Nuts and bolts. SAE, Metric, or both
I been wrenching on vehicles all my life. It use to be only SAE, then it became a mix of SAE and Metric. I thought they we're going to phase out SAE and go all metric at some point, but it seems like ...
Forum Discussion
mike-s wrote:OK my numbers were off a bit.time2roll wrote:The standard ISO/ANSI sequence is
What bugs me is the imports long used 10, 12, 14, 17mm wrenches and the US factories went metric with 9, 11, 13, 15, 19 mm. Seems like a conspiracy of the tool makers. So it is like we need three sets now.
7, 8, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 24, 30
DIN (Germany) is
7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 17, 19, 22, 24, 27, 30
JIS (Japan) is
7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 22
So, much depends on what you're working on, even the age. Old VWs commonly used 10, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21. Newer ones started using 16 and 18. I had never used a 12 until my wife got a Toyota.
Still if you want a full set you have to buy every number from 6mm to 30mm just in case. And a few will never be used and just take up space. Wrenches(long and short), deep/short sockets, 6pt/12pt, crow feet.... tool for every possibility is exponential.
And if the set is truly metric why are all the ratchets and extensions 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 (etc) inch drive. I am so happy I am long out of the business of turning wrenches.
