unpopular wrench sizes

[sierradmax]

How critical are the following wrench sizes needed in your toolbox?:

metric: 7, 9,11,16,17,19, 23, 26
SAE: 1/4", 11/32", 11/16", 13/16", 7/8"

Seems like most master sets exclude these wrench sizes and, well, I'm missing them. I've gotten by without having the need for them but thought I'd spend some $$ and order the missing sizes so in the event I need them, I have them.

 

[bimmer630]

Ive only used 7-9 for brake bleeder screws. Mainly on Euro stuff. 11 also on bleeders but also on brake lines

17-19 is common on older german stuff, and then somewhere in the late 90s they seemed to switch to all 16-18mm stuff in their place.

Ive never seen a 23 or 26mm anything

Not really sure on the Sae stuff these days

 

[rijndael]

For me, 17mm is critical. I have a Honda, the oil drain bolt is 17mm.

 

[Htscheg]

17mm is used on harley vrods

 

[sierradmax]

17mm is used on harley vrods

well then I better get one to work on my VRSCF!

 

[kjbenner]

17mm and 19mm are common on anything Japanese.

I use all those SAE sizes, but not on anything automotive.

 

[MShaw]

The 11/16 fits the heavy pattern 3/8" bolts used on Massey Ferguson tractors in the 1960s

 

[American Locomotive]

I used a 9mm wrench for the first time the other day, but I think you can go without it for the most part.

11mm is a DIN standard for certain bolt heads, and it shows up on German machinery occasionally. Never have seen it on anything else though.

16mm is an ANSI/ISO standard for 10mm diameter bolts. So if you get a metric bolt from an American hardware store, it will have a 16mm head

19mm is an extremely common metric size, and pretty much anything from Europe will use it. It cheats about perfectly with 3/4" though.

13/16" and 7/8" are also pretty popular sizes for lots of SAE/American built stuff. I've seen 1/4" sheet metal screws before as well. I don't recall using 11/32" or 11/16" frequently though.

 

[nh_yota]

17mm and 19mm are used on Toyota brake caliper bolts and suspension bolts, among other things.

 

[Mugen AP1]

11/16, 13/16, 7/8 are very common on hydraulic fittings and hoses

 

[Gmonkee]

Take a job in any indy shop anywhere and you will find need of full range.

Harry Homeowner even with a garage chock full of toys will still be limited in what he needs to keep them going. Go where people bring their broken toys to get fixed and instead of 20 things you will see 1000 with every conceivable cobble anyone could invent.

 

[HenryAZ]

19mm is virtually interchangeable with 3/4" (.75" = 19.05mm). But I have full metric sets for Toyotas. 17mm and 19mm are essential.

For SAE, I regularly use all the sizes you listed except 13/16".

 

[65k10]

I have an 8-9 year old Case IH Farmall 80 that was built in Turkey that seems to follow DIN, so 17 and 19 are used along with 11mm for grease fittings. There's also a few Japanese ATV's kicking around the ranch that have 17mm fasteners.

On farm equipment 11/16 and 7/8 come up at times and 1/4 sees some use. I cannot recall needing 11/32 and 13/16 is pretty rare.

 

[snickers muncher]

There's several 17 and 19 on my toyota. My father has a 88 nissan that uses 7mm a good bit and it's also on one of his buicks. I've only used 11mm once on a chiropractor's lift table.

11/32 shows up in electrical work, but that's more nut driver territory. The last SAE wrench I used was 7/8 doing some plumbing.

 

[toolmutt]

The only sizes on your list that I've not used are 23 and 26.

 

[dr_clyde]

I don't know what "master sets" you are buying that exclude those sizes, but every wrench set I've ever bought has had most if not all of these sizes, with the possible exception of 23 and 26. I can't recall using those, but I don't use metric near as much as SAE.

I try to own as many sizes of wrench and socket that are available, withing reason. If its a fastener somewhere, I'd like to be able to turn it. I run into all kinds of weird ****. Obviously, I don't have any massively huge sockets, mostly due to cost.

