How not to lose nuts and bolts

Sadlsor

Sadlsor

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Joined
Jan 15, 2020
Messages
4,291
Age
67
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
Bike
2008 ST1300A
STOC #
9065
I've seen some creative ideas on how to keep up with all the fasteners we remove whilst working on our bikes. At least for the multiple body and trim panels, that must be removed to access whatever we're going to work on.
Cardboard templates, baggies with labels, egg crates... and I've used most of these ideas from time to time.
Generally speaking, I simply put the fasteners back in the hole they came out of, for the body panels, and for wherever this will work. Some brake chores, as an example. Or when I remove a wheel, all the spacers / washers go back on the axle in the order they go back on, and the axle goes back in the swingarm or the forks until the wheel is replaced.
Besides keeping all the bits so I won't lose them in the garage, it also serves as a reminder to me when a piece doesn't fit back on, that I've neglected to retrieve all the required fasteners.
Yeah, it won't apply to *all* maintenance chores, but as an example when I removed the rear fender:
edited ST1300 Rear Fender Bolts.jpg
 
When I first worked on my ST, I put the fasteners back into the panel they retained and held them in place with blue painter's tape. Now I just drop them into a ziplock bag and bluetape that to the inside of the panel.
Cool idea to replace them into the location.
 
For side panels i made a cardboard template with a rough diagram and made hole with an awl to put screws in, thanks to a suggestion by member on ST site.. I will also group bolts on the workbench in the order they came out. Most of these jobs might happen months apart. Also any mods that require replacement fastners, the originals go in a sandwich bag with a note. Experiance has taught me that which seems so clear today fades rapidly as time goes by.
 
Jambriwal said:
Also any mods that require replacement fastners, the originals go in a sandwich bag with a note. Experiance has taught me that which seems so clear today fades rapidly as time goes by.
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My experience mirrors yours. This comes in handy IF I sell a bike, and want to remove farkles / accessories to sell separately.
 
I use one of the parts boxes with lots of individual tubs.
Start with first bolts fixings off put in top left tub. Move onto next tub as you move to the next section of the work.
If any doubt about where a tub comes from add a small piece of paper with a note to tub.
Rebuild is reverse starting at last tub and working backwards. Golden rule is no moving on till the tub is empty.
 
I have a shop manual, which has lots of diagrams, I took lots of close up photos every time I started a new to me repair or maintenance job and I kept them in a special folder on my laptop for future reference as required. I also have a bunch of zip lock bags I've labeled with a Sharpie and reuse.

At this point, I've had the ST for almost 18 years so it's all pretty routine, but I still use the zip lock bags as it's just more convenient than sorting through a mess of fasteners.
 
I find putting everything back in its respective hole and then removing them to install the part time consuming. I now take lots of pictures with my phone and throw the fasteners in baggies.
 
I have an 1100, and I used to baggie my screws and wire the bag to the piece, I also would put the fastener back in the hole from whence it came. I now utilize a plastic divider box and label each section. When I have a large order from partzilla or my dealer I would also order a few extra fasteners and clips to have on hand in the event one goes astray. I've also collected used ones from people who are selling parts and have extra hardware. I keep them in the appropriate section for future use. The number of times I've lost an underbelly screw has been painful, that's why I collect spares.
Clips can easily disappear too,
I kept the box from my 97 and got a new one for my 2002
 

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I use to do that until I once took the bike for a test ride sans plastic and forgot I had all those screws/clips loosely screwed onto the bike. Now I use labeled Ziploc baggies.
 
I used to use bottom half of a 1 1/2 dozen egg carton with cups marked w Sharpie for each panel. I got some plastic part packing trays, kind of like muffin pans, from a factory that I worked at. Cups are bigger!
 
I have a couple of very nice magnetic parts trays. Even the bases are magnetic and stick to the frame when uncovered. The plastic bits don't stick but they stay in the trays just fne.
 
Obo said:
Sadlsor, just drop em where they fall and sort thru the dirt to find something that fits when you need it. Force it if it doesn't and ZIp ties when you can't find one. :rofl1:
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Forget the grubbing around in the dirt. You might as well use a nail gun w/ framing nails. If you are worried something might come loose, get a powder actuated fastening gun (Hilti makes a good one). :rofl1:
 
and if all else fails self drilling sheet metal screws work pretty good
 
Andrew Shadow said:
Another member of this site was attempting to make an equivalent TupperWare worksheet for the ST1100. He had a few snags and never reported back whether or not he completed it. Maybe hitting him up with a query might be fruitful.
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I've wondered about this from time to time.

Use most of the above methods, pretty much no baggies though. Plastic trays (fishing tackle trays) instead.
 
More from the Muffin Man using the Muffin Pan. Keeps the fasteners in the proper order front to rear left to right. Just do not knock over your Muffin Pan. It will upset the Muffin Man. and don't take your Muffin WoMan Kitchen Muffin Pan. They don't appreciate it. DAMHIK. :biggrin: :rofl1:

Boy, It is going to be a Long Winter

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