Q: My car doesn't make enough vacuum to use a vacuum booster. Will an iBooster work?

A: Absolutely! The Bosch iBooster is vacuum independent. Brake assist is provided by an electric motor and three stage gear unit. Vacuum is not utilized. 

 

Q: What happens if I loose electricity? Do my brakes fail?

A: No! The pedal is connected to the master cylinder via a pushrod, exactly the same as vacuum boosted car. Should the electrical circuit be interrupted you would simply have manual brakes, precisely the same as if a vacuum booster failed. If you think about it, if you lose electrical power you've likely lost power to everything, the engine dies and with it power steering and all accessories. Vacuum or electric you'll still have manual brakes though.

 

Q: How difficult is it to install an iBooster?

A: Not difficult at all. If you're comfortable installing a vacuum booster yourself you can easily install an iBooster. The only real difference is you will need to run 3 wires, constant hot to the battery, switched hot, and ground. Our kits include a custom harness, all hardware, brackets and everything else you will need to complete the installation.

 

Q: What's the difference between a Gen 1 iBooster and a Gen 2 IBooster?

A: Although they appear quite different, functionally they are the same. There are some slight installation differences (3 wires vs. 4 wires) but the biggest difference is the master cylinder. Our Gen 1 kits utilize the OE Bosch master cylinder whereas our Gen 2 kits utilize Wilwood master cylinders. 

 

Q: I already have a Wilwood master cylinder. Can I re-use it with a Gen 2 iBooster?

A: Maybe. The optimal master cylinder size for iBooster is 1 1/8" and our kits are designed for that. If your existing master cylinder has a 1 1/8" bore you're fine, otherwise it will need to be replaced when installing a Gen 2 iBooster. Any master cylinder with a bore smaller than 1 1/8" will not work and cannot be used.      

 

Q: Do I have to use a Wilwood master cylinder? I have/prefer Baer, CPP, etc.

A: Not necessarily. Our kits are specifically designed utilizing the 1 1/8" Wilwood master cylinder dimensions. Other brands are untested and may or may not share the dimensions necessary to function safely and properly. If you are considering using something else we strongly urge you to contact us so we can take some measurements before you purchase or install your kit. 

 

Q: I have rear drum brakes. Will an iBooster work?

A: Yes! In fact, adding an iBooster to a vehicle with an original disc/drum setup is the single most impactful thing you can do to improve your braking performance. You'll notice significantly improved braking compared to converting to rear disc brakes. The only installation difference is that you will also need to install a residual pressure valve in the rear feed line. 

 

Q: Do I have to use an adjustable proportioning valve?

A: Yes. Although the original non-adjustable proportioning valve may function on otherwise unmodified cars, braking performance will be, at best, compromised when adding an iBooster. Remember, you're not just changing/adding a booster you're also changing master cylinders to a size and configuration that valving in your original proportioning valve is not designed to accommodate.

 

Q: Do I have to use the Wilwood proportioning valve and bracket pictured?

A: No. In fact, some of the cleanest installs we've seen relocated the proportioning valve under the car. If you'd prefer to use a different set up just let us know and we'll deduct the price of the proportioning valve from your kit.