Russell Brakes for the Acura Integra: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Russell Performance makes stainless steel braided brake line kits for the 1990 to 2001 Acura Integra, and they replace the factory rubber flex hoses at all four corners. Which kit fits depends on the generation and trim: one kit covers the 1990-1993 cars, another the later LS and GS-R, and a separate kit is built for the 1997-2001 Type R. This guide shows how to match the right Russell kit to your Integra, what the lines actually change, and which rotors and pads pair well with them.

What Russell Makes for the Integra

Russell is a hose and fitting company, so its Integra parts are flex lines, not pads or rotors. Each kit is a set of replacement hoses that bolt in where the factory rubber hoses were. According to the product details for the later-generation kits, each kit contains four lines, uses stainless steel braided hose with zinc-plated fittings, comes factory assembled, and ships with new crush washers. The kits are labeled street legal because they meet the U.S. Department of Transportation MVSS-106 brake hose requirements.

Two fitment notes matter. First, the Type R has its own kit, so do not assume a GS-R kit fits a Type R or the other way around. Second, sellers list the trim coverage for the 684850 differently, and some show earlier third-generation years as well. Go by the year and trim on the product page. If your car has been swapped or converted with brakes from a different model, match the kit to the brake hardware on the car, not the badge.

Why Braided Lines Change the Pedal

A factory rubber hose swells slightly every time you press the pedal. That swelling soaks up some of the fluid the master cylinder pushes, so the pedal travels farther before the pads clamp. Rubber hoses also age: after two or three decades they can crack on the outside, go soft, or break down on the inside. Unless someone has already replaced them, most Integras on the road still run hoses that are more than 20 years old.

A braided line has a smooth inner liner wrapped in a stainless steel braid that resists that swelling. Russell describes the result as reduced pedal travel and more consistent braking. In practice owners notice a firmer pedal that engages sooner, and the difference is bigger on a car whose original hoses are tired. Braided lines do not make the brakes stronger. Stopping power still comes from the calipers, pads and rotors. What braided lines give you is a more direct pedal and a hose that holds up better with age.

Street Legal: What MVSS-106 Means

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 106 covers hydraulic brake hoses and their end fittings. Its purpose is to reduce deaths and injuries from brake failure caused by hose ruptures. Hoses are tested for expansion, burst strength, pull-off strength at the fittings, and whip resistance, a flex test the hose has to survive for 35 hours without rupturing. Compliant hose also has to carry a DOT marking, the manufacturer's designation, and a date code.

This matters because the market is full of unbranded braided lines with no compliance marking. The Russell Integra kits are sold as meeting MVSS-106, the standard a street car's brake hoses are held to. That is the part of the spec to check for a car that has to pass inspection, or one you simply want to trust in a panic stop.

Installing the Lines

This is a moderate driveway job for someone who has bled brakes before. The steps are the same at each corner:

1. Safely support the car on jack stands and remove the wheels.
2. Loosen the hard-line fitting at the body bracket with a flare-nut wrench, not an open-end wrench. Old fittings on these cars are often seized, and a flare-nut wrench keeps you from rounding them. Penetrating oil the night before helps.
3. Remove the retaining clip at the bracket, then unbolt the banjo end at the caliper.
4. Install the new line with fresh crush washers on both sides of the banjo bolt, and torque the banjo bolt and flare fitting to the values in the factory service manual.
5. Route the line so it does not rub on the strut, tire or suspension at full lock and full droop.
6. Bleed the entire system, since every hose change lets in air.

Use the brake fluid your owner's manual specifies, poured from a sealed container. If the fluid in your Integra is dark, flush the whole system instead of only bleeding it. If a hard line breaks or its flare gets damaged during removal, stop and repair that line before you drive. See our brake lines and brake hoses collections for related parts.

Rotors and Pads That Pair With Russell Lines

Many owners do the lines as part of a full brake refresh. For the Integra we carry several performance rotors from other brands:

• EBC USR slotted rotors, such as the EBC USR946 front rotors for the 1997-2001 Integra Type R and the EBC USR403 front rotor set for the 1986-1989 Integra 1.6. EBC calls the USR its quiet street range. It uses a narrower multi-slot pattern that degasses the pads and clears debris with minimal air noise.
• EBC GD sport rotors, such as the EBC GD946 front rotors for the Type R and the EBC GD411 rear rotors for the 1992-1994 Integra 1.7 VTEC. The GD uses wide slots that EBC says help the rotor run cooler and keep pad wear even. EBC gives both GD and USR rotors a corrosion-resistant finish.
• Hawk Talon drilled and slotted rotors, such as the Hawk Talon HTC5174 front set for the 1997 Integra GS.

EBC recommends pairing its sport rotors with its higher-friction street pads rather than running the rotors alone, because a matched system works better than a rotor upgrade by itself.

A caution on pads: we also carry Hawk DTC-60 front race pads and Hawk DTC-60 rear race pads for non-Type R Integras. Hawk lists DTC-60 as a motorsports compound with an operating range of 400 to 1,600 degrees F and does not recommend it for street driving. These pads belong on a dedicated track car, or on a set you swap in for track days, not on a daily driver. Hawk also notes its compounds are made for iron rotors only. For regular street use, browse our brake pads collection.

What to Replace at the Same Time

• Brake fluid: flush it. You are already bleeding every corner.
• Caliper slide pins and boots: on a car this age they are often dry or torn. Clean and lube them, or replace them with a brake hardware kit.
• Bleeder screws: if one snaps or rounds off, fix it now. A caliper with a seized bleeder often needs replacing; see our brake calipers collection.
• Hard lines: check the steel lines near each flex hose for rust. A braided hose on a rotted hard line is only half a repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Russell brake lines make my Integra stop shorter?

Not by themselves. Braided lines reduce hose swelling, which gives a firmer pedal with less travel and more consistent feel. Stopping distance depends on the tires, pads, rotors and calipers.

Does the GS-R kit fit a Type R?

Russell makes a separate kit for the 1997-2001 Type R. Use the kit listed for your exact trim, and if the brakes on your car have been swapped, match the kit to the hardware actually on it.

Are Russell braided lines street legal?

The Integra kits are sold as meeting U.S. DOT MVSS-106, the federal standard for hydraulic brake hoses on street vehicles.

How many lines are in the kit?

The later-generation LS/GS-R kit and the Type R kit each include four lines, covering the front and rear flex hoses.

Do I need to bleed the brakes after installing them?

Yes. Replacing any hose lets air into the system, so bleed all four corners with fresh fluid of the type your owner's manual specifies.

Can I use Hawk DTC-60 pads on the street?

Hawk positions DTC-60 as a racing compound and does not recommend it for street driving. Use a street pad for daily driving and keep DTC-60 for the track.

Sources

1. K Series Parts: Russell 684850 - four lines per kit, stainless braided hose, zinc-plated fittings, crush washers included, MVSS-106 street legal
2. K Series Parts: Russell 684860 Type R - Type R kit with four lines, front and rear, stainless braided, MVSS-106
3. IPG Parts: Russell 1990-1993 Integra kit - stainless braided hose, zinc-plated fittings, factory assembled, MVSS-106
4. 49 CFR 571.106 (FMVSS 106 Brake Hoses) - purpose of the standard, 35-hour whip test, DOT marking requirements
5. Hawk Performance: DTC-60 - motorsports compound, 400-1600 F operating range, iron rotors only
6. EBC Brakes: USR Slotted Rotors - narrow multi-slot quiet street rotor; pair with higher-friction EBC pads
7. EBC Brakes: GD Sport Rotors - wide aperture slots, cooler running, corrosion-resistant finish