## Fasteners

NOTE: In most applications, fasteners on vehicles may be reused providing they have not been damaged during a repair. However, in certain special applications where stretch bolts or torque prevailing nuts are used these fasteners must be replaced.

Threaded fasteners are the basic couplers holding your vehicle together. There are many different kinds, but they all fall into three basic types:

Bolts — Bolts go through holes in parts that are attached together and require a nut that is turned onto the other end. A lock-washer of some sort is usually used under the nut.

Studs — Studs are similar to bolts, except that they are threaded at both ends (they have no heads). One end is screwed into a threaded hole and a nut is turned onto the other end. Lock-washers are usually used under the nuts.

Screws — Screws are turned into drilled or threaded holes in metal or other materials.

There are a great variety of screws and bolts, but most are hex headed or slot headed for tightening. Because the fastener is the weakest link in an assembly, it is useful to know the relative strength of the fastener, determined by the size and type of material. It is also important to understand the sizes of bolts, to avoid the expense and work of re-threading stripped holes.

Fig. 1: Keep an assortment of fasteners and hardware neatly sorted in tackle boxes