M/C and booster upgrades

Happy camper

Master Mechanic
Nov 21, 2016
263
375
63
San Dimas Ca.
Hey everyone, i need some help with upgrading my brake booster and master cylinder.
I've replaced the front brakes with corvette c5/c6 rotors and calipers and will be replacing the rear probably with 4th gen camaro calipers and rotors ,unless something else comes up better. But the part I'm having a problem with is what is a good choice for a booster and master cylinder .
 

69hurstolds

Geezer
Supporting Member
Jan 2, 2006
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I thought the hot ticket is putting on a B-body booster/master cylinder when upgrading the brakes like that.
 

Hurricane77

Master Mechanic
Nov 11, 2020
333
677
93
Ottawa, Canada
I don't have any specific recommendations, only some words of advice when it comes to brakes.

Specifically Master Cylinders. Bigger isn't always better. I can't count how many times I've seen someone install a larger master cylinder and do nothing else and think they've made an upgrade. A larger master cylinder will move more fluid for the same pedal travel travel. You will find that the brakes engage earlier, this will mislead many into thinking they've improved the braking performance. They have improved the pedal feel, but if nothing else has changed, they've actually reduced the amount of pressure in the line. Going from a 1" MC to a 1.125" MC reduces the pressure by nearly 20%. If you haven't made other changes to compensate, the brakes may feel firm, but you're going to have to push a lot harder to get the same braking performance.

That being said, you've got C5/C6 rotors and calipers, so you've already made an improvement there. Bigger rotors than stock and more piston surface area at the caliper are both upgrades. But, the increased surface area of the caliper pistons has the opposite effect of what I said before. You will have more clamping pressure on the rotor itself, but you'll have increased the pedal travel and the brakes will feel soft, even if it hasn't diminished the performance. But this is where people make the mistake and then go to the bigger MC to compensate for the pedal feel. So now it feels better, but the actual performance is worse. In addition to changing the MC, you'd want to upgrade the booster to a larger diameter, or from a single to a double diaphragm if possible.

If possible (I have no idea if they'll swap) but I'd try and go with a matched master and booster from a C5/C6. That'll be a pretty safe bet. If you're going from factory drums to discs, you'll want to make sure that any sort of residual pressure valve is removed from the system and then find a matching rear proportioning valve (or adjustable)
 
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Happy camper

Master Mechanic
Nov 21, 2016
263
375
63
San Dimas Ca.
Thank you 69Hurstolds I'll look into that.
Thanks also Hurricane77 for your knowledge, those are the things I'm worried about, I don't want to upgrade calipers and rotors and have less braking or bad pedal feel.
 

69hurstolds

Geezer
Supporting Member
Jan 2, 2006
8,201
17,608
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It comes down to volume more so with the disc brakes. Not so much the pressure. Yeah, pressure makes a difference as a larger bore has less pressure at the disc cylinders, but you also need to move more fluid with discs, so a bigger bore can help in that regard. But also you may get a harder pedal feel with bigger bore masters, requiring a little more stepping power, so there's that. In either case, you don't want to be stepping on the brakes and nothing happens. YIKES!

But bolting on a B-body master and booster may cause its own issues, so talk to the ones who have actually done it. I've just read builds where they installed B-body stuff and some haven't complained but others have. I think it's like engines and camshafts and stuff. You have to have everything in the system working TOGETHER instead of just popping in the biggest and baddest.

If money is no object, I'd look into some Wildwood stuff. They got all sorts of neat toys, but toys cost $$$$. For example, the masters list for around $300 alone.

I don't mess with anything other than stock, so I haven't researched all of it, but yeah, you don't just start bolting on rando parts and crossing fingers when it comes to brakes.
 
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