9mm? What do do with a 9mm?

[spencerian]

Socket that is.

What use is a 9mm? I can't think of a single time I have used my 9mm socket or wrench.

That being said, if you buy Snap On tools the set price is the same as buying pieces. So you could save $10 on a metric shallow socket set by buying them seperate and omitting the 9mm....right?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Brakes often use 9mm for the bleeder valves.

At least, they do over here.

 

[DaytonFan]

not here in the states kinda unheard of here!!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I actually asked my friend this recently. Because i couldn't recall any use for either 9mm or 11mm sockets/wrenches. He reminded me about them being used frequently on European brakes. I then spent two days doing god knows how many brake lines on two cars, constantly using my 11mm flare-nut wrench.

 

[eschoendorff]

Not the 9mm I was thinking of...

 

[speed bump]

I needed a 9mm the other day for a bleeder valve on a Honda Nighthawk 750. At that point I didn't have one but now I have 2.

BTW I need a 9mm socket in my 3/8" drive set hopefully i'll find one soon.

 

[billymade]

Moose, do you actually run across anything that has "british" or "standard" sizes anymore, from some shows I see on BBC America certain US car brands like Jeep seem pretty popular over in your side of the pond. Also, someone told me about a early "british" size of fasteners that is something totally different then regular "standard" sizes as well; they say they were used in the 50s and earlier! Does this ring a bell? Maybe old Brit bikes and cars?

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

use it in place of a 3/8s

 

[JeepsAreBuilt]

I use the 9mm at work sometimes.. very common for ford bolt in windows to have a 9mm nut. I'm glad I have a 9mm ratcheting wrench too.. cuz those 9mm nuts are tucked up behind the headliner sometimes. Anyone else get annoyed when ford uses sae and metric head fastener sizes ?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Moose, do you actually run across anything that has "british" or "standard" sizes anymore, from some shows I see on BBC America certain US car brands like Jeep seem pretty popular over in your side of the pond. Also, someone told me about a early "british" size of fasteners that is something totally different then regular "standard" sizes as well; they say they were used in the 50s and earlier! Does this ring a bell? Maybe old Brit bikes and cars?

Britist Standard is more common among plumbing and pipework. As far as i know it never made it to the automotive industry. I do belive it was used in industry and was used on steam engines.

The other sizes you're thinking of may be Whitworth. These were not so common, although were used on some old cars. Whitworth sizing is different in that instead of using the size of the hex, it uses the size of the thread. So a 1/2" whitworth bolt means the thread is 1/2" and the hex is a different size.

As far as i know, the only use for Whitworh nowadays is in scaffolding. Scaffolding nuts and bolts use 7/16 Whitworth.

use it in place of a 3/8s

3/8" is manufactured closer to 10mm, with tolerances. 3/8" is a "true" 9.5mm but in production this is closer to 10mm

 

[heelsroll]

Moose, do you actually run across anything that has "british" or "standard" sizes anymore, from some shows I see on BBC America certain US car brands like Jeep seem pretty popular over in your side of the pond. Also, someone told me about a early "british" size of fasteners that is something totally different then regular "standard" sizes as well; they say they were used in the 50s and earlier! Does this ring a bell? Maybe old Brit bikes and cars?

Billymade, are you thinking of Whitworth fasteners? 55 degree angle thread, and wrenches/sockets marked with the size of the bolt, not the bolt head.

Also, my American GMC uses almost exclusively metric fasteners!

(My '70 Scout is all SAE, all the way....)

Best,
J

 

[700jfm]

It seems like my son and I would use them when he ran motorcorss. on what I can't remember. But if I didn't have one I would feel like I was missing something. or my set was not complete.

 

[bigjon]

Also, someone told me about a early "british" size of fasteners that is something totally different then regular "standard" sizes as well; they say they were used in the 50s and earlier! Does this ring a bell? Maybe old Brit bikes and cars?

Are you thinking of 'Whitworth'?

 

[Fedwrench]

Stick it on that hanson peg along with the 20mm to catch a little dust. I think the Ford trim bolt was actually an 11/32 but, 9mm works. I wish Craftsman would trade that 9mm into an 8mm on their 3/8 drive deep 6 point socket sets.

 

[billymade]

I couldn't remember the name but some old timers were telling me about them; maybe old bikes like BSA, Triumph or Matchless had stuff like that? I think I heard about them in relation to talking to ********* old British bike aficionados!

 

[OctaneMotorsports]

9mm deep for the emulsion/atomizer tubes on some two-cycle racing carburetors. Allen and Snap-On are the only two I know of that work, most people have the Snap-On for this job. I haven't tried my SK yet.

