[v2winstunter]

I am looking for a bunch of crush washers for a spiegler SS brakeline set I picked up used. It is for an F4i. Any idea where I could find some at a reasonable price? Local shop wants $2.25 a washer! Auto parts stores don't seem to have the right size. Any one know if these washers are 3/8" or 7/16" ? Maybe I could get some online?

[MsHap]

Here is a 6pack for $4.00us ?
Dennis Kirk | Metric Bikes Main Page

[nixoid]

Originally Posted by v2winstunter

I am looking for a bunch of crush washers for a spiegler SS brakeline set I picked up used. It is for an F4i. Any idea where I could find some at a reasonable price? Local shop wants $2.25 a washer! Auto parts stores don't seem to have the right size. Any one know if these washers are 3/8" or 7/16" ? Maybe I could get some online?

I should have some lying around left over from a Glafer kit I put on a FZ1. I don't think they would be very different. How many do you need if it's one or two I may be able to help. email me at home kevin at nixoid d ot com and I'll check for you. Free of course.

[Kitt]

I have soem off of an R6 if they'll fit, you can have them...


otherwise check msc direct or mcmaster

[The Magician]

they sell them at auto parts stores! go to advance auto or something. or you can order them online. i called galfer and they said call cyclebrakes.com and go tthem for 50 cents a piece.

[FastJohnny]

Advance Auto Parts, and Pepboys, Lowes, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware do not carry crush washers.

[The Magician]

Originally Posted by FastJohnny

Advance Auto Parts, and Pepboys, Lowes, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware do not carry crush washers.

wanna bet? advance does for sure. the guys at the counter jut dont know it. i asked and they said they didnt have it, but sure enough they did.

[beet]

Originally Posted by The Magician

wanna bet? advance does for sure. the guys at the counter jut dont know it. i asked and they said they didnt have it, but sure enough they did.

+1

[hammadown]

Originally Posted by FastJohnny

Advance Auto Parts, and Pepboys, Lowes, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware do not carry crush washers.

Hell Johnny, they dont even know what a crush washer is!

[joeswamp]

If you are the world's biggest cheapskate you can reuse a crush washer, but you should anneal it first. You rub it with Ivory soap and then heat the washer with a torch until the soap turns black, then plunge it into a bucket of water. The washer is now soft again.

Aluminum has some odd properties, one of which being that it "age hardens". Not sure what the timescale of a crush washer alloy is, but if you buy one that's been on the shelf for several years it might not be soft anymore.

[Kitt]

Originally Posted by joeswamp

If you are the world's biggest cheapskate you can reuse a crush washer, but you should anneal it first. You rub it with Ivory soap and then heat the washer with a torch until the soap turns black, then plunge it into a bucket of water. The washer is now soft again.

Aluminum has some odd properties, one of which being that it "age hardens". Not sure what the timescale of a crush washer alloy is, but if you buy one that's been on the shelf for several years it might not be soft anymore.

are you a metallurgist?

is the soap just an indicator to let you know you got to the right temp?

I think you need like 600-700 degrees celsius (pretty sure soap burns long before that.)

I did a little research on the piston heads in an '03 cobra... but my brain is rusted, so i may not remember the facts.

[joeswamp]

Originally Posted by Kitt

are you a metallurgist?

is the soap just an indicator to let you know you got to the right temp?

I think you need like 600-700 degrees celsius (pretty sure soap burns long before that.)

I did a little research on the piston heads in an '03 cobra... but my brain is rusted, so i may not remember the facts.

I'm a mechanical engineer and have taken metallurgy classes but I'm certainly no expert...

Yes Ivory soap is the poor man's temp crayon. This is a very traditional method of annealing aluminum sheet. It's certainly not as accurate as using real temp crayons, but it probably doesn't need to be.

If you are super old school, the way you do it is set your torch to almost pure acetylene and deposit soot on the alumimum. You then set the torch to a neutral flame and burn the soot off -- that gets the metal up to temp and aneals it. 20 years ago I worked for a guy whose father hand-built Indy race car bodies in the 1940's and 50's, this was the first thing he'd do to the aluminum sheet before hammering away.

[v2winstunter]

Guess I should check back on here more often! I checked all those big name car places but they didn't have what I needed. Ended up going to a local Car place (Robbins) and they got em for me in a day. Thanks for all your help guys.