Vacuum pump question

[82shovel]

I've had the truck for 14 months. When I got it, there were no vacuum pumps, there was a block off plate siliconed on the engine and some sort of electric pump (not working) screwed to the inner fenderwell.
I removed that and bought a Cardone vac pump. The brakes have worked better since there is some kind of vacuum, but have increasingly gotten harder at times.
I was told the truck needs two pumps, but I cannot figure out how they attach. Does anyone have a photo of this, or any advice?
Thanks
~Dave

[Tacoclaw]

Ehhh, I'm kinda confused since your sig says '86, but assuming you've got a Cummins in there they supposedly are capable of running with just one side of the older diaphragm pumps.

If you've got the resources, you can always use a vacuum reservoir to see if it's a lack of capacity. A sealed container T'd into the vacuum line with a check valve between it and the pump will provide a lot more vacuum capacity than just the pump and lines as it's running.

[82shovel]

Thanks Taco! Yeah, the truck is an '89... my bad. I actually have one of those reservoirs from a 50's Ford. It actually looks like it was once a coffee can.

[Tacoclaw]

Ford must have really liked those things, I remember seeing them on all kinds of early 90's cars too.

My brakes are pretty terrible on my truck. Both the pedal feel and actual stopping ability. The best thing I've done so far is run new soft lines to my front wheels. They're actually stopping me now. I can deal with the hard pedal, but there's a couple recent threads on the boosters themselves around here.

[82shovel]

When I bought the truck the only thing I was unhappy with was the brakes.

I did the front soft lines, rotors, seals, bearings and pads within a week of getting itk.

A month or so later did the backs, found out I had the bigger wheel cylinder on one side only, replaced the smaller one with the bigger, turned the drums, bought new shoes, fixed both axle flanges that were scored, new seals, did the rwal valve, plus the front combination valve.

About 3 mos later did the master and booster. Besides replacing all the hard lines, the entire braking system was replaced. At that point, the brakes actually felt almost as good as any GM vehicle from the 80s I've driven.

Agreed about the hard pedal, I get used to it, just have trouble when I drive something else!