[ihc] Brakes, power steering

[David Bongo <dbongo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've got questions about the brakes and power steering on my Scout. 
It's a '74 RHD with a 258 engine and 727 tranny.  I use (or abuse) it
delivering mail.

First, the power steering.  I've got a small leak on the P/S pump.  Not
a big deal, but I have to top it off every 10 days or so.  After 6
months, I'm growing tired of this activity.  It is (IIRC) a pump from a
'72 IHC pickup.  On a custom bracket, since the steering box is mounted
INSIDE the frame (rather than outside) the stock 258 P/S pump bracket
won't work.  Based on this vague description, I doubt very much if
anybody can answer this, but I'll give it a shot: if I find that fixing
or replacing this pump is cost-prohibitive, and go with a different one,
where can I locate information on determining which pump and which
bracket to get?

Second, the brakes.  I have the TSM rear disc brake conversion (with the
Caddie calipers) and the PO told me that he changed the master cylinder
out for a dual-disc model, and I believe that the booster is integral to
the unit.  Anyways, the brakes have felt a bit funny of late, so I tried
to remember the testing procedure.  I pumped the brakes while the truck
was off, and never really got the stiff pedal I expected - I just kept
getting the "normal" resistance I expected.  When I turned the truck on,
the pedal didn't really go down any.  As I recall, this is indicitive of
a bad booster or a vaccuum leak.  The truck stops just fine, and with
minimal effort on my part (believe me, I'd know if it required massive
additional force to stop it).  I can't diagnose a vacuum leak (don't
know how, probably don't have the tools) but I can probably get my
mechanic to do it for free.  If that checks out OK and the booster is
bad, where do I go?

Would a non-power system be viable (less to go wrong, but more effort to
stop)?  Am I running a non-power system now?

Or should I be considering going to hydra-boost, if the cylinder is bad?

Or just chalk it up to bad luck and use the same basic setup again?

Thanks,

Dave