Hemi, power brakes, and the #7 spark plug

Anyone running a B-body Hemi with power brakes, what do you do to access the #7 plug (other than remove the booster each time)?

I removed the booster each time until I switched to manual Brakes. The Hemi was a pretty tight fit in the street cars, amazing they made it happen.

I’ve only worked on one with power brakes but I thought it had a flexible boot or something like that. It’s been a few year since.

Yes a rubber boot on #7 Back in the day I converted one to manual brakes to make adjusting the valves easier.. The one I have now is a manual brake car

I don't have a B but I can change #7 on my E body with power brakes. As had been said #7 has a rubber boot and it can bend enough to keep from removing the booster. Then just coming up with right length socket and extension. I can only use racket to break loose and tighten the rest I have to just use the extension.

Yes PIA good luck.

A couple short extensions and a couple flex extensions

The early, 1966/1967 B body cars had a smaller power brake booster than the non hemi cars is what I'm remembering now
Maybe not

I use a spark plug socket with a swivel extension, a very short extension and duck tape the two together to make sure I can get them both out after putting the plug in. I connect the socket after this combo is in the tube and on the plug.

I have not had to move the master cylinder or the booster. Have done this over 10 years now.

Urrr... there's not enough room between the valve cover and the booster to get the plug out, much less get a ratchet in. Kowal, could you post a photo of your brake booster? Mine is the Bendix pictured in the '70 shop manual for the Hemi, though I'm using a different master cylinder. Booster to firewall mounting bracket is aftermarket item that is supposed to be Hemi spec.

I've done the booster-ectomy before to set valve lash and check plugs, and it is a RPITA. Just fishing for a short-cut... maybe an aftermarket booster with a smaller diameter...?

I used to have a 69 Roadrunner hemi with power disc brakes.
I could get the plug out , it just took some ingenuity and flex extensions.
Getting the booster off was a different story though. And that required booster R+R

My booster is the stock Hemi booster.

Pulling the booster/master cylinder was a piece of cake on my '69 Road Runner. They did a decent job of engineering that system IMHO.......

I do move the booster aside when changing the spark plug tubes, but that isn’t very often. As gtx6790 said with the right extensions as per my pic and a bit of patience you can change the #7 plug with the booster in place, I do it all the time.

Here is another pic, a slightly different master mounted in this pic as I was messing around with braking response with 1 1/8 versus 1 1/32 bore masters. A recent pic

Does your car have the black, ribbed flexable #7 boot? If it does, it will come out. But I didn't say it was easy. I've always hated power steering and brakes on a Hemi.

where did you get that plug socket with the "built in" swivel ?
i have never seen those before.

With the demise of Sears, I am not sure it is made anymore. A Craftsman socket, 43823 stamped on the side.

thank you sir.
i'll keep my eye open at my ACE hardware and at the swaps.
in fact, i'll take that part number to ACE and see if it's listed.

I found a 13/16" swivel spark plug socket on Amazon. Made in Taiwan.

Checked my parts bins and turns out I do have the flexible plug wire tube for #7, but it's not installed on the car, so it looks like a date with the booster whether I like it or not.

I've had 1 since the 70's and not sure were it is. Never thought much of it and hardly used it and why I probably why I don't know where its at . Lol

80547 is stamped on this Gearwrench 13/16 with intergral swivel and 3/8ths extension

I think Gearwrench makes other plug sizes than 13/16 too

Back when I had my '71 Hemi Charger R/T, I had very little problem doing that plug - I'd put fresh plugs in every spring. PDB car. Different models & years MUST have had different clearances, because mine was not that difficult.

Now I had a buddy with a 1969 Mach 1 with a 390 & there was at least one plug where you had to jack the engine up several inches to get at one of the plugs. That would get old real fast! That engine was shoehorned in.

I converted mine from power disc brakes to manual on this last build. I can do all 8 plugs in less than 5 minutes now. I even have a special one piece T Handle wrench with a built in torque wrench clicker that I use. (Same as the top fuel teams use).

I used to have a 67 cougar. 390.
And yes....spark plus were a nightmare . Especially drivers side

I had a '67 XR-7 GT with the 390. Sweet car but very tight engine compartment.

some of the mid to late 70's C-bodies were not much fun on the #5 & 7 plugs due to the steering shaft.