selling what they're advertising. I too, have been pretty happy overall with our host, but that wasn't a good experience. After dealing with CPP twice over the same issue through two different resellers, I won't throw any money their way again. Like you, I learned my lesson.

Damon
 
Cpp

I shoulda asked here first ~

I bought a sway bar kit from them for my '69 C/10 and it appears I gotta go find some brackets from a dually 4 X 4 '87 ~ '92 (IIRC) rig before I can mount it....

I'll have to drill my frame too as it doesn't have the holes punched like I assumed it would .
 
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