iiibdsiil
02-13-2006, 05:46 PM
Okay, so let's get some sort of a list going here of what sockets you can substitute for others. This may help someone trying to figure out if the speciality sockets or wrenches they want to buy should be in say metric so they only have to buy one set. For instance, ratcheting wrenches and swivel sockets.
I think most American cars started switching to metric in like 96 ish. My 96 Impala, half the stuff is metric and half the stuff is standard, and I just about ALWAYS use metric sockets on EVERYTHING. Of course, for like an old 'Cuda or something, you would want the speciality sockets and wrenches in standard.
Also, a box end wrench and sockets seem to not cause any problems when you are doing this, although, the open end on occasion seem to be too sloppy for my comfort.
So...
5/16 inch = 0.3125 inch = 7.9375 millimeter, so 5/16" would work for metric, and it most circumstances I believe the metric would work for the 5/16"
3/8 inch = .375 inch = 9.525 millimeter, so 10 mm works for both. With a quality 6 point socket for sure at least.
7/16 inch = 0.4375 inch = 11.1125 millimeter, so 7/16 definitely will work for 11 mm. I can't comment on this because I couldn't tell you what the head of the bolt/nut is SUPPOSED to be so I can't say 11 mm will work, but I don't think I've ever touched my 7/16. I may be wrong though.
1/2 inch = 0.5 inch = 12.7 millimeter, so 13 mm works for 1/2".
9/16 inch = 0.5625 inch = 14.2875 millimeter, so 9/16 works for 14 mm.
5/8 inch = 0.625 inch = 15.875 millimeter, so 16 mm works for 5/8". I believe many impact socket kits that include both standard and metric have only one socket for these two.
11/16 inch = 0.6875 inch = 17.4625 millimeter, so 11/16 would probably work fine for 17 mm if you were in a bind in where you didn't have another 17 mm socket. I think this is one of the circumstances where the open end wrench is too big for comfort.
3/4 inch = 0.75 inch = 19.05 millimeter, definitely a just fine and dandy substitute as I know most impact socket kits that include both metric and standard only label it as a 3/4/19 mm.
13/16 inch = 0.8125 inch = 20.6375 millimeter, so you could most likely use a 21 mm as a substitute.
7/8 inch = 0.875 inch = 22.225 millimeter, so a 22 mm would work for 7/8".
15/16 inch = 0.9375 inch = 23.8125 millimeter. 24 mm will work for 15/16" as I have done it many times before.
1" = 1 inch = 25.4 millimeter, again, that's going to be personal judgement on your part if that .4 mm is too much slack for you to be comfortable with.
Now, I'm probably going to get flamed for this post, as you should use the proper tools on the job. But, me personally, I don't worry about it on most of the ones I stated where metric should work for standard. If the bolt is super tight, I typically grab the correct socket, but I seldom have a problem with the heads on the bolts rounding even in the least. The bigger point here is that IF you are in a bind, here's a list of commonly used sizes that you can substitute back in forth. That bind may be you only have one 14 mm deep socket, and you need another at the same time, so you can save yourself buying a second socket at that inopertune time that you will probably never use again. For me, it's just out of sheer laziness. When I am under a car, whether on a lift or on jack stands, if I have the metric socket next to me, I'm going to use it so I don't have to waste time getting the right one. Great attitude, I know :)
I started out buying my upper level brand tools (above Craftsman) in metric. I was working on German cars at the time, so I didn't need standard sizes. When I worked on American cars, I seldom didn't have the complete set of sizes I needed. Honestly, it works fine most of the time, but every case needs to be judged on an individual basis on what you consider "tight enough". At the very least, you are pretty close, and it's not like you are trying to shove an allen socket into a torx head. I have a couple friends that's tool collections don't include Torx, and that is a very common thing they do.
Hope this helps someone out, and I am interested in hearing other peoples opinions on what works for what, or something you have had a problem with.
I think most American cars started switching to metric in like 96 ish. My 96 Impala, half the stuff is metric and half the stuff is standard, and I just about ALWAYS use metric sockets on EVERYTHING. Of course, for like an old 'Cuda or something, you would want the speciality sockets and wrenches in standard.
Also, a box end wrench and sockets seem to not cause any problems when you are doing this, although, the open end on occasion seem to be too sloppy for my comfort.
So...
5/16 inch = 0.3125 inch = 7.9375 millimeter, so 5/16" would work for metric, and it most circumstances I believe the metric would work for the 5/16"
3/8 inch = .375 inch = 9.525 millimeter, so 10 mm works for both. With a quality 6 point socket for sure at least.
7/16 inch = 0.4375 inch = 11.1125 millimeter, so 7/16 definitely will work for 11 mm. I can't comment on this because I couldn't tell you what the head of the bolt/nut is SUPPOSED to be so I can't say 11 mm will work, but I don't think I've ever touched my 7/16. I may be wrong though.
1/2 inch = 0.5 inch = 12.7 millimeter, so 13 mm works for 1/2".
9/16 inch = 0.5625 inch = 14.2875 millimeter, so 9/16 works for 14 mm.
5/8 inch = 0.625 inch = 15.875 millimeter, so 16 mm works for 5/8". I believe many impact socket kits that include both standard and metric have only one socket for these two.
11/16 inch = 0.6875 inch = 17.4625 millimeter, so 11/16 would probably work fine for 17 mm if you were in a bind in where you didn't have another 17 mm socket. I think this is one of the circumstances where the open end wrench is too big for comfort.
3/4 inch = 0.75 inch = 19.05 millimeter, definitely a just fine and dandy substitute as I know most impact socket kits that include both metric and standard only label it as a 3/4/19 mm.
13/16 inch = 0.8125 inch = 20.6375 millimeter, so you could most likely use a 21 mm as a substitute.
7/8 inch = 0.875 inch = 22.225 millimeter, so a 22 mm would work for 7/8".
15/16 inch = 0.9375 inch = 23.8125 millimeter. 24 mm will work for 15/16" as I have done it many times before.
1" = 1 inch = 25.4 millimeter, again, that's going to be personal judgement on your part if that .4 mm is too much slack for you to be comfortable with.
Now, I'm probably going to get flamed for this post, as you should use the proper tools on the job. But, me personally, I don't worry about it on most of the ones I stated where metric should work for standard. If the bolt is super tight, I typically grab the correct socket, but I seldom have a problem with the heads on the bolts rounding even in the least. The bigger point here is that IF you are in a bind, here's a list of commonly used sizes that you can substitute back in forth. That bind may be you only have one 14 mm deep socket, and you need another at the same time, so you can save yourself buying a second socket at that inopertune time that you will probably never use again. For me, it's just out of sheer laziness. When I am under a car, whether on a lift or on jack stands, if I have the metric socket next to me, I'm going to use it so I don't have to waste time getting the right one. Great attitude, I know :)
I started out buying my upper level brand tools (above Craftsman) in metric. I was working on German cars at the time, so I didn't need standard sizes. When I worked on American cars, I seldom didn't have the complete set of sizes I needed. Honestly, it works fine most of the time, but every case needs to be judged on an individual basis on what you consider "tight enough". At the very least, you are pretty close, and it's not like you are trying to shove an allen socket into a torx head. I have a couple friends that's tool collections don't include Torx, and that is a very common thing they do.
Hope this helps someone out, and I am interested in hearing other peoples opinions on what works for what, or something you have had a problem with.