Blog
6 Types of Automotive Fasteners Everyone Needs on Hand
The best way to ensure you can work effectively in the shop is to stock up on the most commonly used types of automotive fasteners. Having these on hand lets you get any job done faster and more efficiently.
1. Bolts
Bolts are one of the most used fasteners in car manufacturing and maintenance. Having a variety of sizes available means you can easily assemble or repair some of the most common car parts, including:
- Fuel injectors
- Spark plugs
- Alternators
- Starter motors
- Cylinder heads
- Water pumps
- Exhaust manifolds
You also use bolts to attach body panels or wheels, and in the suspension system.
2. Washers
You likely use washers on a continual basis, as they help distribute the load of bolts and help prevent leaks, friction, and loosening of parts and bolts. Washers come in different sizes, materials, and shapes, depending on what you will use them for.
3. Screws and Threaded Inserts
You also use screws on a regular basis in automotive work. Some common types of automotive fasteners in the screw family are:
- Countersunk head screws
- Pan head screws
- Wood screws
- Self-tapping screws
- Cap head screws
- Coach screws
Screws don’t require nuts or washers and you can use them in a wide variety of applications. Have screws of different sizes and materials available at all times.
4. Rivets and Rivet Nuts
You can use rivets and rivet nuts to attach things to dashboards, to connect spoilers or radiators, or to connect roof racks or plastic fenders. They are essential to body work because you can use them to secure two finished surfaces. Pop rivets and blind rivets are two of the most used types in the auto industry.
You should always have a few dome head rivets, countersunk rivets, and large flange rivets on hand, just in case.
5. Clips and Pins
Push clips are great for joining panels and trim, and each has its own specific applications. There are also hose clips. Many of these parts are plastic, though some consist of metal or metal alloys.
Routing clips and some panel clips, for example, are plastic. Common metal clips and pins include body trim panel clips, cotter pins and screw retaining clips.
E-clips, also known as e-rings, hold parts on a shaft or bore. They fit into the groove of the shave and help prevent loosening parts.
C-clips are similar, but you can't simply snap them into place like you can with e-clips. They have to fit inside the shaft or bore and then you fasten them using screws.
6. Clamps
Clamps are types of automotive fasteners used to hold tubes and hoses attached to the engine. You can use either plastic or metal clamps. Clamps are versatile and easy to use in many applications.
Ordering Quality Fasteners
You should always have a variety of automotive fasteners on hand in the shop, and the better quality of products you order, the more confidence you and your clients will have in your work. Look at our collection of quality automotive fasteners here.
Sources:
- https://knowhow.napaonline.com/common-auto-fasteners-guide/
- https://itafasteners.com/fasteners-for-automobiles-a-comprehensive-study.php
- https://knowhow.napaonline.com/common-auto-fasteners-guide/
- https://henrysautowarehouse.com/automotive-rivets-explained/
- https://www.autozone.com/tools-and-equipment/screws-pins-and-clips
- https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice/circlips-guide#
- https://www.rapiddirect.com/blog/types-of-automotive-fasteners/
- https://rogofastener.com/page/search.html?Search=fasteners
- https://www.trade.gov/selectusa-automotive-industry
- https://rogofastener.com/product-category/washers.html
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/tires