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Recommended range of wrench sizes

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BryanB

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Mar 23, 2012
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What do you recommend for size range of metric and sae wrenches? I see 9pc up to 15pc sets. Is 8mm to 22mm and 1/4 to 1" generally considered a full set?
 
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hickfied

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8-19 and 1/4-3/4 will get you started.

Thats what I have in ratchet wrenches. Wouldn't hurt to have a few larger MM combos as well as 13/16-15/16. You can do without 1" and 20mm if you are DIY, even if you turn wrenches for a living I think you can skip 1".


I have 1/4 through 1-5/8" and 6mm-32mm.
 
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Ign

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Butte Peak ND
hickfied said:
8-19 and 1/4-3/4 will get you started.

Thats what I have in ratchet wrenches. Wouldn't hurt to have a few larger MM combos as well as 13/16-15/16. You can do without 1" and 20mm if you are DIY, even if you turn wrenches for a living I think you can skip 1".


I have 1/4 through 1-5/8" and 6mm-32mm.
Click to expand...

This is what I'd recommend. It's really not unheard of to see up to 1 1/4" even for the weekend warrior so I'd at least strive for that.
 
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erty67

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At least 8-19mm and 1/4-7/8". That'll cover most things and a lot of sets come that way.
 
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zkling

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What do you typically work on? For general use a common 12pc of each will get you a long ways. 10-16mm and 7/16-7/8 will do alot.
 
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espyking83

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Hell hole of a King Air 200
Depends on what you plan to work on. But I would start out with 1/4-3/4 as well as a Knipex pliers wrench for the bigger stuff, or atleast a solid adjustable (I recommend the Bahco alligator wrench) that goes up to 1 1/4.
 
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expfcwintergreen

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7-19mm and 1/4-3/4 plus a good quality adjustable wrench if you are trying to save money and are maintaining only your own vehicles. If you have really found a home on this forum, you will find reasons to go much bigger plus get six point and twelve point plus reversing and non-reversing ratcheting, long pattern, regular and short, double box end and combination, offset and no offset. With a little imagination, you can have more money ******* in tools than you do in the car you bought the tools to maintain. If you are single (or soon will be) you might end up with more money in tools than you have in your house.
 
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gsingh

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Ign said:
This is what I'd recommend. It's really not unheard of to see up to 1 1/4" even for the weekend warrior so I'd at least strive for that.
Click to expand...

Ill second this. If you can afford it, get it.
 
OP
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BryanB

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I'm a DIY'r.....my vehicles, snowmobile, boat, other peoples stuff, etc....
 
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devoncoolman

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quakertown pa
1/4-1 1/4 8-21mm
Skip 22mm its the same as 7/8. Wrenches up to 1 1/4 are a must at times. But depending on your circumstances you might be able to get by with a descent adjustable and skip wrenches above 1"
 
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JoeSnapOn

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Jun 12, 2013
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New Jersey
expfcwintergreen said:
7-19mm and 1/4-3/4 plus a good quality adjustable wrench if you are trying to save money and are maintaining only your own vehicles. If you have really found a home on this forum, you will find reasons to go much bigger plus get six point and twelve point plus reversing and non-reversing ratcheting, long pattern, regular and short, double box end and combination, offset and no offset. With a little imagination, you can have more money ******* in tools than you do in the car you bought the tools to maintain. If you are single (or soon will be) you might end up with more money in tools than you have in your house.
Click to expand...

How GJ of you

Joe S
 
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Givl Reggin

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Hawaii, USA
SOCKETS:
1/4" : 4mm - 14mm (12pcs)
1/4" : 5/32" - 9/16" (11pcs)

3/8" : 6mm - 22mm (17pcs)
3/8" : 1/4" - 1" (13pcs)

1/2" : 9mm - 36mm (24pcs)
1/2" : 3/8" - 1-1/2" (19pcs)

3/4" : 19mm - 42mm (18pcs)
3/4" : 7/8" - 2-3/8" (21pcs)


WRENCHES:
1/4" - 1-1/2" (18pcs)
7mm - 30mm (19pcs)
 
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cheechi

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Feb 29, 2012
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Triad, NC
it matters most if you prefer wrenches or sockets. Yes you need both but especially in the very smallest and very biggest sizes, do you need 3 ways to take off a 6mm nut? Maybe. But not worth worrying about for a DIY guy. Buy a set that covers what you need now and maybe you'll have some singles to buy here and there, maybe not.

There is a reason the most common sets are the sizes they are.
 
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oldldh

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May 22, 2012
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Fairhope, AL
43 pc 12 pt Craftsman----1/4"--1 5/16" and 6mm--32mm combination wrench set...

28 pc 6 pt Craftsman-----1/4"--1" and 6mm to 19mm...

I also got the biggest set of SAE and Metric Boxend and Flare Nut wrenches...all of mine were "Forged in the USA"...

That will get you started...

And a good 1/4"--3/8"--1/2" drive socket set...

And some decent screwdrivers...

And a decent toolbox...

And some...

(Very slippery, that "What tools do I need???" slope is...)
 

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twertsy

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Reedville, VA
hickfied said:
8-19 and 1/4-3/4 will get you started.

Thats what I have in ratchet wrenches. Wouldn't hurt to have a few larger MM combos as well as 13/16-15/16. You can do without 1" and 20mm if you are DIY, even if you turn wrenches for a living I think you can skip 1".


I have 1/4 through 1-5/8" and 6mm-32mm.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought until I bought my autotwirler.................then I needed up to 1 1/2.........which weren't big enough for the adjusters on my body support setup (braces for when car is off frame).......so now I have up to 1 3/4.
 
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oldldh

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Location
Fairhope, AL
And you're going to need sockets...and something to drive them with...

I prefer reasonably priced GearWrench---- www.tooldiscounter.com

80314D...47 pc/1/4" drive---5/32"---9/16" and 4mm---15mm......$ 37.47

80718.....63 pc/3/8" drive---1/4"---1" and 6mm---24mm...............72.60

80729.....27 pc/1/2" drive---7/16"---1 1/2"..................................87.93

80730.....37 pc/1/2" drive---9mm---36mm..................................85.95

Total......174 pcs...all in trays, so your storage problem is solved...

That should cover just about everything, but huge stuff...

I bought the Harbor Freight 3/4" drive set to cover that eventuality...($ 50.00)
 

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crewchief888

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NW indiana
all depends on what you are working on.

i rarely need a wrench or socket bigger than 1" at home,
largest combo wrench is 1 1/8" largest socket is 1 1/2"

at work my most common sizes are 10,12,13 mm, 1/2" 9/16" 3/4"


occasionally i need a 1 7/8 wrench, or 1 3/4" socket.


i don't think i've ever used my 2" wrench, my 2 3/8" socket has been used several times...



:beer:
 
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