Any clever ideas on sourcing a Mini-truck booster (last problem I was expecting to have as a blocker) (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Threads
64
Messages
526
Location
SoCal
So thanks to @65swb45 and Yotamasters I have a 4wd FJ40 again, which I have to say is nice progress. Oh sure I need to source the actual drive shaft bolts for the front driveshaft, but I digress.

I installed an all new brake set up on my '68, with a dual line 93-95 fj80 M/C connected to a 81-83 Toyota mini truck booster. The booster is a newly re-manufactured unit, just to make sure I didn't have any issues with it during the pending event. Yep. You guess it, it's bad. Engine started running poorly and wanting to die when I applied the brakes where the tip off. Got a vacuum gauge on it and you can watch it bleed down to nothing and it barely holds vacuum in the first place.

So I pulled it off but wasn't too worried about it since hey, I should be able to shake a tree and have a new booster fall out since Toyota build approximately a zillion of these pickups, right? Wrong - none of the parts houses have them in stock. Tried all the local places, RockAuto, eBay and Amazon (yes, getting desperate) but no luck.

Any ideas on who might, or do I need to go find a local(-ish) rebuilder and hope/plead for a fast turn around?
 
Well, you can try BZ Re-builders in Canoga Park. They do a lot of stuff for SOR, but not sure if they do Boosters. They're fast anyway.

 
I just installed a mini truck booster from City Racer. Great results although it was a very tight fit on my ‘74
 
Why not try a used one? The quality of materials was better in the past than it is now and also the quality of japanese oem is far superior than most re-manufactured junk out there.
I use used toyota parts for many different things and find they are still fine even after 30 years or so. A lot of guys get hung up on new when used will yield better results in a lot of cases.
There are a bazillion 3.0l 4runners and pickups that have dual diaphragm boosters that still work very well even though the engines have long given up the goat.
 
trucks , 4runners, Land Cruisers all have the same bolt patterns.
In the 80's and early 90s I did more disc conversions tan I can remember using boosters pulled from Toyota trucks and cars. They all work. Some have a a little more boost than others but most shared the same bolt pattern. Some of their small cars had a two bolt master. I'm pretty sure an early pickup was a single diaphragm booster. I had an 84 that I bought new.
If the 80's boosters are out of stock you may need to go to a 90's. The boosters are a little bigger but they are generally dual
diaphragm.
 
Thanks for the help gentlemen, suspected you'd have good ideas to share.

Are the later ones going to provide even more braking boost?
 
Why not try a used one? The quality of materials was better in the past than it is now and also the quality of japanese oem is far superior than most re-manufactured junk out there.
I use used toyota parts for many different things and find they are still fine even after 30 years or so. A lot of guys get hung up on new when used will yield better results in a lot of cases.
There are a bazillion 3.0l 4runners and pickups that have dual diaphragm boosters that still work very well even though the engines have long given up the goat.
When mine was showing it’s age I went to a ~91 mini truck booster and master. Couldn’t be happier and, if I recall, it was something like $20 at the picknpull. Brakes are awesome now.
 
I pulled a booster out of a mid-'80s 2WD Toyota pickup many years ago at our County landfill, back when you could do that. Worked fine in a fellow Mudder's FJ40, it still may be in there.
 
80 series booster... :D

No such thing as too much power


I don't know about that . The customer for this truck complained loudly that the brakes were too strong. Said his wife
nearly went through the windshield. I'm sure a slight exaggeration but he was visibly mad. That was a Land Cruiser first
for me... brakes that worked too well
four wheel discs, 80 booster but with FJ60 discs and calipers at the rear on a floater I built

IMG_1725.jpg


IMG_2610.jpg


IMG_2764.JPG


IMG_2787.JPG
 
@lcwizard - Nice work!

I don't think I'd want any more boosting power than I have now, with disc's all the way around and new lines / hoses etc it's got plenty of power. Putting in a rear brake bias adjuster was a necessary part of this, highly recommended (and really a safety item).
 
City racer has them in stock usually
 
I don't know about that . The customer for this truck complained loudly that the brakes were too strong. Said his wife
nearly went through the windshield. I'm sure a slight exaggeration but he was visibly mad. That was a Land Cruiser first
for me... brakes that worked too well
four wheel discs, 80 booster but with FJ60 discs and calipers at the rear on a floater I built

View attachment 2097752

View attachment 2097755

View attachment 2097756

View attachment 2097757

He just needs to adjust his foot :D

I’ve driven so many different vehicles that it was not hard.

X2 on a proportioning valve being need for rear disc brakes.
 
This mini truck booster appears to be available from many locations at ~$110.00

Search CARDONE 532080
 
Lots of people list it but stock has been an issue. Thanks for the alternative part number, will check it out.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom