nuts and bolts and washers, oh my

[trconway]

So a question for all ye gathered here, if you were going to put together a supply of nuts, bolts, washers, etc. to keep on hand, so that not every repair required a call to Pelican of trip to the hardware store, what would it be?

Let's not go crazy, we know we can't keep everything we might need, but a list of items generally used, if such a list exists, what would it be?

Thanks.

Tom

[tonythetarga]

I'd start will valve cover (crush) washers and nuts and depending if your car has Carrera tensioners, the crush washers for the oil fed tensioners. All of these are critical to stopping possible leaks if they are disturbed from initial install.

[LakeCleElum]

I keep 21 old Japanese motorcycles around....Can usually find what I need somewhere in that mess......

[SoCal70RSR]

I'm not sure if you have these types of stores in your area but it's worth looking into.

This store sells hardware, bolts, nuts, washers, etc by the pound! You can mix and match in one bag and be out the door for a few bucks then separate at home. Or take a container, weigh the empty container and fill it with hardware and pay for the difference in weight.

http://www.ksurplus.com/

And this place is excellent as well.

http://www.marshallshardware.com/

They had about 95% of evertyhing I ever needed. Check to see if you have these types of stores where you live.

[Evans, Marv]

I would just buy the nuts, bolts, washers, etc. I needed as a project progressed, since they are readily accessable from plenty of sources. Since you can't predict what projects you will have in the future with much accuracy, you can't predict what assortment of fasteners you'll need. So you'll have a bunch of stuff left over you'll never find a project to match.

[javadog]

I bought a few assortments from Pelican. Click on "Accessories" at the top of the page, then click on garage gadgets. It's a little money up front but cheaper in the long run than buying a few items at a time.

JR

[yelcab1]

I have collected so many nuts bolts washers screws tappets valve shims studs zip ties electrical connectors pins orings C clips over the years and have sorted them out into 12 compartmentaiized containers that I can do a project without ever needing to buy another screw ever.

[billybek]

I have seen packages of fasteners for sale on eBay from one of the auto dismantlers that sells their parts online. I don't know what you would end up getting, but it might be worth looking into..

[Mitch Leland]

I just finished a clutch job and while I'm there projects to my engine. I went back with all Stainless Steel hardware. Most of it is 6mm and 8mm bolts and nylox stop nuts. I think it has a nice look and certainly will wear well. Albeit it cost more than your cad plated hardware. S.S. doesn't have the tensile strength of grade 5 or better hardware, but for most of the accessory applications that isn't a problem.

[yelcab1]

For your porsche, I recommend an asortment of:

6 mm bolts, 15mm long to 25mm long, 10mm hex top, for engine sheet metals and others
8 mm bolts, 20mm long to 40mm long, 13mm hex top, for most other attachments
8 mm bolts, allen heads, 50mm to 60mm long, for CV joints, pressure plate, and strap
10mm bolts, 12mm bolts
4mm sheet metal screws for fender and stuff
The special 8mm hollow nut for the tensioner line (either 12mm head or 13mm head) There will be that one time when you snap one and have to wait for express delivery (I did).

6mm nuts, nylon inserts
8mm nuts, nylone inserts and non nylon insert
8mm nuts, 13mm hex heads, bronze exhaust nuts
10mm nuts
12mm nuts
10mm barrel nuts for your head studs (always have a handful on hands) and the special hardened washers

Washers of variouus sizes, flat, lock, wave

You want to have some orings (return lines etc), some sheet metal stuff, some zip ties

The bad news is there are no kits for this. Any kits you find will just cover 40% of this stuff. Unless, wayne wants to put a kit together, but then its prices will be high.

[RWebb]

most can be had from a local hardware store

I would keep some washers and cap screws for the CV joints handy - you may find one partly stripped and the washers really ought to be replaced each time (not that I have always done so...)

The cap screw is a special high strength item and the lock washers are similarly rare if not more so.

[Grady Clay]

Here in Denver we have:

AAA Metric Supply
60 Lipan St.
Denver, CO 80223
303-892-9000

They have almost everything.

There are also dozens (hundreds?) of local suppliers of more general metric
hardware and such.

For more special (Porsche part number) hardware try the many good independent
shops and we have two good local Porsche Dealers. Overnight from Pelican works.

If you have a local Porsche recycler, work a deal with them to totally dismantle
a 911 similar to yours. They get your labor and you get every nut, bolt and
washer. I have several hundred pounds of original hardware from salvage over
the years.

Hardware ‘kits’ are useful. Best are standard metal ‘bins’ with various assortments.
Look on FleaBay. Those will usually have junk for hardware but the boxes
are very useful.

Example:





I have about 50 of these boxes left over from Rennenhaus. You can see this
is a combination of Porsche part numbers and commercial hardware. Many
shops have similar collections.

It is worth your time to explore every possible local source; industrial, Porsche,
other German & Japanese, junk yards and more. Knowing where you might
find something you need is invaluable. Most good shops have an extensive
collection because no one wants a project to stop for want of some piece
of hardware.

Just like you.

Best,
Grady

PS; NO, I don’t sell any hardware so please don’t ask.

[tijnes]

I bought the Wurth Metric starter kit and added nylok nuts in 6,8,10mm. More than enough to do a couple restoration projects. The bins are great but $$$

http://www.wurthusa.com/project/en/leftnavi/catalog/product.php?path=01.3030.jpg

Martijn

[Dantilla]

I've had a few parts cars. After all the big items are stripped, I have gone around the car removing every nut, bolt, washer, screw, yada yada before getting rid of the hulk.

I've got several little bins of Porsche fasteners.

It's pretty amazing how light a 911 tub is- When removing the rear bumper shock bolts before scrapping an '87 tub, the entire tub lifted off of the rear jackstands when using a 3/8 ratchet wrench.

[Ron.G]

Anyone know where to find yellow zink fasteners?
I've looked every where but found nothing so far.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

I have collected so many nuts bolts washers screws tappets valve shims studs zip ties electrical connectors pins orings C clips over the years and have sorted them out into 12 compartmentaiized containers that I can do a project without ever needing to buy another screw ever.

Me too, and I always buy more than I need for any job thinking of the next one.

The thing is, there are not that many sizes of bolts, it's all the different lengths. One too long is always better than one too short. You can cut it down if need be and chamfer the threaded end. When it comes to nuts, well you don't need a huge assortment. But do get some spring washers and flat washers. Porsches don't use very many split type lock washers. Mostly spring and some Schnorr types. Lots of flat washers, especially against any soft metal. It's pretty common to see washers doubled up with one lock and one flat. In the smaller bolt sizes and especially electrical connections, tooth type lock washers are seen often.

[Mitch Leland]

Ron,

I think it's hard to get all the hardware finish to match. If you're really concern you can have a plater either run your hardware in Zinc or Cad Type II (yellow). If you have structural bolts such as shock hanger bolts I would ask the plater to "bake" those parts.

I've started to put a clear spray on my cad, it dulls the color some, but hopefully it will hold up better.

[RWebb]

"Porsches don't use very many split type lock washers. Mostly spring.."

- I think Zeke means the "wavy" type spring washers here -- the ones that are not cut anywhere, with a circular wave going all the way around.