Fractional Inch Tools - Who Needs 'Em?

[Ground Beef]

A while back I needed to get some new metric sockets to fill in the gaps in the larger end of my set. (Why, why, why do they skip mm sizes?) I dutifully picked up the set I needed and it's matching SAE version.

Shortly after, I had an epiphany. I couldn't remember the last time I needed an inch socket or wrench to work on a car. Why should I spend any money for "special" tools like flex sockets or stubby or ratcheting wrenches and the like that aren't metric? In fact, why are they even included in the bigger socket sets and tool kits?

I used inch sizes somewhat regularly in my former day job, which involved a lot of Unistrut and all-thread. I used some just the other day to remove a toilet for a remodeling job I'm doing in my spare time. But you really don't need all the special wiz-bang special access stuff for that kind of thing. I did 95% of what I needed for work with two gear-wrench tools I carried with me in my bag - and I had a small socket set that took care of the rest.

So my question is, who buys that stuff in inch sizes and why? Obviously car mechanics need a few things for the occassional old car that comes in. Aircraft and heavy equipment guys probably deal with a lot of older stuff. Do any current model heavy trucks, aircraft or heavy equipment still use inch stuff?

And another thing - has torx completely supplanted hex, phillips, and slotted screws on newer cars? I'm not even sure I need that stuff in my car kit any more.

 

[purplezr2]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

A while back I needed to get some new metric sockets to fill in the gaps in the larger end of my set. (Why, why, why do they skip mm sizes?) I dutifully picked up the set I needed and it's matching SAE version.

Shortly after, I had an epiphany. I couldn't remember the last time I needed an inch socket or wrench to work on a car. Why should I spend any money for "special" tools like flex sockets or stubby or ratcheting wrenches and the like that aren't metric? In fact, why are they even included in the bigger socket sets and tool kits?

I used inch sizes somewhat regularly in my former day job, which involved a lot of Unistrut and all-thread. I used some just the other day to remove a toilet for a remodeling job I'm doing in my spare time. But you really don't need all the special wiz-bang special access stuff for that kind of thing. I did 95% of what I needed for work with two gear-wrench tools I carried with me in my bag - and I had a small socket set that took care of the rest.

So my question is, who buys that stuff in inch sizes and why? Obviously car mechanics need a few things for the occassional old car that comes in. Aircraft and heavy equipment guys probably deal with a lot of older stuff. Do any current model heavy trucks, aircraft or heavy equipment still use inch stuff?

And another thing - has torx completely supplanted hex, phillips, and slotted screws on newer cars? I'm not even sure I need that stuff in my car kit any more.

I know that through MY10 Bobcat used standard fasteners on loaders,

 

[Vin]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I haven't used SAE on a car in while, but I'm a weekend mechanic so my time working on cars is limited. I have used my SAE wrenches recently for plumbing jobs.

 

[tdkkart]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I know that between work where I do industrial machine maintenance and home where I work on somewhat older vehicles, lawn equipment and my Harley, I still use metric much less than I use SAE although I use them both universally and pretty much without thinking about the difference.

 

[beatcad]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

allmost all of my stuff that i work on or build is pre 1970. cars, motorcycles,bicycles.
standard/fractional is about all i use.
all my cool(specialty) tool are fractional.
i do have one set ot S-K metric wrenches and blackhawk metric sockets 'cause i do need 'em now and than on stuff.

i guess i'm just the opposite of you

 

[4xdog]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I use 'em both in about equal proportion. I've got a lot of old iron, though. A lot of new iron, too, if I think about it...

I'll have a place for both as long as I'm foolin' around with stuff.

 

[Millo777]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

All Boeing and Airbus aircraft use sae fasteners, even the new ones. As for home use, I've never needed anything but metric in 20 years of fixing my own cars (Volvo, Saab and Mercedes). I've never bothered buying any SAE stuff.

 

[tube_guy]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I was helping a friend replace the water-pump on his mid 2000s year, Johnson outboard motor for his boat. That thing is the definition of 10 tons of **** jammed into a 5 ton sized can. It looks like it was designed by someone that used to work for Pratt & Whitney. And it's all standard inch fasteners.

 

[Deskmechanic]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

All Boeing and Airbus aircraft use sae fasteners, even the new ones. As for home use, I've never needed anything but metric in 20 years of fixing my own cars (Volvo, Saab and Mercedes). I've never bothered buying any SAE stuff.

Isn't all aircraft hardware AN (inch-based)?