Bicycle derailleurs have 9mm bolts on the cable clamp sometimes, too.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Stick it on that hanson peg along with the 20mm to catch a little dust.

I have both shallow and deep 20mm socket, and don't recall ever using either of them. Apparently, they do get used though.

 

[Merkava_4]

I actually asked my friend this recently. Because i couldn't recall any use for either 9mm or 11mm sockets/wrenches. He reminded me about them being used frequently on European brakes. I then spent two days doing god knows how many brake lines on two cars, constantly using my 11mm flare-nut wrench.

The bleeder screws on my Buick LeSabre take a 11mm wrench believe it or not; but now I got me a homely black oxide wrench for that duty.

 

[MAD]

To do a clutch on a A2 (85-92) VW Golf/Jetta you would need both 11mm and 9 mm. The bolt that retains the speedometer cable has an 11mm head. The pressure plate bolts have 9mm 12 point heads. I believe there is either a 9mm or 11mm for one of the bolts on the clutch cover plate tin as well.

Aftermarket nuts for headers on air cooled VWs are often 11mm across flats as well.
like these:
http://www.vwparts.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BP2505-20&Category_Code=ZProdList

 

[Fedwrench]

The bleeder screws on my Buick LeSabre take a 11mm wrench believe it or not; but now I got me a homely black oxide wrench for that duty.

They're actually 7/16 but, the 11mm works too.

 

[Fedwrench]

I have both shallow and deep 20mm socket, and don't recall ever using either of them. Apparently, they do get used though.

I've always wondered who uses them. there are uses here for a 20mm wrench (GM fuel filters, GM AC lines) but what has anyone used a 20mm socket on? (other than to fill a peg on a Hanson rack)

 

[speed bump]

I've always wondered who uses them. there are uses here for a 20mm wrench (GM fuel filters, GM AC lines) but what has anyone used a 20mm socket on? (other than to fill a peg on a Hanson rack)

I would bet that Ford would put them on something. Ford seems to try and justify owning sockets, wrenches, and various speciality tools in every flavor imaginable.

 

[kartracer55]

German cars use 9mm's in wierd places. I remember having to work on a porsche 928 or 944 or something (cant remember which it actually was) and the thing had 9mm fasteners instead of 8 or 10 it was totally aggrevating.

Oddly enough, craftsman sells 9mm but not *10mm* deep 3/8 drive sockets.

As for the 20mm, I have no idea, mine just fills up the peg....


*EDIT* - I screwed up, I meant 8mm. Of course they are going to make a 10mm deep

 

[TheToolMan]

Ha, it is so funny that this thread came up because when i went to the flea market this weekend all i was looking for is a 9mm 1/4 drive deep socket, i exploded my craftsman one on friday pressing in a bearing on a damaged tachometer shaft, customer didnt want it machined, he just wanted new bearings installed, i havent found all the parts of the socket yet

 

[spencerian]

Oddly enough, craftsman sells 9mm but not 10mm deep 3/8 drive sockets

10mm Craftsman deep 3/8

 

[Merkava_4]

They're actually 7/16 but, the 11mm works too.

****breaks out the calculator****

7/16" to decimal = .4375

.4375 x 25.4 = 11.1125 mm

So I guess I'm providing a tighter fit with the 11mm.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I've always wondered who uses them. there are uses here for a 20mm wrench (GM fuel filters, GM AC lines) but what has anyone used a 20mm socket on? (other than to fill a peg on a Hanson rack)

Apparently Chevy S-10 Gearboxes use a 20mm Somewhere. Between my shallow, deep and wrech all in 20mm, none have ever been used.

25mm is another odd size, but i've used mine a couple times. Cam pulley bolts on Cosworth YB engines.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Moose, do you actually run across anything that has "british" or "standard" sizes anymore, from some shows I see on BBC America certain US car brands like Jeep seem pretty popular over in your side of the pond. Also, someone told me about a early "british" size of fasteners that is something totally different then regular "standard" sizes as well; they say they were used in the 50s and earlier! Does this ring a bell? Maybe old Brit bikes and cars?

I have a pretty decent set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets that I bought from a co-worker. His father used them to work on Norton motorcycles. Whitworth was also used on certain British aircraft engines. The Rolls-Royce Merlin (think P-51 Mustang, or Spitfire) uses Whitworth sized hardware, as does the Roll-Royce Dart turboprop engine (Vickers Viscount, Convair 600, Fokker F-27).

