Brake booster repair

lksohm

Well-Known Member
I learned something about brake boosters tonight that I would be happy not knowing.
While attaching the push rod from the brake booster to the brake pedal I pushed the booster with no master cylinder attached. This detached two parts inside of the booster. I managed to fish the parts out of the hole.
Is there anyway to reattach these or am I stuck buying a new one?
I'd really like to avoid another $100 surprise expense. I have had too many of those lately.

Thanks!!20190715_220340.jpg20190715_220400.jpg
 

Ark :D

Goblin Guru
I did the exact same thing with my brake booster, only I haven't been able to fish the ring out of it.
 

Ark :D

Goblin Guru
To be perfectly honest, I have not had much time to look for info. I just scrapped my donor frame/body on Saturday and up until then, I was pushing pretty hard to get it done and was leaving other stuff go to get it done (pressure washing, weeding, trimming the bushes, all that).
 

JSATX

Goblin Guru
I’m not exactly sure which part of the booster that is, but I can tell you the booster won’t separate without pretty much destroying it.

The other option is to throw it in the trash like I did.
 

lksohm

Well-Known Member
If you still have it sitting in your trash I'll use it! haha

I did consider going manual but I want to get the car up and running before I start modifying it too much. It just seems like something that shouldn't have broken so easily.
 

Briann1177

Goblin Guru
If that conversion is anything like driving without the vacuum line hooked up to the stock booster, then that's down right scary. I drove mine a couple of times with the vacuum line disconnected, and it was to the point of being dangerous. Way more effort than I had envisioned. I really appreciate power brakes and power steering. Lol.
 

lksohm

Well-Known Member
I have driven much older vehicles without factory power assisted brakes or power steering. I never would have known it was manual if I wasn't told so.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
I can see both sides of this. Older vehicles without power assist were correctly engineered to work that way.
My 2006 SS SC brake hydraulics are designed to work with power assist.
My Goblin was driven once without power brakes, and it had 5 to 10% of its original power, and was dangerous.
The park brake had more power.
 

JSATX

Goblin Guru
If that conversion is anything like driving without the vacuum line hooked up to the stock booster, then that's down right scary. I drove mine a couple of times with the vacuum line disconnected, and it was to the point of being dangerous. Way more effort than I had envisioned. I really appreciate power brakes and power steering. Lol.
It’s not. Using a dedicated manual MC from wilwood.
 

G Atsma

Goblin Guru
Old cars with manual brakes and steering had smaller bore master cylinders and slower geared steering boxes.
 

Jareth

Goblin Guru
I learned something about brake boosters tonight that I would be happy not knowing.
While attaching the push rod from the brake booster to the brake pedal I pushed the booster with no master cylinder attached. This detached two parts inside of the booster. I managed to fish the parts out of the hole.
Is there anyway to reattach these or am I stuck buying a new one?
I'd really like to avoid another $100 surprise expense. I have had too many of those lately.

Thanks!!View attachment 9413View attachment 9414
So is this fixable, my two parts are also disconnected and completely lose inside?

.
 

Gtstorey

Goblin Guru
I’ve taken boosters apart before and reassembled them but I don’t if that is possible with the cobalt booster.
 

lksohm

Well-Known Member
I did manage to get this booster back together after this. It has been a while but I think I just kinda pressed it together by hand and it held. It has been on the car and on the road for 3 years since with zero signs of issues.
 
Top