Can you use a metric socket on a sae bolt? socket set questions.

[Egon]

There are adjustable spanners or even pipe wrenches that will work in a pinch if space allows.

Having both metric and sae Impact quality socket sets is preferable. They need not be expensive. As the most used sizes are noted good quality in those sizes can be acquired in regular sockets.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I rarely buy expensive tools. The main brands are just too expensive. I don't mechanic full time so why spend the money? Earlier in my mechanic's business I needed a set of deep impact sockets. Snap-on and Mac were in the $350 area. NAPA was around the $80 for the same sizes. Same warranty for all sets. Not a hard choice!

A purist will argue that the more expensive sockets are thinner and made out of better metal. That maybe true but I'm not a purist. If an impact socket needs to have the outside ground down to fit it happens.

On a metric set I use 10 a lot. 11 rarely. 12 if I work on a VW. 13 is common. 14 is rare. 15 is common on a Cummins motor. 16 again is rare. 17 gets used more often. 18 and 19 lots.

 

[EddieWalker]

If it fits snugly, use it. The bolt or nut doesn't care. If there is slack, go find the right size because you could round it off and then it's a lot harder to remove it.

My equipment is all pretty old, so just because one sized socket fits almost every bolt that I'm taking off, odds are good that one will have just a little wear on it that I need to go up a size to get a socket on it. Instead of sticking with just metric, or SAE, I try both to get the best fit. Sometimes I will go down a size and beat it on with a hammer, and sometimes I will file the edge of the bolt to get something to fit it. Of course, I also grind off the sides of sockets to get them to fit too.

 

[goeduck]

. Once you get to the larger sizes I find there are less issues with making a mess of a bolt. Especially if you use a 6 point socket.

I try to use my 6 point sockets as much as possible.

Using metric sockets on SAE bolts is like grabbing a chocolate, you never know what you will get.

 

[ning]

Talk about penny-wise & pound-foolish!

A set of wrenches and sockets is mice nuts compared to even the cost of one implement - if necessary just go to the auto parts store and buy the one or two sockets you need for that implement and buy more of the set later (this is definitely more expensive in the long run than buying a set, but for today you can fix your implement for $5).

Use metric on SAE and you'll likely strip the nut or bolt head. There are some sizes which are close, but no, 13mm is not an acceptable size to use on a 1/2"; 13mm is 0.512", and is 2.4% larger than 1/2". It may work for a while, but every time you use it you're going to be rounding the bolt off and at some point you'll be grabbing vice-grips - if they can reach.

Just buy an SAE socket set, or at least the one SAE socket. You won't be sorry.

 

[bcp]

It may just be related to what I've had to work on, but it seems to me foreign-made metric is usually even number bolt head sizes and US-made metric is usually odd numbers.

Bruce

 

[TMGT]

It may just be related to what I've had to work on, but it seems to me foreign-made metric is usually even number bolt head sizes and US-made metric is usually odd numbers.

Bruce

Agreed, I can do most things on a Honda, Toyota etc. with 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19. US cars are typically 5.5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16 18, 19

 

[CincyFlyer]

It may just be related to what I've had to work on, but it seems to me foreign-made metric is usually even number bolt head sizes and US-made metric is usually odd numbers.

Bruce

We sold Fiat automobiles (back in the seventies, not the new things), Honda cars, and the Big Four Japanese motorcycles: Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, along with various mopeds. You got to use all of those sockets, at least the ones under 20mm, plus a 5mm Allen wrench, every day! Many of the MC brand fasteners had 11mm and 13mm heads. 22mm was the largest you'd see day-to-day, though I had (and still have) a 30mm socket for some car axle nuts.

 

[LD1]

Agreed, I can do most things on a Honda, Toyota etc. with 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19. US cars are typically 5.5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16 18, 19

Talk about penny-wise & pound-foolish!

A set of wrenches and sockets is mice nuts compared to even the cost of one implement - if necessary just go to the auto parts store and buy the one or two sockets you need for that implement and buy more of the set later (this is definitely more expensive in the long run than buying a set, but for today you can fix your implement for $5).

Use metric on SAE and you'll likely strip the nut or bolt head. There are some sizes which are close, but no, 13mm is not an acceptable size to use on a 1/2"; 13mm is 0.512", and is 2.4% larger than 1/2". It may work for a while, but every time you use it you're going to be rounding the bolt off and at some point you'll be grabbing vice-grips - if they can reach.

Just buy an SAE socket set, or at least the one SAE socket. You won't be sorry.

1/2 and 13 mm is the widest stretch of any listed.

Heck, there are even alot of universal lug wrenches that are dual labeled.

24mm is 0.007" bigger than 15/16. (That's two human hairs)

22mm is 0.009" smaller than 7/8. (So it actually fits better on the saw fastener)

19mm is less than 0.002" smaller than 3/4. (Now we really have to split hairs to tell a difference....literally)

16 mm is .005" bigger than 5/8

14mm is about ten thousandths smaller than 9/16, so it actually fits a 3/8 bolt alot better. And I have yet to find a 3/8 bolt or nut it wouldn't fit

11 mm is about 4-1/2 thousandths different than 7/16

And 8mm about 2-1/2 thou different than 5/16.

It's absolutely foolish to thin that if you don't use a metric wrenches on a metric fastener you are going to round off the bolt.

Have you ever even measured your wrenches? Or a hand full of fasteners? The tolerances are alot bigger than the few strands or less of hair we are talking about?

Seriously, if you have a metric fastener that calls for a 19mm and you use a 3/4 and it rounds off....trust me, the 19mm would have done the same thing.

I have many sets of both metric and sae. I know which ones I can interchange, which ones I can get a tighter fit with on a questionable fastener even if it's not the "right" one, and which ones I can downsize to and pound on if a fastener is already rusted or mutilated.

Reminds me of the people that are Soo proud of their snapon tools, and brag about them constantly and that they will never use anything but. Well, good for you mr snapon mechanic, your arrogance is humorous. Watch me do the same job, just as well, with a box full of tools that cost less than ONE of your wrenches.

 

[CalG]

1/2 and 13 mm is the widest stretch of any listed.

Heck, there are even alot of universal lug wrenches that are dual labeled.

24mm is 0.007" bigger than 15/16. (That's two human hairs)

22mm is 0.009" smaller than 7/8. (So it actually fits better on the saw fastener)

19mm is less than 0.002" smaller than 3/4. (Now we really have to split hairs to tell a difference....literally)

16 mm is .005" bigger than 5/8

14mm is about ten thousandths smaller than 9/16, so it actually fits a 3/8 bolt alot better. And I have yet to find a 3/8 bolt or nut it wouldn't fit

11 mm is about 4-1/2 thousandths different than 7/16

And 8mm about 2-1/2 thou different than 5/16.

It's absolutely foolish to thin that if you don't use a metric wrenches on a metric fastener you are going to round off the bolt.

Have you ever even measured your wrenches? Or a hand full of fasteners? The tolerances are alot bigger than the few strands or less of hair we are talking about?

Seriously, if you have a metric fastener that calls for a 19mm and you use a 3/4 and it rounds off....trust me, the 19mm would have done the same thing.

I have many sets of both metric and sae. I know which ones I can interchange, which ones I can get a tighter fit with on a questionable fastener even if it's not the "right" one, and which ones I can downsize to and pound on if a fastener is already rusted or mutilated.

If only bolt heads and nuts were produced to such precision and tolerance. Combine corrosion, and those tight fits can go up in smoke right before your spinning breaker bar.

With that, anymore, for the tuff jobs, my go to wrench is the "smoke wrench"!