How often do you use large wrenches and sockets?

[Robinson1]

With most wrench sets stopping at 19mm it leads one to believe that the average person is only dealing with small fasteners.

In fact it's hard to find a metric wrench set that goes all the way to 32mm without having to buy "supplememtal" sets or singles.

So am I in the minority by being someone who regularly uses large sizes or is this just a ploy by tool manufactures to make more money?

I regularly use sockets up to 1 1/2" and wrenches to 2" but I deal with alot of plumbing and older equipment

 

[DuratecMan10]

I use 32mm sockets when dealing with axle nuts, 20/21mm sockets and wrenches for tstats/sensors and lug nuts and that's about it. My main socket set goes from 4.5mm to 19mm then additionals I've bought along the way. Unless you're working on gas or diesel trucks, you really don't need lots of large wrenches.


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[Dave455]

I use large sizes fairly regularly, and so, I suspect, do a lot of folks.

The problem is, big wrenches are big money.

It’s also very unlikely that anyone is going to need a set that goes all the way to 32mm, without any skips, as many of those sizes are not used by any current metric standard.

I’d probably use 22, 24, 30 and 32 out of those, and can’t remember the last time I used any others.

Most manufacturers probably leave it to the user to decide which sizes they need, and buy accordingly.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I just used an 1 1/8 wrench ( adjustable would have sufficed ), and metric usually stops for me at 24mm.

Sockets on the other hand, axle nuts and yoke nuts make up the bulk of my large use.

I have a lot of rarely used large stuff up to 2"

Unless you are an avid off roader or someone that does a lot of driveline work- I'd say in the home shop you could stop at 15/16 or 24 and then get a set of import axle nut sockets.

 

[ptgarcia]

I mostly work on motorcycles (I'm not a pro) and I have used the majority of sizes up to 19mm, but after than I pretty much only need 24mm, 27mm and 32mm. It is way more economical for me to buy individual tools in the sizes I need than a complete set of what is mostly a tool box filler.

 

[Tonyuk]

I have a complete set up to 32mm, and socket up to 36mm.

 

[dr_clyde]

Often enough that I own lots of large wrenches and sockets.

Once you start looking at applications beyond working on cars there is a whole world out there with fasteners and fittings.

The industrial maintenance work I used to do had me using wrenches and sockets up to 2” regularly. Big metric too, lots of German and Italian equipment where I worked.

 

[pi_guy]

I have a 2 1/2 socket used for single wheel nut on 1000 lb car.
Regularly used 2 inch plus on gland nuts for struts.
Even light stuff has large sizes....

 

[JeepinMike]

32,36,42MM on the Unimogs attachment stuff....

 

[DFB]

Ya I have them... mostly deep impact sockets for cat one implement pins and tractor lug bolts and some loader frame nuts.


Some other situations often needed...HD motor sprocket and automotive axle nuts.

Large wrenches not used as much...except for some plumbing fittings.

A lot will depend on your life walk. Many people will go thru life never turning a fastener ever larger than 25mm or 1"

 

[Robinson1]

I've got an older zero turn than uses 28mm on the blades. I know that's kind of rare and the first time I sharpened blades I was **** what the heck. That's bigger than some bush hog blade bolts

 

[wafrederick]

up to 36mm.3/4 drive,have a couple that do get used once in a while(1 11/16 and 1 3/4 for 1994 to 2001 Dodge 4x4 Truck Axle nuts) which are both Grey Pnuematic.There was no sense of spending the money on the tool truck brand sockets which are over $100.00.

 

[alexb2000]

Modern light vehicles: every size 36mm and down, minimum.

I just re-booted CV axles on a GX470 a few Sundays ago (Jan).... 35mm axle nut.

Yes, you will need all the sizes eventually.

 

[Professional Tool User]

It really depends on what you work on. Anything up to 1 1/2 and beyond is heavy equipment and heavy duty truck territory. Usually for the bigger sizes in automotive, you can get away with using sockets (axle nut etc). Honestly for automotive, there is almost never a need for any wrench that is bigger than 24 mm.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

I use the big stuff routinely on farm equipment. Missing a few sizes and I have a note on my phone so I can check when I go to auctions so I know what I need.

