Recommendation on Brass Washers

So I just did my rear 9" drums, and will soon be doing the front disc brakes.

Any recommendations for leaky brass washers on the brake hoses (at the caliper)? I am trying to search local hardware stores and auto parts stores, but no one seems to have what I am looking for.


EM

if your replacing the calipers then they come with the calipers. if not try tighting them down more

I've been told it is not a good idea to re-use the brass washers..as they may fail or leak.

I believe the washer are copper. Any parts store should have them.

The washers are "dead soft" copper, and should be readily available at your local.

If not, you can exercise a little care and reuse them once - maybe twice (I've not done twice - just once!)

1) On a flat surface that will retain them, flatten the surface using a fine double-cut flat file or 180-240g sandpaper.

2) Draw a small bowl of cold water - throw a couple of ice cubes in it for good measure. A good bath for this is a pint of water, a tablespoon of common table salt, and a cup of ice.

3) Heat the sanded/flat-filed washer to red hot using a propane torch. You're looking for about a medium red colour.

4) Drop the red hot washer right into the iced salt water.

5) Repeat for the other washer.

This will both flatten the surface of the washer (necessary) and soften the washer (necessary.) Copper and cuprous alloys respond to heat-treatment in the opposite manner as steel - so this really is the way it works!

In a pinch, you can also use brass washers from the hardware store or marine supply house - file or sand flat and soften first (brass flat washers are usually half hard.) However, copper is softer and better for this application.

Make sure that both sides of the banjo fitting, the sealing surface of the caliper, and the underside of the banjo bolt are all clean and flat - if you have to replace the banjo bolt, they usually come with copper washers as well.

The washers are "dead soft" copper, and should be readily available at your local.

If not, you can exercise a little care and reuse them once - maybe twice (I've not done twice - just once!)

1) On a flat surface that will retain them, flatten the surface using a fine double-cut flat file or 180-240g sandpaper.

2) Draw a small bowl of cold water - throw a couple of ice cubes in it for good measure. A good bath for this is a pint of water, a tablespoon of common table salt, and a cup of ice.

3) Heat the sanded/flat-filed washer to red hot using a propane torch. You're looking for about a medium red colour.

4) Drop the red hot washer right into the iced salt water.

5) Repeat for the other washer.

This will both flatten the surface of the washer (necessary) and soften the washer (necessary.) Copper and cuprous alloys respond to heat-treatment in the opposite manner as steel - so this really is the way it works!

In a pinch, you can also use brass washers from the hardware store or marine supply house - file or sand flat and soften first (brass flat washers are usually half hard.) However, copper is softer and better for this application.

Make sure that both sides of the banjo fitting, the sealing surface of the caliper, and the underside of the banjo bolt are all clean and flat - if you have to replace the banjo bolt, they usually come with copper washers as well.