Hydro Boost Bad?

[sgarrison]

A friend of mine was having a tough time steering his D60, so he called Matt at West Texas Off Road and got the procedure for increasing his power steering fluid pressure and volume. All was well, truck steered great, untill he hit the brakes one time and the pedal stayed on the floor and the brakes were locked. If he pulls the pedal up off the floor the brakes let off. This doesn't happen all the time, just once in a while. When the brakes are locked, the steering is still OK. The truck is an '82 Blazer, 6.2D with Hydro Boost. Any ideas?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

One saginaw style pump is not enough to power hydro boost, hydro assist, and the steering box. Start looking for an aftermarket pump or figure out how to run two power steering pumps.

 

[sgarrison]

There's no hydro assist, just the hydro boost and the steering box. There was no issue with the brakes untill the pump pressure was increased, it was just hard to steer. Now it steers OK, just the brake thing.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Sorry, I guess I saw West Texas Offroad and assumed.

 

[dremu]

A friend of mine was having a tough time steering his D60, so he called Matt at West Texas Off Road and got the procedure for increasing his power steering fluid pressure and volume. All was well, truck steered great, untill he hit the brakes one time and the pedal stayed on the floor and the brakes were locked. If he pulls the pedal up off the floor the brakes let off. This doesn't happen all the time, just once in a while. When the brakes are locked, the steering is still OK. The truck is an '82 Blazer, 6.2D with Hydro Boost. Any ideas?

The hydroboost units do not always like more flow or pressure... I've had mine chatter when I was tweaking the pump. (I ended up going back to stock, as it's my tow rig, i.e. not a wheeler, so it has stock steering.)

This is why people say to run one pump for the steering (modified) and another for the brakes.

I would try tweaking the orifice or spring for volume only, and not pressure, or vice versa... or maybe replace the hydro unit, as a new (rebuilt) one might like the modified system more.

-- A

 

[dremu]

Might also check out this thread

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70309&highlight=hydroboost

as I think that's the one with lots of good info about HB.

-- A

 

[mouse]

Sounds like the hydroboost unit, but I wouldn't run out and buy a new one without knowing for sure. IIRC they run about $160ish rebuilt.

Make sure the lines are good and there are no restrictions or colapsed lines.

 

[Blazr77400]

The pump pressure is probably to high. Try and lower the pressure back down to stock and see what happens. I run an agr pump that has a 3.4 gpm to run my hydro boost and Hydraulic steering with no problems. I also ran it with hydraulic assist without any problems.