Bigger brake booster, improved brakes.

[GreggK]

I may be needing to replace my booster soon. What is the conclusion on part number, availability of the BMW or comparable upgrade? Trouble shooting has led me to have my booster/pedal assembly out, so this may be a good time for the upgrade.
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'86 2wd Poptop transplant
FAS TDi engine swap. Peloquin LSD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=692188&highlight=slow+but+steady

[4Gears4Tires]

If you wait a few days, I am hoping to see how the Honda Accord iBooster fits this weekend. With how many old restos are using the Bosch iBooster, I think it's definitely the way to go.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[syncroanddestroy]

I have a iBooster out of a Tesla Model Y installed in my Doka. As far as I'm concerned these will be the future of brake upgrades. Compared to the BMW booster which I have so ran in the past the iBooster with the larger bore MC feels incredible. It feels more up to modern car standards if that makes sense.

[GreggK]

[syncrodoka]

[GreggK]

[MarkWard]

This is the route I would go. He’s also an active member. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2670840

Your life or others may depend on good brakes. I’m not saying the “I” brakes don’t have their place, but maybe for those that are experienced with such things. For sure the above reservoir sure looks hokey. If you want the van on the road with the least resistance, buy a new booster while you can.

[4Gears4Tires]

[Westaru]

For any who might be looking, I have a BMW ATE brake booster that I was planning on using and instead it looks like I'll be selling my van.

Excellent condition (OEM), pulled from an 88 528E with 108k miles, part number 34331157566. Paid $150 for it and putting it up in the classifieds shortly, feel free to message me if you have interest.

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1984 Vanagon Westfalia EJ22

[MarkWard]

[4Gears4Tires]

If I had known Alika was making pre-modified E30 boosters I don't think I would have undertaken this project.

My skills are dubious at best. I think my strongest skill is simply failing enough times that random chance allows one success to get through.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[GreggK]

[GreggK]

I'm trying to determine if my booster is on the way out. Since I have it out of the van now, I figured if the BMW upgrade or another booster was a better way to go, now would be a good time to pursue it. My concern is the play I get. With booster out, I can push on the "push rod" with my palm and get about a 1/4" of play before I see the rod on the MC side engage. When everything was installed, all seemed normal, until I would press the clutch in and then work the brake pedal, would I feel the play. I just never recall my van doing this in the past.
_________________
'86 2wd Poptop transplant
FAS TDi engine swap. Peloquin LSD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=692188&highlight=slow+but+steady

[ALIKA T3]

[Syncroqc]

[ALIKA T3]

[markswagen]

l would NEVER go back from a BMW booster to a stock one.
l've fitted 60 + to customer vans now, finding them for decent $ is the hardest part now.
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markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310

[ALIKA T3]

[markswagen]

it might be, but l stand by it.
l own 3 vanagons with it on stock brakes, and the 4th has the same booster and 4 piston jaguar brakes and the appropriate rotors.
driving a vanagon on stock brakes, has me wanting to pull up on the steering wheel, while l'm trying to push the pedal through the floor.
say what you will, think what you want, that's my experience.
my syncro is kind of my demonstrator, if someone is considering a booster upgrade, l offer them to take it around the block, l've not had ANYONE say they prefer their stock brakes.
right now as they are difficult to find, l have the customer get one, than l go fit it.

[Syncroqc]

thanks you all folks!

I have heard mostly good things about E30 but Alika's comment (step in dog's shit, lol ) made me wonder if it was the way to go.

About the 60mm piston, I am not sure what you are referring to cause the girling 60 has 2 pistons at the front (smaller than 60, if I recall right) and the small car system piston is definitely smaller than 60mm.

Also, I had to order some parts from Brickwerks recently and the owner Simon told me to "try harder" to find an E30 booster of all the options I asked advices for.

I happen to have found one last friday in a scrap yard and they will send it to me in the next few days.

The next step is to convince me that I will put that old part in my van, without much testing and that I will be really really pissed should I have to take it all after bleeding everything and putting my cluster back, etc...
I guess the most important is to make sure brake fluid did not leaked in and some mechanic today sugested me to test it with pressure (instead of vacuum) and (taper) plugging the M/C hole which I think might work, at least for major leaks/problems...

I tried to find somebody in my area (deep Canada...) that does test and renew it and after calling a few knowledgeable mechanics, it is not common at all at least in a radius of +- 200 miles of where I live...

FYI, I ordered a rockauto Cardone 53-2601 and received the crappy "generic one" with the thick black spacer. I would not say that it could not be done BUT there were a lot more challenges than the "how-to" on the internet. there is a guy on the samba that documented fitting it but AFAIK, he did not said that he got to the end. I tried to put it in the dash to begin with and I was not able to put the 2 top bolts (just one at the time) since the outside diameter of that one was interfering with the bulkead... When I have seen that, I said myself it was not worth trying modifying it and I searched the scrap yard...