Last summer I was working on a big mower on a Sunday and needed a large socket to put the gearbox back together. I was amazed at the selection Tractor Supply had on the shelf. Took the boss out for lunch, got my socket and was mowing before supper. May never need that socket again, but it earned its keep.

 

[Robinson1]

Yeah Tractor Suppy is a great source for random large socket needs. Wrenches too but they dont stock much metric or atleast my store doesnt.

 

[DFB]

Yeah Tractor Suppy is a great source for random large socket needs. Wrenches too but they dont stock much metric or atleast my store doesnt.

On a few of the "larger" sizes crossover is common with SAE and Metric.

The fit between sizes is close enough to work ok

You can easliy look at some charts online or maybe some may volunteer a cross application

 

[sberry]

Inch bolts need bigger sockets, no way around it. Most of the world's work is smaller. A few things on cars. It's a good thing to know where a few things are at. A 75 $ 3/4 socket set with a better ratchet could do it for a lot of guys.

 

[wafrederick]

I use the big stuff routinely on farm equipment. Missing a few sizes and I have a note on my phone so I can check when I go to auctions so I know what I need.

Last summer I was working on a big mower on a Sunday and needed a large socket to put the gearbox back together. I was amazed at the selection Tractor Supply had on the shelf. Took the boss out for lunch, got my socket and was mowing before supper. May never need that socket again, but it earned its keep.

If not used a lot,not worth buying from the tool trucks.I had this with a 12 point 30mm deepwell impact socket for Toyota axle nuts.I wasn't spending $53.00 for one from Snap On.I bought a Grey Pnuematic for under $20.00 which has been used at least 3 times

 

[vanapplebomb]

I wouldn’t say I use it a lot, but I certainly use my 3/4 drive stuff more often than I thought I would.i have a set of metric and standard 3/4 drive sockets, a Neiko extendable handle ratchet and 750ft-Lb didgital torque adapter, and two 3/4 impacts.

I probably use that combo most often for axle nuts. The 3/4 impacts zip off tough axle nuts with ease, and I can install and torque them with my ratchet and torque adapter.

It is a pretty universal combo for working with anything bigger than 1/2” or M12. Certainly useful for many other things besides axle nuts.

 

[setfocus]

As far as wrenches go... 21, 22, and 24mm are very common in automotive. I've run into 20, 26, 27mm or 1 1/16", 1 1/8", and 30mm on occasion

My metric sockets go to 24mm, standard up to 1 1/4", and have a set of axle nut sockets. Between those sets, I always seem to have a socket that's close enough in size

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I find I use my larger wrenches/sockets on low torque items as much as I do high torque items. For example, I use 32mm on high torque vehicle axle nuts and 30mm on a full suspension rear shock that is only a few Nm. Another low torque application I've used big sizes on is AR15 hand guards and barrel nuts. I personally use by "big" sockets/wrenches enough that I would never consider a wrench or sockets set complete unless it includes 32mm and 1-1/4".

 

[Shane6377]

I regularly use 21, 22, 24, 27mm and 1-1/8, 1-1/2 wrenches and sockets. I use an adjustable for any larger wrench. I've used plenty of larger sockets but they are specific applications. Lots of farm equipment that the average joe doesn't work on day-to-day.


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[Copymutt]

I used an old railroad box end 1&3/8 today for the first time. Ive had it for over 30 yrs. The application was a delta shower valve. I have sockets that size, but they all have a bevel to locate the socket onto a nut. The delta unit only has about a 1/8” of surface to get on. I’ll keep the wrench another 30 yrs.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Above 19mm, I like being able to mix it up with brands and singles. I'll happily go with Snap-On or SK sets from 6-19mm. They're worth it. They get used for 99% of what I see. For bigger, I'll use Sunex combos and Tekton impacts, or something special for the fasteners that break tools.

-Ryan

 

[bwringer]

I mostly work on motorcycles (I'm not a pro) and I have used the majority of sizes up to 19mm, but after than I pretty much only need 24mm, 27mm and 32mm. It is way more economical for me to buy individual tools in the sizes I need than a complete set of what is mostly a tool box filler.

Same here.

