From: John Eifert [mailto:JEifert@AOL.COM]
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 2:20 PM
To: 928
Subject: [928] Brake Booster Replacement


After injuring the old shoulder in bike spill making turning a wrench
difficult, I gambled that brake hydraulics would be simple enough for a
shop that does work regularly on 911's.  After  a week, $350.00+ (don't
have the final tally yet) a new master cylinder and finding another
mechanic to add to the do not use list (Foreign Car Service in Alexandria,
VA), I found out I lost the gamble and looking at replacing the brake
booster as well in an 83S.  Is there a way to rebuild this part vs the
$400.00 I have priced so far for a new one?  Checking Greg N's tips it
looks like this job is going to be a B!^$& but there wasn't alot of detail.
 My shop manual volume on brakes is in the car at the shop so I have no
idea what this entails.  Advice on parts, replacement procedure anyone?

Thanks,
John Eifert



From: Jay Kempf [jkempf@tds.net]
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 2:31 PM
To: 928
Subject: [928] RE: Brake Booster Replacement

John,

Sorry about the spill. You should be able to buy an aftermarket or used
Booster for way less than $400. The job is tricky and frustrating but not
hard. The big trick is to not take the pedal pushrod apart. Push the brake
pedal to the floor and hold it there with a piece of wood jammed in between
the seat and the pedal. Then go around to the front and put a small pair of
vise grips on the pushrod as it exits the front of the booster. This traps
the pushrod in the fully depressed position. If you do not do this you
cannot get the brake booster out of the car no matter how much money you
have. After you have this done you can remove the pushrod at the pedal and
the 4 nuts that keep the booster to the firewall. It is still pretty tight
getting it out but a little creative wiggle this way and that and it comes
out. It's hard to believe looking at the darned thing.

When you explain this to the mechanic at the shop they will think you are
nuts but you will be a Zen master in their eyes when it works.

Good Luck

Jay Kempf    BTDT.




From: Bruce Sinclair [mailto:jumpytoad@mindspring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 8:38 AM
To: 928
Subject: [928] Re: Brake Master/Brake Booster?


Brendan, Changing the booster and or master cylinder are pretty easy
tasks. The fender side nut on the master cylinder is easy to reach with a
cut down 13 mm box wrench. Make sure that you use flare nut wrenches on
the brake lines or they will be easily buggered up. To remove the brake
booster after the master cylinder is out, Have someone depress the brake
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there, from the engine side
grab the shaft comming out of the brake booster with some vise grips so
that they will not allow the shaft to retreat back into the booster when
the brake pedal is released. This keeps the booster in a compressed state
so that it can be removed from the car, otherwise you will not be able to
get the booster out while thw motor is in the car. Remove the 4 bolts in
the footwell holding the booster in and roll the booster towards the motor
to pull it out. Reverse the proceadure to install. Note that a power
bleeder will not help you to bleed a master cylinder. You will still have
to use the old pump and bleed prceadure to get the mater cylinder bled.
You will then be suprised at how much more brakes you now have. I went
through a similar situation with my 82 and was amazed at how much  better
the brakes were when finished.