Next time use a long wire tie through the center of the nut and feed the wire tie up through the hole in the fender and pull the nut into place install plastic clip and yer done.

"is secured under the fender with a plastic c-clamp."
C clamp goes on top of the fender...

 

...yup. right now, if your nut is backwards, the only thing holding it onto the bike is the c-clamp. Ow.

That zip tie trick works amazingly well. You thread the zip tie through the nut and then fish the zip tie through the hole in the fender. When the nut is locked in position with the c-clamp on it you thread the tie back through the hole in the nut- which of course is now in the fender - and it's no fuss, no muss.

 

Nice racks I have one on my 2003.

 

like this , but get the matt black one, looks a lot better