If not used a lot,not worth buying from the tool trucks.I had this with a 12 point 30mm deepwell impact socket for Toyota axle nuts.I wasn't spending $53.00 for one from Snap On.I bought a Grey Pnuematic for under $20.00 which has been used at least 3 times

Yeah, that damn 30mm 12 point... I had to buy it twice because I had to replace an axle far from home once. To be fair, it's one of the very few non-standard fasteners to be found on 'yoders.

Fortunately Toyotas are common as pig tracks, so that special socket is easily available fairly cheep at any auto parts emporium.

 

[MJD1]

Probably more so than 1/4" drive stuff. Hub nuts and driveshaft yoke nuts are huge on big trucks . Hydraulic hose fittings and drain and fill plugs get pretty big on heavy equipment. Fortunately on the large sizes metric is close to SAE sizes so not much need for a lot of larger metric sizes.

 

[niferous]

I own and use a lot of large stuff. On sockets I have up to 2-1/2" and on wrenches I have the same. On metric I have up to 36mm on both. I also have 1" and 3/4" drive stuff to include impacts and torque wrenches.

 

[vette-kid]

Pretty rare, but I have a few large wrenches hanging out there. I seem to recall the reloading press needing a 1-3/4 or maybe 1-11/16. I think I used something over 1” on the suspension on my C3 when I rebuilt that (maybe it was steering??). I haven’t used them in a while, so the cost isn’t worth a full set or high end names. Mine are craftsman, still a little pricey. I would happily have used Pittsburg for them too.


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[RPH]

I have old tractors here, use them quite often. Wrenches and sockets.

 

[king nero]

GJ is not really the place to ask? Got almost everything upto 46mm en 2", most in regular, long, impact and for the smaller ones in both 6 and 12 point

 

[metlmunchr]

Used large tools often in maintaining our fleet of mobile cranes. We've got impact sockets up to 3"+, combination wrenches up to 2 1/4", and 6 point striking wrenches from 2 1/2" up thru 6". The striking wrenches are primarily for use in disassembling hydraulic cylinders. All of those were burned from 1/2 thru 1 1/4" plate on our oxy propylene burning machine. Way too expensive to buy factory made ones when each one might be used once or twice a year at most.

 

[f121]

Working on BMW, Audi and Land Rover it's common to use bigger than 19mm, typically on suspension bolts.

When I started out, I solved the issue by spending $40 on a 6-32mm wrench set, which is still going strong despite a lot of abuse. These days I have up to 24mm in snap on, but don't see the need to replace the Chinese set all the way (and it's great having a roll that can live in the truck). I think the only time I needed bigger than a 32mm wrench was on a steering arm on a vw, and a stilson did the job.

With sockets, I mostly use impact sockets in 1/2", don't have all the sizes but up to 27 is common for suspension and 30, 32 and 36mm are common on fwd axle nuts on euro cars.

 

[bsaint]

-24 fittings are 2" across flats tube nuts. I use that size down to 9/16 everyday almost.

 

[Al Borland]

Too often.
Usually working on 100 year old machines, valves, and flanges with bolts and nuts that have odd (maybe USS, maybe Whitworth, maybe ???) head sizes.

 

[samss]

HVACR
1 1/8" open end for nitrogen tank regulator
1" to 1 1/2" for compressor service valves

Tractors, implements and backhoe get worked on too.
Almost finished rebuilding a stabilizer cylinder for the JD310. Really could of used a spanner.

 

[theundermount]

I work for the city water utility we often use the big stuff regularly

 

[MarvinBerry]

I gotta go the other way and say rarely to never.

Between stage rigging like flying PA systems, carpentry and basic DIY I rarely go over 19 & 3/4. Know I'm covered out to 1" plus with sockets but don't think I've ever touched em?

 

[Mgdoug3]

Largest wrench is 1-1/2. Socket I think is 2-1/4. When all this COVID19 stuff goes away, I need to find some larger wrenches.

 

[Parrothead]

I have a complete set up to 32mm, and socket up to 36mm.

Same here. I’ve got them all too. Every Craftsman Pro USA made combo wrench and the 299pc ultimate socket set.

In a very non Garage Journal manner, I don’t use the bigger sizes, save for an axle nut. The wrenches could stop at 22mm, and the sockets the same. I use vehicle specific impact sockets for my impact.