Charles

 

[OctaneMotorsports]

what has anyone used a 20mm socket on? (other than to fill a peg on a Hanson rack)

I *know* I have used it for something...for all I know it may have been a standard socket but I needed a 20mm deep and it worked. Otherwise I have used them to press bearings and seals, etc.

 

[kartracer55]

10mm Craftsman deep 3/8

Yeah yeah I know I screwed up. I meant 8mm, even craftsman cant be so awful as to not make a 10mm deep 3/8 drive socket lol

 

[BrianAltenhofel]

9mm = one in the head, two in the chest

Oh wait, not that 9mm! (I'd prefer a .45 anyway)

I've never used the 9 or 11mm sockets/wrenches. Its nice to know what I have them for now.

 

[Junkman]

I once bought a car in 1967 that had a very large tool box in the trunk that took 2 very strong people to extricate. It was filled with both Metric and Whitworth tools. At that time, Metric tools were just about unheard of and I had no use for them. Gave everything in the box to a friend for his kids to play with. I kept the box for myself.

 

[billymade]

Charles, how are the sizes marked on the tools? How can you tell a wentworth tool from a "normal", "standard" one? Do they still use inches as a increment? Sorry about all the questions, I just haven't ever seen these type of tools before!

 

[CatfishXpress]

I once bought a car in 1967 that had a very large tool box in the trunk that took 2 very strong people to extricate. It was filled with both Metric and Whitworth tools. At that time, Metric tools were just about unheard of and I had no use for them. Gave everything in the box to a friend for his kids to play with. I kept the box for myself.

My dad bought his first metric tools in the early 70's to work on a Datsun truck he had. He bought a cheap set because he thought if the Japanese were going to continue doing business in the US they would eventually have to convert over to SAE.

 

[ImportTuner]

My dad bought his first metric tools in the early 70's to work on a Datsun truck he had. He bought a cheap set because he thought if the Japanese were going to continue doing business in the US they would eventually have to convert over to SAE.

That was what everbody thought in the 70's ... metric was not going to last ..

 

[Lightning]

That was what everbody thought in the 70's ... metric was not going to last ..

Not only did metric last, but it is becoming more popular and I believe SAE fasteners are going to be very rare in the not too distant future. I use mostly metric tools and only occasionaly SAE sizes.


I rarely use the 9mm and 11mm sizes. The sizes I use most are 8mm, 10mm,12mm, 14mm, 15mm, 17mm, 19mm. The SAE sizes I use most are 9/16 inch and 3/4 inch

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Charles, how are the sizes marked on the tools? How can you tell a wentworth tool from a "normal", "standard" one? Do they still use inches as a increment? Sorry about all the questions, I just haven't ever seen these type of tools before!

Whitworth uses "WW" after the sizes to denote it. So you'd get a wrench marked 1/2" WW.

 

[speed bump]

Not only did metric last, but it is becoming more popular and I believe SAE fasteners are going to be very rare in the not too distant future. I use mostly metric tools and only occasionaly SAE sizes.


I rarely use the 9mm and 11mm sizes. The sizes I use most are 8mm, 10mm,12mm, 14mm, 15mm, 17mm, 19mm. The SAE sizes I use most are 9/16 inch and 3/4 inch

Depends on what you work on. In HVAC/R we don't even carry metric tools becuase you never need them. In most industrial location I have worked at I have never needed a Metric wrench to work on it either. The only things I have used metric tools on are vehicles and airsoft guns.

 

[Jay H 237]

I have a pretty decent set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets that I bought from a co-worker. His father used them to work on Norton motorcycles. Whitworth was also used on certain British aircraft engines. The Rolls-Royce Merlin (think P-51 Mustang, or Spitfire) uses Whitworth sized hardware, as does the Roll-Royce Dart turboprop engine (Vickers Viscount, Convair 600, Fokker F-27).

Charles

Are some of those Craftsman Whitworth wrenches?

 

[MAD]

Charles, how are the sizes marked on the tools? How can you tell a wentworth tool from a "normal", "standard" one? Do they still use inches as a increment? Sorry about all the questions, I just haven't ever seen these type of tools before!

Whitworth uses "WW" after the sizes to denote it. So you'd get a wrench marked 1/2" WW.

I have always seen Whitworth sizes marked with a single "W" after the fractional size. The King **** and Stahlwille Whitworth sockets I have are also marked with the British Standard size as well with a "BS" or "BSF" after the fractional size. For example,the 1/4" Whitworth sockets are marked: 1/4 W and 5/16 BS. The 1/4" Whitworth socket is close to the size of a 1/2" SAE (across flats) socket.


edit: This table shows the sizes.
http://www.samstagsales.com/whitworth_table.htm