Metric vs. SAE Std tool use

[JKady]

70% Metric, but there are days those tools don't move too.

I work in an independent transmission shop, so I really never know what's gonna roll in the door next. Last week my major repair orders went something like "Kia, Acura, Late model Ford, 1954 Plymouth, Isuzu". They learned pretty quick that my youth doesn't stop me from knowing my way around old iron and HD truck stuff so I get tossed a lot of the antiques. We also maintain a local towing company fleet so there's a fair bit of mid duty truck work too, they're a pretty good mix of SAE and metric.

 

[transittech]

I work on buses, and do a fair amount of engine work. Engines and transmissions are metric, axles/suspension are 50/50, and chassis is 100% SAE. Home is 98% metric. I voted 50/50.

 

[shoturtle]

I work in Aircraft Maintenance for the USAF and we only have SAE tools for our planes. All Snap-On as well.

At home, all my vehicles are metric.

What gen USAF stuff. NATO is all metric.

 

[Chamkila]

I am1 of 3 sae100%

 

[7.62]

working on heavy trucks its mostly standard but lately i have noticed a lot of metric stuff has been appearing...

Yeah, working on KW and Peterbilt trucks I voted 50/50. There are some odd fastener sizes on the new Paccar MX engines.

 

[lilscorpion]

Old-school chevy rides are all SAE but new-school parts have metric threads. As much as I'd rather only have SAE, Metric "happens" and I have to have enough to survive. Probably 4-1 for me at this point but I currently buy more Metric than I do SAE so the ratio is constantly decreasing.

 

[nnySk]

70% sae on farm equipment. Claas is all metric exept chain and two new tractors are metric.

 

[Chamkila]

What gen USAF stuff. NATO is all metric.

isnt any gen af stuff sae??? i know nato has its own standards, but i am pretty sure the us is still sae? Its been ages since i checked so its just a regular questions

 

[archirelic]

I'm just a DIYer and voted on the 50/50 split. When working on my projects, I find I use SAE the majority of the time, however, when I'm helping out a friend I find that I'm using more metric.

 

[LumpyMusic]

Probably 90% Metric, mostly vehicles.

At some point in my past, I needed a nut and bolt so I bought a box each of 1/4-20. Since then, every time something needs fastening, I use that 1/4-20 format. So now I've got thousands of 1/4-20 nuts and bolts from 3/4" long to 4" long, galvanized, hardened, carriage, acorn, nylock, washer attached, you name it. I have a full set of most everything possible in SAE. But I've got probably 20 different 7/16 wrenches, plus nut drivers, sockets etc to fit that 1/4-20. Any time I see a 7/16 tool, I buy it.

All my woodworking T Track stuff uses 1/4-20.

So 90% metric, 9% 7/16, 1% other SAE.


Lumpy

You were the "OPERATION" game voice?
Yes. Take out wrenched ankle.

www.LumpyMusic.com

 

[Roots]

At home, I'd say I use Metric 90-95% of the time.

At work, I use SAE Std 98% of the time. For whatever reasons, heavy industrial machinery from 80 years ago to today, still tends to be built with SAE Std fasteners and specs. As well as structural fasteners, electrical equipment, etc.

 

[Cheap5.0]

Mostly metric, but Jeeps still have the odd SAE bolt on them. Rear diff covers come to mind.

hardtop bolts are 1/2", hubs are 1 1/4 i believe, caliper bolts are 7/16 or 9/16...Lots of SAE on Jeeps...which is all i have ever worked on, which is probably why im surprised at this topic!

 

[tjmonsen5]

My cars are 100% metric. I only bust out the SAE stuff maybe once a year, when I need to tinker on my lawnmower or work on my jetski trailer.



I hate SAE.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

About a straight split down the middle, both at work and at home. Stuff at work, it normally depends on the market - stuff coming in for EU cert is almost always 100% metric with the random SAE hex or a Torx screw somewhere, and most stuff for US-only cert stays mostly SAE. Almost everything medical we get, regardless of market, is all metric.

At home, one car is a late-90s GM, so it's a ******* mix of both SAE and metric (sometimes both on the same part), commuter car is all metric, and a random enough mix of other vehicles I work on that I need both SAE and metric, plus some XZN stuff for the goofy German-unengineered VWs.

 

[Spyder1gdsm]

What gen USAF stuff. NATO is all metric.

F16s and more recently MQ-9s.

 

[ironfist]

The only metric wrenches or sockets i use are 10 mm and 30 mm everything else is sae

 

[jetmech09]

Working on airplanes, 98% are SAE. 1% is metric (if you work on a hawker/falcon/other british companies, they have an occasional metric bolt) and 1% british standard (some hydraulic lines). With my experience not working on airplanes, I would say about 85% is metric. It is worth it to have a few SAE items around.

 

[MarcSeattle]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread for a question.

This is an interesting thread and shows how there are many different types of mechanical equipment out there. Some industries have converted to metric, others haven't, and forum members proudly repair and improve all the great stuff made by the ingenuity of men & women around the world. I say this because I'm about to ask a question that could be interpreted to mean some criticism of inch measures and I don't mean that.

So here is my question: why do many people refer to inch wrenches and sockets as SAE? The Society of Automotive Engineers officially switched to exclusively metric more than 20 years ago.