 

[Tallpilot]

I don't know what "master sets" you are buying that exclude those sizes, but every wrench set I've ever bought has had most if not all of these sizes, with the possible exception of 23 and 26. I can't recall using those, but I don't use metric near as much as SAE.

I try to own as many sizes of wrench and socket that are available, withing reason. If its a fastener somewhere, I'd like to be able to turn it. I run into all kinds of weird ****. Obviously, I don't have any massively huge sockets, mostly due to cost.

I agree. I’ve seen a few sets that exclude 11/32 but never any of the 16ths. Smaller sets will stop at 3/4 to keep the cost down but I’d hardly call that a master set. Tekton has a set that includes both 9/32 and 11/32.

Same cost cutting with metric many sets are 10-19 or 8-19 but any set that doesn’t have 17 or 19 is a skip set not a master set. I find sets that skip sizes maddening.

 

[ItsNemo]

8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21 are my most common for metric.

 

[Firebrick43]

Of all the sizes listed only 23 and 26 I don't use regularly. All the sae sizes are common, 11/16-13/16-7/8 in jic hydraulics. 11/32 on grease *******.

 

[Tallpilot]

23mm on some US domestic suspension parts like lower control arms but a socket probably works better than a wrench. That is interesting though because it is a size many sets skip.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

7/16 bolts are 5/8 but the nut is usually 11/16. That's a pretty well used wrench of mine.

9/16 fasteners have a 13/16 head, that's kind of an unusual size though. I've seen it many times on aftermarket suspension parts.

The only ones in the list I don't recall using or even owning are then 23 and 26. 21,22,24 and 27 are all sizes that I've used a lot.

Older sets also included 19/32 but I've never seen a place to use it. 11/32 is common on machine thread nuts and small compression fittings.

 

[joe_padavano]

I remain amazed every time I see one of these threads here. What, exactly, are you people working on? I use every single one of the wrenches and sockets I have. I've got over a dozen GM vehicles from the 50s to the 90s. 11/16 and 13/16 are VERY common in suspension fasteners. 1/4" is used all the time in interior fasteners (try taking the dash apart without one). Most of my stuff is pre-metric, so I have less use for those, but I still have a full set. I guess the folks asking these questions just aren't doing much wrenching.

 

[Firebrick43]

7/16 bolts are 5/8 but the nut is usually 11/16. That's a pretty well used wrench of mine.

9/16 fasteners have a 13/16 head, that's kind of an unusual size though. I've seen it many times on aftermarket suspension parts.

The only ones in the list I don't recall using or even owning are then 23 and 26. 21,22,24 and 27 are all sizes that I've used a lot.

Older sets also included 19/32 but I've never seen a place to use it. 11/32 is common on machine thread nuts and small compression fittings.

19/32 and 21/32 are used on model t/a fords and I believe flat head v8's. Even later FE fords used 19/32 on rod bolts.

 

[sierradmax]

I remain amazed every time I see one of these threads here. What, exactly, are you people working on? I use every single one of the wrenches and sockets I have. I've got over a dozen GM vehicles from the 50s to the 90s. 11/16 and 13/16 are VERY common in suspension fasteners. 1/4" is used all the time in interior fasteners (try taking the dash apart without one). Most of my stuff is pre-metric, so I have less use for those, but I still have a full set. I guess the folks asking these questions just aren't doing much wrenching.

OK.... back to the original question. How often would you pick up a wrench vs. a socket & ratchet for these fasteners?

 

[Wamsutta]

I've ran into all those sizes except for the 9, 23, and 26.

