hydro boost retro fit for riviera xx discs

[dean svee]

Im new at this but am a long time buick/pont guy. I have my 3rd XX and the same problem exists..... Those spongy brakes! My brake light goes on and off with pedal. I was told there is a kit....I cant do my own work any more, so I need to be able to have a mechanic do it who has 30+ years exper. I dont want to make a major project out of it for him, so I would like to obtain ALL the necessary components to do the conversion in a timely fashion. This way he wont get aggrevated when something more is needed (he's old!) Is there a kit to do this or can someone with this experience help with parts list or something. ( 307 4w discs) Thanks! Dean sveeI'll be selling some XX stuff soon!

 

[turbofish38]

I've had quite a few Rivs with the hydraboost and 4WDB. If you're getting a light and spongey brakes than that is the master cylinder and not HB problems. If you have a fluid leak and hard pedal than that is the booster. Damn cast iron master cylinders. I bet that is where the problem is. Getting a new MC shouldn't be a big issue. It was the same one used on the B/C/D bodies with HB. The Riv is an E-body.

I dont recall seeing a XX with the 4WDB option. Thats a neat set up on the 1983 E-body. The only year that used a plastic remote reservior for the HB. It looks just like the ones on a 86-87 TR.

Edit: Double check all of your brake hard lines. These cars are rusty pigs. It's not uncommon for the brake lines to rust and start leaking.

 

[ChavoLC2]

TurboFish3.8

Eric Fisher hope you will help me out. Sorry to hijack but where can I find 87 GN.-OEM brakelines from proportional valve to MC. Getting rid of the fr/rear linelocks and all the little pipes. Converted to hydroboost from PM need the original hard brakelines/pipes, these are the product #'s
Front-25519995, rear-25519996...TIA

 

[BlackMetal]

I haven't come across a hydroboost kit for an E body but there are always "univeral" kits available. I'm not sure how "univeral" they really are, you could probably do some preliminary measuring and then contact a brake kit vendor to make sure you get long enough lines with your kit.

 

[dean svee]

Thanks for you answer mr.fisher. The 4wdb were a part of the XX package and were standard on all XX's Back to brakes.... I did notice the fluidlevel (MC) was low, but only once. Its too bad they didnt use a better belt system ,since the ster,alt, and boost are on ONE belt. QUESTION:1, Would it be helpfull to get the High Performance steering pump? QUES:2 Why would the lowr cnt arm frt sway bar attch brkts break off? I lost 4 so far. Thanks Dean SVEE

 

[turbofish38]

I dont think a HP pump will do anything for you. Now the G-Body FE3 gearbox is a plug and play on the E-body and maybe a different flow valve would firm it up a little if you were to bolt that box on. I dont think increased flow is going to make the HB any better.

I've busted those link brackets on many of my DD. Never a problem on the lower mileage cars. I've been using the poly bushings with the front 32mm ElDo Touring Coupe bar on one car and it seems to do better than the rubber ones.

 

[Hot Air]

Excuse my ignorance...what is the "XX" package?
Conrad

 

[turbofish38]

"XX" is the Roman numeral for 20 as in the car is one of the 500 20th anniversary Indy Pace Car replica Rivieras. Not 20th for Indy but 20 years for the Riviera.:smile:

There were two other special anniversary Rivieras. In 1978 there was the 75th anniversary Riviera that marked 75 years for the Buick nameplate and in 1988 there was the 25th anniversary Riviera. Than there were the 200 Silver Arrows made to mark the end of Riviera production in 1999. The Riviera was the last 2 door coupe produced by Buick.

 

[POWERBRAKEBOB]

Hydroboost Conversion

We have Hydroboosts for the Riviera. No problem I'm not sure which year you are talking about,. We are installing hydroiboosts on everything that has, or can have a p/s pump. Jeeps, 4X4's Camaros, Chevelles, Mustangs, Street rods, Suburbans, Tahoes, Rolls Royces, etc. We have an improved master for the Riviera/El Dorado cars. The main problem is those rear calipers with the "e" brake mechanism. They are supposed to adjust with regular usage of the parking brake, but theadjuster pistons rust in place, and never adjust. As the pad wears, the gap increases, with all the volume of fluid used to push the piston out, and then it retracts. We developed a 10lb residual check valve for those cars when they were new. This keeps the pads up against the rotors, and the pedal up. They get so far out, that the car ends up stopping only on the front brakes, burning them out. A Hydroboost, 1.125" master and the 10 lb. ck. valve, will make it a different car.