"The SAE’s current metric policy is, 'Operating Boards shall not use any weights and measures system other than metric (SI), except when conversion is not practical, or where a conflicting world industry practice exists.' " [link]

So how about "inch" or "fractional" or "what Mr. Harley and Mr. Davidson specified with the Grace of God" (the last is my favorite but the acronym WHDSWGG needs some work).

 

[bobcatdan]

It all depends what I work on. Outside of the engine, Bobcat skidsteers are all SAE. Linde and Cat forklifts are all metric. Older Deere's are SAE, newer or metric. My car and truck are metric. My tractor was built before metric was invented. The ******** '90 Chevy truck that won't leave my shop I had yet to find metric on it. When it comes to tools, if I own it in SAE, I have its metric version too.

 

[t4runner]

70% I still repair machines that use standard sizes but all my cars are metric.

 

[Outlawmws]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread for a question.

This is an interesting thread and shows how there are many different types of mechanical equipment out there. Some industries have converted to metric, others haven't, and forum members proudly repair and improve all the great stuff made by the ingenuity of men & women around the world. I say this because I'm about to ask a question that could be interpreted to mean some criticism of inch measures and I don't mean that.

So here is my question: why do many people refer to inch wrenches and sockets as SAE? The Society of Automotive Engineers officially switched to exclusively metric more than 20 years ago.

"The SAE’s current metric policy is, 'Operating Boards shall not use any weights and measures system other than metric (SI), except when conversion is not practical, or where a conflicting world industry practice exists.' " [link]

So how about "inch" or "fractional" or "what Mr. Harley and Mr. Davidson specified with the Grace of God" (the last is my favorite but the acronym WHDSWGG needs some work).

It is still in use because the SAE standard WAS in inches back then, and then they switched to both before "going metric", but that doesn't change that people, companies and certain industries still follow the outdated SAE standards.

I don't have the latest Machinery's Handbook But I'd bet it still carries the old SAE standards, just as it continued to carry other outdated early standards. People still have to deal with them for redesign, repair, and those that have continued the use, like the aircraft/aerospace industry etc...

 

[slc97sr5]

I voted 50/50 but only because I am an Aircraft Mechanic. Our planes are 100% SAE. Most of my at home projects are related to Toyotas, hence the metric.

 

[Jarhead0408]

90% Metric here.

My selection of metric wrenches/sockets is MUCH larger than my sae tools.

 

[four.cycle]

I have to say 90% SAE, because it's mostly lawnmowers (Briggs & Stratton and Tecumseh.)
Once in a great while I am forced to work on an automobile for lack of other options, in which case I have all kinds of metric wrenches and sockets.

 

[928'er]

I sold the only American car I've ever owned - a 1933 Franklin Olympic Convertible Coupe about 3 years ago, so no more need for SAE tools.

The only countries that haven't adopted the metric system are the good ole US of A, Liberia and Burma - so we're in good company. Blame rests squarely on Ronald Regan for killing Jimmy Carter's mandate for adoption of the metric system in 'Merica.

 

[LHZAWD]

90% metric for me with most of my vehicles ,bikes etc.
when fabricating i'm using bulk sae nuts and bolts though, just built a 85 corvette road race car with a old 355 chevy block - so car is metric and drive train is sae ... pain !

 

[geartow]

Heavy wrecker driver, drivelines are 3/8 1/2 or 12 mm all tweelve points. Air fittings 9/16 ,5/8. Axle nuts 15/16 and 1 1/8, so mostly sae.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I said 50/50

My daily is a Honda, but my work truck is an 87 Chevy. I do maintenance on the family farm, all the equipment is SAE but the newer tractor is Metric. Yard equipment is SAE, rota tiller is MM, etc, etc,

 

[bcradio]

I was under the assumption that SAE means 'Standard American English'.

Which was and still is inches

 

[Outlawmws]

Society of Automotive Engineers

https://www.sae.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_International

 

[bpankratz]

I use lots of SAE, from around the house to RVs, etc. Older boats and cars. A lot of the newer stuff is metric I find though.

 

[martin666]

Harley mechanic specializing in pre 84 bikes and drive a 78 Caddy so im almost 100% SAE. Even so i have full sets of metric wrenches and sockets because, well I'll just admit it, I'm a tool junkie

 

[Finky198]

A funny note, the threads on the bottom of cameras to bolt them to tripods are apparently Whitworth. Not a lot left in that system, though it does crop up in places from time to time.

Most cameras of today's era would most likely use 1/4-20 unc not sure where you heard that about withworth. They even use 3/8-16 unc for big cameras and pro video

 

[stevenhs]

I voted 50/50 but only because I am an Aircraft Mechanic. Our planes are 100% SAE. Most of my at home projects are related to Toyotas, hence the metric.

Im curious are all boeing aircrafts SAE and airbus all metric?

 

[stevenhs]

In new ford vehicles, majority is metric.

 

[Exceller8]

Who cares, I got these today for $20 at the swap meet:

 

[chris142]

I do auto repair. Being on the west coast i still get lots of older cars and trucks.im guessing 70%metric,30% sae.

 

[four.cycle]

Most cameras of today's era would most likely use 1/4-20

... because all tripods have always been 1/4-20

so they'll keep making cameras with 1/4-20 tripod mounting threads forever, probably.

 

[christopher7390]

Majority of my tools are metric but I do have SAE, I like to be prepared..somewhat.

 

[Farmall450]

I voted 70% SAE.

Scott

So did I.