Banjo bolts and copper crush washers

[Fishman]

I have a question about bolting my new brake lines to the calipers and master cylinders. I'm re-using the stock banjo bolts and they have what appears to be a steel washer. I purchased some copper crush washers because I seemed to remember that they where necessary. What is the proper order for connection? Banjo bolt, stock washer, banjo, copper washer, caliper is what I'm guessing, but who wants to guess when it comes to your brakes?

Thanks.

[Larry D]

I have a question about bolting my new brake lines to the calipers and master cylinders. I'm re-using the stock banjo bolts and they have what appears to be a steel washer. I purchased some copper crush washers because I seemed to remember that they where necessary. What is the proper order for connection? Banjo bolt, stock washer, banjo, copper washer, caliper is what I'm guessing, but who wants to guess when it comes to your brakes?

Thanks.

I just built and installed ss lines on my bike and reused the stock washers.

It worked for me. My bike only has 12,000mi and is in pretty good condition. Your order of connection seems fine to me.....and braking is greatly improved with ss lines and progressive fork springs !!

[Nessism]

I don’t understand your description exactly but basically you need to have a crush washer on each side of the banjo fitting to seal the joint.

[Fishman]

Thanks Larry and Ed. That gives me enough to go on. I did a search and nobody ever came out and said "this is the order you assemble it" maybe because it was so obvious. That said, of the two fittings I've worked with, one had two washers and the other had only one. So I was confused.

[Nessism]

Thanks Larry and Ed. That gives me enough to go on. I did a search and nobody ever came out and said "this is the order you assemble it" maybe because it was so obvious. That said, of the two fittings I've worked with, one had two washers and the other had only one. So I was confused.

Single banjo joints such as one line from the master, or one line into a caliper, will have TWO sealing washers. A double banjo attachment will have THREE sealing washers.

A joint with only one washer will never seal.

[bwringer]

The crush washers are a soft alloy of aluminum, by the way. It's far better to use new ones, but we've all gotten away with re-using old ones.

There are also copper crush washers, but they're harder to re-use -- the copper gets harder when it's crushed to form the seal (this is called work hardening), so you have to anneal the copper with a torch if you're really stuck and/or broke.

I also prefer aluminum washers because I ride in all sorts of nasty weather and rarely wash my bike. Copper washers would turn green and start looking really horrible...