Do you still use SAE much ?

[jc5205]

I've noticed I hardly use SAE sockets anymore, do you guys still use them a lot or more metric ?
Just curious.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Yep, as much as metric. Couldn't get by without them. This has been discussed a million times........almost as much as the downfall of Sears and Craftsman.

 

[wyo george]

More than metric.

 

[Formula]

Hardly ever use mine anymore. I've been thinking about taking some home to free up some extra space in my toolbox.

 

[espyking83]

It's all I use at work.

 

[justme-]

On power equipment I use 90% saw... Only Honda engines need metric wrenches for me

 

[JKennedy]

Depends what you work on because I use it more than metric.

 

[LB-1911]

The topic has come up once or twice - as always it depends what your working on.

sae vs. metric

It seems like everything is metric these days how much sae stuff do mechanics keep in their box other then working on classics do they ever get used

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202187


Metric vs. SAE Std tool use

I’m curious about the general membership on this subject.

I’ve seen several posts saying basically “SAE tools are a waste don’t by them”

While most of my vehicles are mostly metric, I still use SAE at least as much as I do metric, but my use is not restricted to just cars or just a work environment.

So how about it people? What is your approximate use ratio

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122079


SAE vs. metric?

I wondered if I could find out some info. on which applications use SAE fasteners and which use metric. What I found so far:

1) foreign vehicles use metric, incl. those assembled in the U.S.
2) U.S. vehicles currently use metric, used SAE in the past.
3) Some things around the home still use SAE. For example the casters on my office chair were getting loose, and a SAE combo wrench was ideal for tightening the hex nut between the caster and chair leg.
4) Not sure about home appliances (dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, etc.)

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177680

 

[lakota]

Use SAE around the house, lot's of household stuff is SAE. Garage door hardware, lag bolts for railing, etc.

 

[amlv20]

I hardly ever did working on newer cars,and hardly had any sae tools.made the switch to heavy duty trucks and found I now use about 50/50 metric and sae.

 

[928'er]

It's all I use at work.

Just out of curiosity, what is the rational for the aircraft industry sticking with SAE?

Is SAE used on Airbus products? How about Rolls Royce engines?

 

[Askme42]

Yep, as much as metric. Couldn't get by without them. This has been discussed a million times........almost as much as the downfall of Sears and Craftsman.

What happened to Sears and craftsman?

 

[Steevo]

every day.

 

[AndrewV]

Just out of curiosity, what is the rational for the aircraft industry sticking with SAE?

Is SAE used on Airbus products? How about Rolls Royce engines?

World standard.

 

[chris142]

Still lots of old cars running around in ca. I still use mine. Maybe not daily,weekly for sure.

 

[John in OH]

As already mentioned, this topic has come up numerous times before. I use SAE probably 90-95% of the time.

 

[Beerman]

Work for the phone company. Our stuff is still SAE.


Beerman

 

[d.mcfarland]

Still lots of old cars running around in case. I still use mine. Maybe not daily,weekly for sure.

Use will vary by region though. You're in California. The rust belt doesn't have too many cars over 15 years old even. Doesn't mean SAE is irrelevant, but just not as common on the average car around here.

 

[Cope]

Still lots of old cars running around in case. I still use mine. Maybe not daily,weekly for sure.

I remember back in the late 1970s that GM was part SAE and part Metric. On a couple of GM cars, you needed metric for a bolt and SAE for the nut or the other way around.

 

[IUEC Medic]

Yes. Every day.

In general - Elevators use SAE and escalators use metric hardware.

 

[Deadsquiggles]

Most everything at work is standard but they're older American made tugboats. And my truck is a '93 Ford Bronco. A lot of standard on that, too.

 

[not-required]

Yup on our hydraulic wheel chair lifts on our busses

 

[928'er]

World standard.

For the aircraft industry maybe, but for the rest of the "World" - metric is the standard. That's why I asked.

 

[zcbauer89]

Every day, and much more than metric.

 

[Tronyadorable]

World standard.

Nonsense. SAE is due to specialized hardware set up by the first country to produce aircraft in volume. The good ole USA.
That same old tooling still produces all of that that unique hardware.
Heavy machinery too., The USA still rules that roost although Kubota and others are coming up close and may overtake Cat and Deere.
That all remains to be seen.
SAE will never die.It will always be necessary to have the tools even 1/2 century from now.Sure. They might wind up dusty in the closet but you'll always need them on occasion.
The finest nuts, bolts,drills, taps and dies are still USA and "mostly" SAE.
That too will probably change over time.

 

[logical]

I use whatever fits.

 

[rob0781]

95% of the time at work. At home maybe once pr twice a year..

 

[bad_idea]

I work in ship repair, Navy ships, and have only ran into metric on one type of valve on one class of ship. EVERYTHING else on Navy ships are SAE. My 79 Camaro is 70% SAE, real PITA there.

 

[sac02]

Nope, virtually never. I have had a complete but basic set of SAE for 20ish years (wrenches, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 shallow/deep sockets, and a couple "special" items like flarenut wrenches), but that is all, and I rarely need all that.

In the last few years as I've gotten settled and started expanding my tool chest beyond the basic necessities, I don't even bother buying the matching SAE set. This includes ratcheting wrenches, crows foot sets, swivel sockets, double box end wrenches, deep offset wrenches, duplicate sockets (for when it's handy to have two sockets on either side instead of wrench + socket, or just have two of the same socket on two different tools - ratchet + torquewrench) and more sets I can't think of probably.

It is all about what you work on, I do mostly late model automotive. Some people have a regular, even exclusive, need for SAE, as you've seen from the response to this thread.

 

[sonvolt]

Machine tool builder 90% SAE

 

[86k10]

It is at least 50% SAE for me, just depends what you work on.

 

[DeliveryGuy]

Techs at a Honda or Toyota dealership may never use SAE, but everyone else does. From concrete anchors to your average hardware store nut n bolts, there's little metric to be seen.

 

[creativecars]

Yep, I use SAE just the right amount... If I am working on a newer vehicle I will use metric. If I am working on my old truck, tractor or most house hold items I will use SAE. The right tool for the job.
BTW... IMO adjustable wrenches and Visegrips are rarely the right tool.

 

[Deadsquiggles]

IMO adjustable wrenches and Visegrips are rarely the right tool.

Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis? If you can't wrench it into place or hammer it into place with a crescent wrench and vise grips, it ain't going in.

 

[Erampu]

Quite often. I have the '48 pickup, the 1937 band saw I'm restoring, my stepdaughter's 1926 house, my 1986 snowblower....the list goes on.

 

[burke753]

I use SAE every day. Heavy duty trucks are still a good mix of SAE and metric.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aerogt01]

Ask anyone who works on old farm equipment and you might just get laughed out of the shop.
Used to live on a farm and inherited 90% SAE.

 

[Kracin]

i wish the U.S. would just get on board with the rest of the world and adopt the metric system... quicker than it already is.

it does get pretty annoying to lug around double the tools because you have no idea what is on the machine that i'll be working on.

the worst is when there were metric fasteners or sae fasteners, and someone used the wrong wrench on it and rounded them off... or cross threaded a metric into a sae thread.... ugh.

 

[chipper]

I've been putting all my sae stuff for sale ..I'm just gonna keep 1 set of wrenches and my sockets...I just sold my gw double box set this morning to an airplane mech. I just don't use it hopefully before lo g everything will convert metric

 

[wvrailroader]

At home I do mostly small engine work which is pretty well all SAE. Everything on the railroad is SAE, so that's all I use on the job as well.