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454 Vortec brakes with Ram assist

wheels87k5

wheels87k5

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Has anyone used hydroboost with ram assist? Does it work well or would the older type brake booster set up be better?

The 454 vortec uses hydroboost for its brakes. I will be installing the 454 vortec in place of a 350 TBI which used a brake booster w/vacuum.
I have the hydroboost from the truck that the 454 vortec came from. Will this work with ram assist or should I look for ways to use the brake booster set up from the TBI?

I believe the only way to use the brake booster set up is to tap into the PCV line for vacuum. Not sure I want to do that so that's why I'm asking for options and opinions.
 
The diagram has two returns, one from the steering box (via the cooler) and one from the hydroboost.

That's better than the factory two returns to the pump because the factory system stagnates fluid in the reservoir. Returning to the reservoir cycles the fluid around better.
 
You are comparing apples and oranges. The one in your pic is stock. The diagram shows an aftermarket type.
 
Are you using an aftermarket reservoir with a stock pump?

Also, where did the comment about high pressure pumps not working with hydroboost come from?
 
Strange.

We have PSC high pressure pumps on everything at ORD and most have hydroboost, no issues like that with any of them .
 
I run the identical setup. Vortec 454 in place of a 350 TBI.

I ran the factory suburban vacuum booster and I am running a 2in ram with a ported stock astrovan pump and it works well.

The vacuum brakes arnt ineffective enough for me personally to swap to hydroboost.
 
1977k5 said:
Strange.

We have PSC high pressure pumps on everything at ORD and most have hydroboost, no issues like that with any of them .
Click to expand...

That's good to know. I bought a ported PSC steering box from ORD to use when I still had the 350 TBI. That motor is gone and will be replaced with the 454 Vortec. Sounds like hydroboost is going in.
Chris, does ORD have the hoses from the PSC steering box to the ram?
 
wheels87k5 said:
That's good to know. I bought a ported PSC steering box from ORD to use when I still had the 350 TBI. That motor is gone and will be replaced with the 454 Vortec. Sounds like hydroboost is going in.
Chris, does ORD have the hoses from the PSC steering box to the ram?
Click to expand...
They did when I ordered my PSC steering setup from ord. I didn’t go hydroboost but I’m sure they have the needed hoses as their kits are pretty all encompassing. Gotta be able to piece meal what you need.
 
wheels87k5 said:
That's good to know. I bought a ported PSC steering box from ORD to use when I still had the 350 TBI. That motor is gone and will be replaced with the 454 Vortec. Sounds like hydroboost is going in.
Chris, does ORD have the hoses from the PSC steering box to the ram?
Click to expand...

We have those for sure
 
I have the factory hydroboost on my '90 6.2L powered K5 with hydro-assist. Everything is stock including a stock replacement pump and a 2wd steering box pulled out of the junkyard. Believe the ram is 1.5" (been a long time since installed). Never had an issue turning the 39.5" tires and front locker off-road unless the tires were wedged in between rocks or something....and to be honest I don't try to force the steering to turn in that situation. The only issue I periodically run into is slow steering on the street in specific situations. If you are driving down the road and hit the brakes half-way hard while trying to turn quickly onto another street the steering can be sluggish for a few seconds. This has only happened a few times as I don't drive it on the street a lot, and when I do I'm usually not driving fast or in a hurry...but you can just muscle the steering wheel to make it turn.
 
I've been running hydroboost and ram assist steering since 2008, both in the K5 and now the crewcab. Both came factory equipped with hydroboost. Started out with a stock system. After a few years I had the hydroboost ported for hi-flow by a vendor on Pirate4x4. When I got the crewcab I added a PSC steering box to the mix. Can't say as it's really that different from what I remember the steering being like it was when I fist put the ram assist in.

Only issue I had was bleeding the system when I first installed it in the K5. Ended up having to pull the lines to the ram off at the box, cap the fittings on the box, and put the hose ends in bottles of steering fluid. Then bleed the system per usual for a hydroboost setup. Cycling the steering with the hoses for the ram in bottles of fluid bleeds the ram. Then I put the hoses back on the box trying to keep them full of fluid and cycle the steering a few more times. So far that method has worked fine. It's a little messy putting the lines on but every time I mess with a fluid system it gets messy.
 
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