I asked for some hardware organizing bins to accompany my tool collection. What are the most common size of bolts/nuts/washers for automotive use and what else should I start to store in these bins?

My overall goal is to keep some bolts on hand so I won't have to make so many frequent trips to the hardware store.

Thanks guys!

 

it really doesnt matter what you keep, it always seems that the first thing you need for a job is never there

as far as bolts, 3/8-16 is the most common bolt on the engine for accessories, intake, exhaust. then 5/16-18 and 1/4-20.
I like using grd8 hardware, as well as grd8 washers, USS and SAE, im a fan of SAE washers, they are a little smaller in diameter than USS, so for some things they work/look better, i usually keep a variety of them in stock. Any screws that i remove from the car get replaced with ss, #8x3/4 will replace just about every screw inside the car.

suspension bolts are metric and odd lengths, not usually work stocking up on.

I dont know what kind of work you do, so im sure there are some more specialty things that you may want to keep.

pipe fitings, pipe plugs, brackets, spark plug boots, just give it time, it will probably start to look like mine, ive got just about any oddball of the wall part/bolt/thing you could imagine off one of these cars.

 

I agree with 86TA wholeheartedly. Also the nuts for those sizes, just plain ones, or maybe flange ones.

I'd put some hose clamps in that kit, an assortment of sizes. Some sheet metal screws with the hex head perhaps, M6 I believe is the common size under the hood. bulbs -> whatever the taillight/corner lights are. Dash bulbs as well maybe.
do much wiring? an assortment of heat shrink and some solder.
dedicate a row to adhesives. jb weld, epoxy, super glue, loctite blue, red... duct and electrical tape.... hot glue sticks.

oh! Those metal clips that are used to put a sheet metal screw through. You use them right above the air dam, not sure what they're called. And the christmas tree push in..screws (for lack of a better term).

zerk fittings.. 1/4" fine I think is most common on these cars...

A few tubes of lubricants... copper anti-seize, teflon thread sealant, moly bolt lube, lubriplate aero, chassis grease, silicone lubricant, etc.

Just thinking out loud now...

 

and the most important thing, a pencil, a sharpy marker, and a piece of chalk. They come in handy and i always loose them

 

I was already planning on getting hose clamps and writing utensils. Didn't even think of sheetmetal screws and zerk fittings (although my suspension components are going to be new with poly/rod ends that already have zerk fitting).

 

Yea, but you never know when your buddy is helping you jack up the front end and snaps the zerk off the bottom of your balljoint or something. Or on a friends car, or.... They're $0.30 each or so, grab a handful. Maybe a handful of cotter pins too, throw them in one bin. It only takes one time for you to drop/lose one, and you have the front end completely apart so you have to walk to the parts store to get a $0.20 part, then from then on you keep a stash

a stash of washers, lock washers, star washers, etc etc.

I'll think of more Stand in front of the bins at the hardware aisle of the autoparts store and think long and hard if you will EVER need that part. You'll need it when you least expect it.