Oil change crush washer?

I'm getting ready to change my oil, & there's 1 little thing holding me back: the Haynes manual says that the drain plug washer should be renewed when the oil is changed. Can anyone tell me what size crush washer I'll need for a '96 Trident?

Thanks,
-Kit

[ezride]

It's not what the manual would recommend, but I normally use them a couple of times. The washers are not that soft, and seem to put up with it ok. Never had one leak.

[Hinckley]

IIRC it was an 18mm washer.....

I think I read it in the Mod and shop forum. You may want to do a search there......

[j98sprint]

You can re-use it a couple of times. I almost hate to say it but I've never changed the crush washer.....or that big o-ring down there.

I know you're supposed to but at first I didn't know they had to be changed all the time, then I just got lazy, now I want to see how long they'll last.

Easily amused,

j98sprint

[pendraig]

I usually renew mine but not always. I used to be able to find a fibre washer that was just the right size in the metric bin at the local True Value, but the closed and noone else seems to carry that size.
The dealer used to supply copper washers, now they are aluminium. Sometimes they're out of 'em. When I can't find a new one, I re-use the last one. I heat them up with a propane torch, then let them cool. A machinist friend of mine told me that this is the thing to do as it anneals the metal (makes it softer, less dense, more pliable) so that it can "squish" once more when you tighten the plug down on it. Heat them in a dimly lit room just til you see them start to glow red. Then stop heating them pronto, because if you reach the metal's flowpoint, you will have nothing but a molten blob.
mohttp://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/ltg/plane_japan.php

Thanks, guys. I knew about the annealing trick from the Kawi forums, but I'd rather go new since I'm not sure if either of the POs replaced the washer. J98- nice to know it's probably not that big a deal.

Hinckley: Major thanks for pointing me to the mod & shop forum! Just bought a pair of ZX-11 levers off eBay & I have 4 Buell turn signals on order from the local Hardly Rideable dealer.

Cheers,
-Kit

[Gromit3528]

Just a note about annealing
To soften copper you should heat to a cherry red and quench instantly in clean water. Allowing it to cool slowly doesn't do the job. The reverse is true when annealing steel. I just thought you ought to know!

Regards

[trypcil]

Those washers last for ever, well relatively. If the surfaces are clean and the Bolt is torque'd properly oil will not leak - that is the bottom line. Annealing cannot hurt and do it if you so choose - but apart from that a good auto parts store will have copper washers that will work, just take the existing washer in and ask - a hydraulics shop may also have them - don't let not having a new one stop you from riding. :-D