Where to buy hard to find fasteners for Toyotas?

Where is everyone finding some of the more obscure body fasteners for our trucks? I am searching for grille clips, door panel fasteners and a few electrical fasteners that I just can't locate.

I am specifically after the grille fasteners at the moment. The local auto part stores typically can't get these and they usually recommend going to the dealership... but that is a looong drive for me just for a handful of small parts that they will more than likely have to order.

To make things worse, websites usually just have a tiny, low resolution images of the fastener you want to buy so you really don't know what you are going to get until it shows up on your doorstep. I HATE buying auto parts online, but I will chance it if someone has a solid recommendation.

Any ideas?

 

I ended up grabbing some of those at the dealer but they are about $2 each. Call the dealer and order them online with the part #.

 

I've always had surprisingly good luck finding stuff at ace hardware; or at least suitable alternatives. But best bet would still be dealership or online.

 

when you say grill clips do you mean the black plastic "wedges" that you have to depress the center tab to get the grill off?

 

the ebay ones from china can do, but some are thinner while some are thicker than OEM clips. And sometimes in the bunch you get, all of them are of different thickness, none is identical to each other

 

I bought these off of E Bay the first time I took my grill off and half the clips broke! I'll see if I can find a link.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/152161769775

 

if you were close I would get you some, I have a friend who works in the service department at a Toyota dealership and always gets me various clips and fasteners when I am in need. Ebay does seem to be a good source when shopping from home though.

 

The first time I did a grille (replacing the stupid burned bulb in OEM sealed headlight) I broke some, so I went to dealer and got the whole stock of 5 (all they had)

$16 90467-12040 Tacoma, RAV4, 4Runner, Grille Clips OEM, Set of 10

90467-12040 for about 2 bucks each. Later I found on ebay and other on-line places for half of that price. Got a bag of 10.

China fasteners are not as good for the the reasons stated above and also for the plastic often not as durable as OEM ones. After I replaced these stupid sealed headlights with E-coded H4 reflectors I don't need to take out grille so often, so my OEM bag of these clips is still half full (or half empty for pessimists).

 

Yes, these things. I finally figured out the "trick" to them after I had broken half of them already, then they eventually just began breaking because they were so dried out.

 

I have had some luck at hardware stores. Mainly with trim fasteners. It's the more unique fasteners that I can't seem to find.

 

Thanks! I may have to set up an account on EBay or Amazon. I really do hate buying stuff online, but that is probably the best bet for this sort of thing. As others have mentioned Chinese replacements... I am okay with these as long as they hold tightly. I can't stand the rattles and squeaks that result from loose or old fasteners, that is mainly what I am trying to avoid.

 

Before anyone else destroys all their grille fasteners...

The trick to removing them is to take a long, skinny flat screwdriver and press the tab down towards the hole in the grille attachment points while applying light pressure away from the front end of the truck.

The trick to reattaching them is to fasten them to the grille FIRST, then carefully align them and snap the grille back into position.

I wish I had known this when I removed them for the first time

As far as the door panel clips... You might as well just buy new ones and have them on hand before you remove the panel because they are going to break and distort regardless of how careful you are with them or which special tool you use to remove them.

Plastic fasteners are the worst.

 

You might find something here: http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Toyota_Lexus_Clips_And_Fasteners_s/13.htm

 

I have looked here and this is an excellent site. I struggle to navigate it though, unless I have a specific part number which leads me to ask...

Where do you guys find part numbers for everything? Is there a website with the parts break-downs that would help with this? My Chilton and Haynes manuals obviously do not include these numbers since they are not affiliated with Toyota.

 

Ace, Amazon, or zip ties.



Who am I fooling it's zip ties or leave the part off

 

Village Toyota parts (and probably others) have the Toyota parts diagrams. Partsouq does as well but they have everything from the global market, not sure if they have the Tacoma, they're in UAE

ETA they do, you can get your model number from the door or under hood tag:
https://partsouq.com/en/catalog/genuine/pick?c=Toyota&model=TACOMA&ssd=$Wl05AAUF$

 

There are two things that make me pissed about car mod/repair: zip ties on anything but cables and wire splice connectors in anywhere but trash can.

 

Zip strips hold my world together sometimes.

 

Mine are stupid plastic clips the OEM uses that break the second you touch them, and torx fasteners. Lucky I have only found 3 of the later on my truck, owning a Jeep in the past has made me hate those fasteners!

 

Amazon has them too.

$12 OxGord Grill Clip Retainers (Pack of 20) Best for Select Toyota Truck & SUVs - 90467-12040 OEM Replacement Nylon Interior Trim Panel Grille Fastener Clips - Black

https://www.amazon.com/Grille-Retai...8&qid=1502905783&sr=1-1&keywords=grille+clips