1973–1987 Chevy C10 K10 Vacuum to Hydro-Boost Conversion | Sweeting Performance

Why 1/2-ton Squarebody trucks, K5 Blazers, and Suburbans would benefit from an upgrade kit from Sweeting Performance with Bosch Hydro-Boost™ and require application-specific fitment tailoring

Are your factory vacuum brakes turning your classic 1/2-ton Chevy C10 or K10 into a runaway train?

The 1973–1987 GM Squarebody generation (and up to 1991 for K5 Blazers and Suburbans) is one of the most popular truck platforms on earth. But whether you are building a slammed C10 street machine or a lifted K10 4x4, the factory vacuum brake booster is a major weak link.

If you’ve done a modern LS swap or built a classic small block/big block with a performance camshaft, your engine vacuum drops significantly at idle. When you’re trying to park, stage at a light, or stop in traffic, that low vacuum leaves you with a hard pedal and weak brakes. Even on stock engines, if you’ve added 33-inch or 35-inch off-road tires, the factory vacuum setup simply doesn’t have the clamping force required to stop that massive rotating mass safely.

The definitive upgrade is an upgrade Conversion Kit from Sweeting Performance with Bosch Hydro-Boost™

Tailored Exactly to Your 1/2-Ton Setup

Adapting a unit from the junkyard or otherwise applying a stock setup from a similar year 3/4 or 1 ton will give you a master cylinder size that is far too large for your front brakes. If you run an oversized master cylinder bore with standard 1/2-ton front calipers, your pedal becomes rock-hard, and lacks braking power.

Sweeting Performance matches the master cylinder to the fluid volume your 1/2-ton brakes require. We support whatever front brake configuration you are running:

-Stock or Aftermarket 1/2-Ton Calipers: If you run stock iron calipers or a Wilwood upgrade, you can choose from our standard iron universal master cylinder, or upgrade to a premium Wilwood master cylinder available in natural finish aluminum, black, or polished finishes.

-The Axle Swap Exception: If you have swapped out your 1/2-ton front axle for a pre-2000 GM 3/4-ton or 1-ton heavy-duty axle, stop right here. Those massive heavy-duty calipers demand a much larger fluid volume than you will get from a 1/2 ton master cylinder. You will want to look at our dedicated HD truck listing for this year range to get the correct, larger master cylinder.

Overcoming the Factory Hydro-Boost Quirks

GM offered factory Hydro-Boost on some of these trucks. If your truck came with it from the factory, GM used at least four different versions based on gas vs diesel, 1/2 ton vs 3/4 or 1 ton, and older vs newer. If you find a replacement unit the bracket might fit the firewall, but the pedal rod lengths may not match your brake pedal or have an offset pedal rod end that won’t line up with your factory brake pedal pin location, and the rod from the booster to the master cylinder may be longer or shorter possibly making it incompatible with certain master cylinders.

Sweeting Performance has this completely figured out:

Our custom kits feature have an adjustable connecting rod that accommodates the factory straight vs offset and different length brake pedal connection rods, ensuring a perfect alignment with your pedal pin.

Replacement vs. Conversion: We offer Direct Replacement units for trucks that came with Hydro-Boost™ from the factory, and Complete Conversion kits for those switching over from vacuum or manual brakes.

Every single system features a brand-new, genuine Bosch Hydro-Boost™ unit, vehicle specific mounting brackets matching the Squarebody firewall, and customizable hydraulic hoses.

Ordering Note: Because these trucks see so many custom configurations, just drop any special notes about your specific front brakes, axle swaps, or modifications into the comments section at checkout so our team can verify your build!

Configure your 1/2-ton Squarebody kit today: Submit your build order through the site or call with any questions that you may have.

https://www.sweetingperformance.com/sweeting-performance-power-brake-system-1973-1987-chevrolet-gmc-half-ton-truck-sub-bosch-hydro-boost.html

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