I have vintage american cars and new Japanese cars so I have lots of both. But the super low-profile/super deep/hex oddball stuff for me is all Metric. The old cars just don't need as many special tools because most of the fasteners are easy to get to. I could disassemble and reassemble 90% of my 1964 Valiant including the engine with only the tools in one tool roll.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Corvettes.....older obviously

 

[shockwave]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I actually use sae all the time with rounded or rusted bolt

A lot of pullers use sae and not metric not to mention 1 inch for all hex dies where 25mm is too small

I do use metric more but even new cars have sae fastners

 

[Steinmetz]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Isn't all aircraft hardware AN (inch-based)?

I have vintage american cars and new Japanese cars so I have lots of both. But the super low-profile/super deep/hex oddball stuff for me is all Metric. The old cars just don't need as many special tools because most of the fasteners are easy to get to. I could disassemble and reassemble 90% of my 1964 Valiant including the engine with only the tools in one tool roll.

Yes.

 

[Avgas]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I'm an aviation mechanic and I don't own 1 metric tool

 

[RRmech]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

All my tools on the RR were SAE.
But at home, total opposite.

 

[atwageman]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I work on industrial machinery and use SAE and metric. SAE is not dead......yet.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

So my question is, who buys that stuff in inch sizes and why?

Heavy equipment, manufacturing equipment and machines, power plants, water treatment plants, railroads, farming, chemical plants, and hundreds and hundreds more.

LOTS of high $$$ equipment that affect you everyday use them.

You just can't see beyond the driveway and your car in it.

I guess a 70's muscle car is definately not in your future, not that I wouldn't have guessed that already.

LOLZ.

 

[kams1973]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

US land based drilling is 98% SAE. It's very irritating when I have to buy a metric tool. Also, when I worked in aviation, I didn't have a single metric tool in my box.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

The rust bucket in my avatar is a 1963 fairlane 500 2dr hardtop all I use is SAE. I own some metric but don't use it much.

 

[Jswain]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

US land based drilling is 98% SAE. It's very irritating when I have to buy a metric tool. Also, when I worked in aviation, I didn't have a single metric tool in my box.

Same with up here in Canuckadia...There is only 2 bolts I can think of off hand that I would need a metric wrench on the whole rig.

And this thread kind of reminds me of that GoodEnough guy....just saying...thread title, the skipping in mm sizes...strange coincidence???

 

[phildb4]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Boy...do I feel left out. The world as I know it is not just SAE and Metric. Where are you Whitworth wrench guys???? (for British bikes and old Brit cars). Many mechanics have never even heard of Whitworth tools and fasteners.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I use both at home, but I'm beginning to use Metric more. I just invested a lot more money into metric tools as I discovered I didn't have a complete set.

My Fords are a combo of both, but newer ones are all metric (I think).

My VW is all metric.

My race car is all SAE, but it has a VW drivetrain so that requires MM tools.

My drit bike and quad are both Hondas, so they are all MM.

At work, my lift equipment is all SAE, but the scooters and wheel chairs I work on are all MM.

 

[beatcad]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Where are you Whitworth wrench guys???? (for British bikes and old Brit cars). Many mechanics have never even heard of Whitworth tools and fasteners.

i do have a few of those. not for anything i own now though.
i'll eventually buy a set of king **** wrenches. or order a set of blue point whitworths from my snap-on truck driver(i bet he's never sold a set or even knows what they are), but i dont NEED 'em right now.
i'm currently helping a friend rebuild a '57 triumph(motorcycle).
the whitworth tools we've needed so far he had some.

 

[ibedayank]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Boy...do I feel left out. The world as I know it is not just SAE and Metric. Where are you Whitworth wrench guys???? (for British bikes and old Brit cars). Many mechanics have never even heard of Whitworth tools and fasteners.

I am one that uses whitworth.. work for a pre 1975 british cycle shop
alot of the hardware on them is SAE to depending on year

 

[bcradio]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I'm an aviation mechanic and I don't own 1 metric tool

Somebody has to keep the Auto Techs employed

 

[Ruger_556]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I'm in diesel and older stuff is SAE but even suspension and brakes on newer trucks are still SAE. Above the frame rails everything is metric.

 

[bcradio]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Same with up here in Canuckadia...There is only 2 bolts I can think of off hand that I would need a metric wrench on the whole rig.

And this thread kind of reminds me of that GoodEnough guy....just saying...thread title, the skipping in mm sizes...strange coincidence???

What happened to him anyway?

 

[crewchief888]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

most of the const eq fasteners i deal with are std.

anything bolted to the engine is metric

 

[HaroRider]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I agree, I have just the basics in standard. Standard wrenchs, stubbys and sockets.
In metric I have flex head stubby ratcheting, long, regular stubby, basic ratcheting, spline..and the list goes on..

 

[basspro]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

In the industrial world, and I have found in heavy mobil equipment as well, that as a rule of thumb (not the golden rule however) if its made in the USA its probably a majority standard or standard and metric. If its overseas built, its likely metric. I need a good amount of both, but when I get to the real big sizes I just buy standard, and it has worked for me.

