Brakes

Addressing Your Brake System Upgrade and Replacement Needs

Full-Service Brake Repair, Maintenance and Performance Upgrades

One of the first areas to address when modernizing a classic car is the brakes. Older Cars don’t have the braking ability of today's cars. When replacing and upgrading your brake system it is important that all of the components in the system are designed to work properly together.

This starts with the pedal and its ratio, then moves onto the master cylinder bore and stroke. Following that, the front and rear system sizing and bias fit into the equation (sometimes with a proportioning valve).

Let the experts at Sonny’s Muffler & Auto make sure that your brake system is the exact right fit for your classic car or Hot Rod.

• Disc Brake Conversions

• Dual Master Cylinders

• Brake Booster Upgrades

• Hydro Boost Conversion

• Big Brake Conversion

• Drag Race Brakes

• Custom Brake Lines

Did you know?

A brake booster won’t increase stopping power but can greatly reduce pedal effort and is often a good upgrade.

Spongy Pedal

You may have air or moisture in your system ​if you notice that your brake pedal is spongy or slow to respond. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that over time, it absorbs water. When brake fluid absorbs water, it becomes less effective and can easily overheat and leave you with a spongy pedal. Let us test your brake fluid when we service your car's brakes so we can let you know if it’s time to flush.

Brake Services Offered

  • • Calipers

    • Rotors

    • Hoses

    • Brake Pads

    • Master Cylinder

  • • Brake Inspections

    • Drag Race Brakes

    • Proportioning Valve

    • Custom Brake Lines

    • Big Brake Conversion

  • • Dual Master Cylinders

    • Booster & Hydroboost

    • Hydro Boost Conversion

    • Disc Brake Conversions

    • Brake Booster Upgrades

How do I know when I need my brakes inspected?

• You start to notice that it takes longer to stop your car

• Low brake fluid could indicate a leak or worn out brakes

• Your brake pedal has excessive travel towards the floor

• Brake pedal feels “soft” or “spongy” when braking

• Pulsation or vibrations through the brake pedal or steering wheel while braking

• If your wheels lock up or skid while braking it could indicate that one brake is wearing faster than the other

• Groaning, screeching, squealing, or grinding sound while braking

Brake Upgrades

Sonny’s has many options for brake upgrades. We are happy to take the time to discuss options with our customers to give them the best set-up for their vehicle. One option we can offer is to replace drum brakes or small disc brakes with larger rotors and larger piston calipers to make older, heavier muscle cars stop on a dime.

Most cars built before 1968 had single-circuit brakes, meaning that if any part of the system leaks, there could be a complete failure. A good brake upgrade kit is going to include a dual-circuit master cylinder so that half the system can continue to work if a leak occurs.