Bolts in bulk? Anyone done this? What sizes?

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paulclark

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After spending the morning with a parts manual and then an hour at the store counting bolts into a bag and then paying a premium price by the each, I begin to wish I just had a big stash of bolts on hand, since I've got several cars I'm going to be assembling from basket cases.

Back when I worked as a gas pump jockey (in the days of 'check your oil too ma'am?') the station had rows of bolt boxes at the back workbench and if you needed something it was always there. I'm about ready to order up a bunch of these myself. figuring a lot of 3/8" and 7/16", and 5/16" for body panels, in assorted lengths 1" - 2"

Has anyone done this? What sizes did you find most useful for mopars?
 
A lot of the original bolts have captive washers, so nothing from a hardware store looks right.

I am sure several others here have stashes of original bolts, nuts and screws as spares. I know I do.

Most people parting a car out know to save all they can, right down to the original fasteners.
 
I buy Grade 5 bolts, washers and nuts in common sizes by bulk. I also sort out the OEM ones I have by diameter and length and keep them, too, as Alaskan TA mentioned, those captive washers are nice!!
 
Factory bolts are way better. Save them. Cracks me up when I go to a salvage yard and a stripped car has all these not yet rusted thread bolts laying in the dirt. You can tell they just came out and dropped right in the dirt.
 
I am a fastener hoarder. When I go to the junkyard, I scavenge any nut and bolt I can find. My local hardware store sells nuts and bolts by the pound, and once a year they have a 40% off sale. I load up on everything during the sale. I can't even guess how many times this nut&bolt stash has saved my bacon during a late night wrenching session.
 
Captive washers are always good. If I had a way to properly replate them, I’d use ‘em more often. I usually replace everything with grade 8, with a small diameter extra thick washer.
 
Tractor Supply is a good place to get bolts,decent price, Rural King I believe is even better.
 
Around the midwest, Mac's Hardware is best selection of bulk bolts n nuts.
 
Buying a loaded bolt bin was a good deal years ago.
Or the farm packs.
Best way to save is kegs,but who needs a couple thousand 1/4” nuts?
By the LB is probably the best way now, as mentioned finding a sale is even better.
 
But no matter how many sizes you have the one you'll need will have a different thread, fine vs course.
 
Many years ago I gathered a bunch of 2 1/2 gallon buckets. So I started one for each size. I have a 1/4,5/16,3/8,7/16 and one for lug nuts. These have proved to be invaluable over the years.
 
Unfortunately I've never been this organized. Complicated later on, (junk Dakotas, etc) is that metric ****
 
But no matter how many sizes you have the one you'll need will have a different thread, fine vs course.

Yep. To solve this, I got a handful of fully threaded bolts in each major diameter, and then cut them down as needed for an oddball application.

Unfortunately I've never been this organized. Complicated later on, (junk Dakotas, etc) is that metric ****

Getting organized is a recent, and unprecedented move for me. When in the junkyard and scavenging nuts/bolts, I don't bother with any vehicle newer than early 90's. I was furious to discover my 94 Ram 2500 was all metric. Most any American vehicle from the early 90's and prior is standard thread. I don't do metric.
 
I agree with most of the above.

Buy a parts car :) I suggest a 5th Ave.

You will get hundreds of dollars in OEM Mopar USA made bolts.

I also strip bolts from cars in U pull yards. At least all I have the patience to get.

Even 80's and 90's FWD cars have lots of correct for 60's and 70's car bolts (although the machining logo on the bolt head may not be the same) I'm using 86 Daytona bolts to hold the luggage rack on my 67 Wagon.
Lot's of places will just charge a couple dollars for a coffee can full.

I pay particular attention to oddly made bolts with non-standard lengths and shoulders.
Water pump and alternator pivot bolts are a perfect example.
I get the spacers from the alternator, too.
.....and the speed nuts from various places on the car.
Those are also different OEM than aftermarket.

I'm also amazed these are often discarded after being removed. Score for me- all the work is already done.
 
I agree with most of the above.

Buy a parts car :) I suggest a 5th Ave.

You will get hundreds of dollars in OEM Mopar USA made bolts.

Oh man, you know what happens when I do that? it becomes another car Im trying to save. DAMHIK.

The salvage yard idea is good too.

Mainly I was asking - if I go buy them, what sizes are most useful?
 
The other problem with getting a car for bolts is are they metric or SAE. The assholes that said we should go metric made car Mfgrs. go metric and now we have SAE and metric thanks to people that don't know ****. Chrysler used 10mm bolts on first 2.2 engines and found out they had head gasket problems and had to go to 11mm bolts. They actually sold a kit to help you get 11mm bolts in your engine. So we are in a no win situation as usual thanks to the Govt..
 
Years ago I would haul bins of bolts from a vendor in Ohio to the GM engine plant in North Tonawanda, NY. I'd have 200,000 bolts of various sizes used to assemble the SBC engines...
 
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