Skipped Size Rant

[bushmechanic]

It's spelled Canada, eh. My inlaws on the prairies use eh a lot. I grew up on the coast where it was almost never used.

That's not how you spell Canadia.

Keep making that sparkling water, though. I love that stuff.

 

[sk farmer]

Certainly Not a stubby wrench, but 30mm is super common on machinery, it's the head size for 20mm bolts and nuts. Though guys on this site say they have found 32mm, I haven't.

used 32mm today. rear wheel dual hubs on my nh t6070 tractor. i started with 3/4 impact. moved to chrome on an xl long 1/2 breaker but had to bust out the 1 inch earthquake on the last couple tough ones.

 

[hangfirew8]

I just did the brakes on the wife's Dodge Caliber. 19mm for the lug nuts and then 18mm for the caliper bracket bolts. Who the heck made that decision?

Decision? You are assuming some thinking went into US car maker production choices, at least some thinking that goes beyond their costs?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I own two Toyotas and a Ford truck: 2002 Camry, 2010 Corolla, 2009 Ranger.

Sizes I use (in mm): 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19 and 20-21 for lugnuts.
Sizes never used: 9, 11, 16, 18.

Just wondering if that's typical for American & Japanese vehicles, or is it more specific to the make/models that I own. Thanks.

You own a Ford but don’t use 16 or 18? Those are sizes I find on my Ford all the time especially for drain plugs and brake caliper bolts. On my Toyota I just put new struts on it the bolts that come from the old ones were 17mm the new bolts were 16mm first time I’ve ever used that size on an import and the ball joint bolts are 18 on my Toyota as well but they have been replaced too used to be a 17. The 9 and 11 I use on my dads Frieghtliner and on old American cars. Usually when working on the Frieghtliner though I use 7/16 or 11/32 in place of those since the truck is SAE bolts and fasteners. I’ve used 20mm on Ford suspension bolts a lot too. The only socket or wrench size I own that I’ve never used is 11/16. Toyota I use those sizes that you listed. Maybe it’s the model of Ford you have my Ford has a lot of SAE on it like 3/8 and 9/16.


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[Downwindtracker 2]

That 11/16 is for 7/16 bolts, a rather odd one. a 5/8" bolt head and s 11/16" nut. I'm going from memory, I've only run across a few times, less than a hand full times in my life. 9/16 is bit more common, leaf spring bolts on trailers. Again an odd bolt, 13/16" and 7/8"

 

[BigBoreFan]

European Motorcycles, 6, 8, 10, 13, 21, 22, 24, 27, 30, 32.

Japaneses Motorcycles, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, 24, 27, 30, 32.

I use 15mm on bicycles. 18mm on installing a trailer hitch on a Dodge maybe?

I have full sets of most of my tools, but my collection is pretty modest right now. My ratcheting wrenches, Chinese Craftsman do have skips, but I have the sizes I use covered. I've bought a lot of new tools the last two years. I'm barley a DIYer, so I haven't pulled the trigger on any nice ratcheting wrenches so far. I sometimes lust for the SK X-Frames, but I don't really need them.

I haven't used a 9mm or an 11 in forever it seems.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

That 11/16 is for 7/16 bolts, a rather odd one. a 5/8" bolt head and s 11/16" nut. I'm going from memory, I've only run across a few times, less than a hand full times in my life. 9/16 is bit more common, leaf spring bolts on trailers. Again an odd bolt, 13/16" and 7/8"

I agree it is odd. I use 13/16 and 7/8 a lot especially the 7/8 since I don’t have a 22mm impact socket only a 7/8 one so I use it as a substitute for 22 when I need to use impact. Yeah I use 9/16 a lot on my mowers and my old Ford.


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