A genius Subaru design requires disconnecting a brake line in order to replace front struts.  That what I did.

 

A Haynes manual says that I need to replace a banjo bolt washers.

 

Does anybody know what size they are and what is more important what material?  Copper, steel, gold?

 

Thanks,

Sam 

They are copper. I have always re used them, never had a problem. If they are damaged, I wouldn't re use.

Thanks Dave!

 

That what I did,  I even bled the lines.  I just wanted to be sure.

 

Sam

I always use adremel to notch out the brake line tab on the struts.

 

If you cut out the edge that the closed side of the clip covers, you can slide the clip over and it functions just the same.

That was my plan but this was only one bolt.  So I decided against it.  If the OEM ones lasted me 188K I do not think I will be installing the new ones in the near future if at all!

 

Sam

Yep, I notch out all my struts. Dremel, sawzall, even hack saw....

 

 

Those are crush washers, so they will not seal as well when re-used (that said, they usually seal enough when re-used).

 

A neat trick I learned several years ago: hold one in a pliers, heat it with a torch until red hot and then let it cool off in the air (don't douse it). This heat cycling will return the shape to it, and it will seal much better.

That heat cycle anneals the metal, making it soft again. Work -getting squished in this case - hardens it.

See. The funny thing for me is that in most of my experience with removing brake hoses and or replacing the caliper is that 95% of the time the new copper washers leak, no matter how tight i make it.

 

I've reused the old ones dozens of times after failed attempts with new washers.

That's just my experience. I know you're supposed to replace them. But reusing the old ones are better then them leaking.

Yep, I notch out all my struts. Dremel, sawzall, even hack saw....

 

 

Those are crush washers, so they will not seal as well when re-used (that said, they usually seal enough when re-used).

 

A neat trick I learned several years ago: hold one in a pliers, heat it with a torch until red hot and then let it cool off in the air (don't douse it). This heat cycling will return the shape to it, and it will seal much better.

I know that trick but it has never worked for me.  The copper gasket for the steering pump leaked badly no matter how many times I heated it.  I replaced it with a gasket made from the gasket material and it still holds.

 

I, most likely, do not heat it enough because I do not want it to melt, but being color blind I cannot really tell what is the right color.

 

So back to the washers.  What size are they and who carries them?

 

Sam