 

[Aberdale]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Who needs 'em?

I do!

3 Harley Davidsons.
2 1950s trucks
1 1990s Class 8 truck
27 Pre-1980 Ag tractors.

But I am using metric tools more and more frequently.

'dale

 

[X1 Mike]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I used to earn my living as a Harley tech and now work on my own and a few others so I use mostly SAE.

 

[bobemmerich]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I use 'em all the time. I guess that's what I get for being old and having 50 year old vehicles (both of which get 25-30 MPG)

 

[mechan]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

In the industrial world, and I have found in heavy mobil equipment as well, that as a rule of thumb (not the golden rule however) if its made in the USA its probably a majority standard or standard and metric. If its overseas built, its likely metric. I need a good amount of both, but when I get to the real big sizes I just buy standard, and it has worked for me.

Depends on the vintage of the design for US domestic designs in my experience. "Newer" designs from my experience are designed as metric machines. They are being made for the global market and as such use global standards. Even on the machines I maintain / erect that are made overseas for import into the States if it is an older design then they will be SAE machines, but if it is something from say 90's up regardless of COO of where it was made it will be a metric machine. Obviously every industry is different, but out of the product lines I deal with it has been fairly consistent. What is interesting is even in some countries that have had the metric system for awhile when a machine of a new design will be erected they will want everything that is like first flange to be converted back to SAE because nothing else in the plant uses metric.

It can be fairly challenging dealing with maintenance or installs of metric machines in the States because even plants that have them don't always stock the required replacement fasteners in metric. (Especially if they are high metallurgy.) I think a contractor / mechanic needs both SAE and Metric in their gang boxes now days.

 

[kenburkholz]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

At work I use almost 50\50 metric and SAE, at home its about the same. I find I need more special metric tools for my V.W. In larger sizes I use SAE almost exclusively. Ken.

 

[7th Kahuna]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Boy...do I feel left out. The world as I know it is not just SAE and Metric. Where are you Whitworth wrench guys???? (for British bikes and old Brit cars). Many mechanics have never even heard of Whitworth tools and fasteners.

Whitworth over here too (Dad's old Brit car ). Still use mostly SAE but some metric.

 

[DeliveryGuy]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Anything not a less-than-35-year-old-car uses standard fasteners. Something I haven't seen anyone else post is construction fasteners, such as concrete anchors, threaded rod, Tapcons, and any typical nuts n bolts type hardware, which is all standard sizes. I install/service garage doors, and my wrenches (1/4" through 1-1/8") are all used regularly.

I recently encountered a 7mm nut on a very small cable clamp the other day. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. I was tightening this very small component with a 10" adjustable wrench before I figured out that a 9/32" socket fits, but is a little sloppy.

 

[outdoorsman310]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I use both. usually metric but I need standard too.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

I used a 5/16 wrench on a 1999 car battery today. I put the exhaust pipe on my 2000 truck back together with 5/16 bolts. Electronics projects 2-56, 4-40, 6-32, 8-32 machine screws. I used a 1/4-28 bolt to attach a grip to a receiver.

 

[Ground Beef]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

Heavy equipment, manufacturing equipment and machines, power plants, water treatment plants, railroads, farming, chemical plants, and hundreds and hundreds more.

LOTS of high $$$ equipment that affect you everyday use them.

You just can't see beyond the driveway and your car in it.

I guess a 70's muscle car is definately not in your future, not that I wouldn't have guessed that already.

LOLZ.

Well, you misread me. My fault I guess - I wanted a catchy headline and got it. But I was really asking a serious question. I've owned and worked on a couple of very uncool 70's era cars. I'd love to have a muscle car, but I don't have anywhere to keep it. It is true that I can't see beyond the car in my driveway, but only because I don't have the opportunity to get my hands on that stuff - hence the post.

I pointed out the construction trades that I do have some familiarity with, and the older cars and machinery, but I wanted to know what new stuff still used SAE, and how much of the older stuff was still in circulation.

I am shocked to learn that airplanes are all SAE. My former government coworkers now have to specify stuff like conduit sizes in their millimeter equivalents. Stupid. I would have thought Uncle Sam would have pushed the aircraft industry to metric through their military influence.

Also very interesting about the Bobcat. My dad has a Cat track loader that is all inch - but it's early 80's vintage.

And for the record, I REALLY hate the metric system in general, but that is a diatribe for another time. If I change careers, maybe I'll be an airplane mechanic.

 

[warmpancakes]

Re: Fractional Inch Tools - Who Need 'Em?

yesterday on 2015 Chevy 3500 HD trucks installing 5th wheel hitches and goosenecks