Brake Discs, same as a Civic?

[JohnHeller]

The brake discs on our new (to us) east coast Insight are very badly rusted and need to be replaced before they fail. Searching the web I'm finding a few aftermarket discs are available, probably as one forum poster alluded too, because they are shared with an "older model" Civic.

Does anyone know definitively which Civic has the same front brakes as the Insight? (if that's true)

Has anyone got experience with a particular brand of replacement disc? This is not a component I want to take a risk with so I'll probably buy OEM, but there are stainless and cross-drilled options if I go aftermarket.

I'd also appreciate any opinions on replacement pads too.
Thanks,
-John

[Willie Williford]

How many miles on the Insight?

(North) East coast cars always get rust because of the salt used on the highways to remove the snow.
You can remove the disc, remove the rust and reinstall without any difficulty. Unless the area where the pads contact are deeply pitted, I wouldn't worry about it. Surface rust on the "pad area" will be removed by friction.

There are aftermarket pads and disc available which are sufficent to use.
Many posts located at ICN about the subject.

willie

[JohnHeller]

121,000mi

I've never seen discs like these. The wear surface is OK, the bad rust is inside the disc vents, very badly corroded with lots of metal missing. I'll take some pictures when I scrap them.

I'm also finding lots of sites where guys have converted their Civic rears to discs using Integra, DelSol or Civic Si rear arms. I wonder if the Inisght uses the rear arm in common with another Honda? (I don't plan on changing the rear drums, just curious.)

-John

[Guillermo]

The best way to know if brake rotors need to be replaced is to measure their thickness. They are considered worn when they are 2 mm thinner then new. If my memory is correct front rotors are 17 mm thick new and the service limit is 15 mm.

Front rotors on Insights are exactly the same as a 1984 to 1987 CRX Si.
Only use blank rotors (not cross drilled or slotted) even for racing blank rotors are better because it has a larger contact surface with the pad and does not wear away the pads as quickly (for racing we use track pads that can take the heat).

I use Brembo blank front brake rotors on my Insight and they are available from ww.tirerack.com. I currently use Honda OEM Insight front pads.
There are other brands of pads available that fit Insights but keep in mind there is a different part number between manual and CVT Insight front pads!

The Insight has a unique rear suspension and rear drum brake so no direct bolt on replacement exists.

[trunkout]

I would stick with OEM if I were you.
Whose to complain on pads that last 100k plus???

[JohnHeller]

Thanks Guillermo I was thinking about using the Brembos as they're 1/3 the price the dealer wants for OEMs. I'll go with the stock pads, might even keep the ones that are on the car as they've got some life left. Interesting info about the CRX Si too; I used to own an '86. (that cantilevered electric sunroof was one of Honda's greatest bits of engineering!)

Its not the pads that are bad and its not really a question of disc thickness. The discs as VERY badly rusted away from inside the vents working outward.

-John

[Dougie]

Actually there might be a lesson here. If it's raining it's probably worth it to make more aggressive use of the brakes than usual, simply to heat them up a bit and get them good and dry--at least at the end of the run.

[Insightful Trekker]

Interesting point in theory Dougie.

I'm now approaching 90K on my Insight, no such rust. Its probably more related to salt exposure (Oceanic or otherwise). "Drying" them out will make very little difference.

[Guillermo]

Moisture on the rotors develops when there is a change in temperature in humid weather. I get much more light surface rust develop when the car stays parked for 1 or 2 days in the rain then from driving in the rain. And driving on salted roads must contribute to the internal rusting of rotor vein vents.