 

[moon_tanner]

metric: 7, 9,11,16,17,19, 23, 26
SAE: 1/4", 11/32", 11/16", 13/16", 7/8"

7mm: grease nut on tierod-ends
9mm: brakebleader screw on 2006 Chevy 2500
11mm: Lots of interior parts
16mm: Common for serpentine belt auto-tensioner
17mm: Oil drain bolt on 2009 Jeep Patriot
19mm: Lots of transmission pieces

23/26: Don't own them but want them.
1/4" Interior parts
11/32" never used by I have it
11/16" never used but I have it
13/16" Lawnmower blade nut
7/8" I haven't used it recently

 

[bobcatdan]

7 for ford dash screws. 7 and 9 mm metric grease zerks. 11mm is pretty odd. 16mm is pretty common drain plug. 17mm is standard head size for 10mm bolts. 23 and 26 are pretty odd for me. 1/4", small hose clamps. 11/32 points and condensers on stuff. 11/16" is most replacement #6 hydraulic fitting. 13/16" is pretty #8 replacement and 7/8" is factory #8 hydraulic fittings.

 

[CR888]

15mm is a size I've yet to need but 17 & 19 are pretty essential, I wouldn't own a set without them. I don't mind a set not having EVERY size, many sets skip 15mm.

 

[Mgdoug3]

Gooseneck brand trailers use 13/16 for the lug nuts. It's 1/2 fine thread.

 

[Ign]

I remain amazed every time I see one of these threads here. What, exactly, are you people working on? I use every single one of the wrenches and sockets I have. I've got over a dozen GM vehicles from the 50s to the 90s. 11/16 and 13/16 are VERY common in suspension fasteners. 1/4" is used all the time in interior fasteners (try taking the dash apart without one). Most of my stuff is pre-metric, so I have less use for those, but I still have a full set. I guess the folks asking these questions just aren't doing much wrenching.

This. Some people seem awfully sheltered.

7mm - try taking apart a newer Ford or GM dash without it

11mm: very common although I'm not thinking of applications right now

17 and 19mm - you're joking, right???

11/32: common in electrical work on 8-32 screws or studs

11/16 - again, I hope you're joking. EVERY standard 7/16" fastener is 5/8 on the bolt head, 11/16 on the nut

13/16 - someone said this is not common. Wow, that must be a joke! This is 1/2" heavy hex and there's a reason EVERY flip socket on the planet has it. Try changing a tire on your 5 lug car hauler. Also 1/2" aftermarket u-bolts bent up for you at any spring shop.

7/8 - as noted, 9/16" fasteners which, BTW, are not that uncommon edit: heavy hex, u-bolts bent up for you at any spring shop. Also this is HEAVY HEAVY 1/2" hex. Try assembling any "Bridgeport" toe clamp set without 7/8". I keep several 7/8"s at both my mills for this reason.

There's a whole scary world out there....

 

[Ign]

7 for ford dash screws. 7 and 9 mm metric grease zerks. 11mm is pretty odd. 16mm is pretty common drain plug. 17mm is standard head size for 10mm bolts. 23 and 26 are pretty odd for me. 1/4", small hose clamps. 11/32 points and condensers on stuff. 11/16" is most replacement #6 hydraulic fitting. 13/16" is pretty #8 replacement and 7/8" is factory #8 hydraulic fittings.

I've used 11mm to remove the hold down nut for the speedo gear bracket in BW1356's....but I wonder if it wasn't supposed to be 7/16....

 

[jd_1138]

I'd definitely complete your sets and get all the sizes even if it means getting them in a cheaper brand. May need that one size some day, and you don't want to have to stop in the middle of a project to go buy a tool(s).

 

[Ign]

OK.... back to the original question. How often would you pick up a wrench vs. a socket & ratchet for these fasteners?

Impossible to answer, depends on application. In many suspension instances you're dealing w a thru-bolt and quite often the foreign stuff likes to use the same size on both bolt head and nut....so you'd presumably put a wrench on one side and socket on the other, unless space constraints preclude this then for me it's wrench and ratcheting wrench.

Then there's the 90's Ford stuff that loved 18mm on the bolt head and 21mm on the nut. Seems the other combo was 15/17mm? I think? It's been a while since I dropped a TTB front end

 

[theoldwizard1]

I think I actually have an 11/32" (8.7mm ?) socket in my 1/4" set. Never used it.

I seem to recall that some things on Ford vehicle in the 80s/90s used 5.5mm (7/32") ?

 

[Holmesx10]

17mm is often used on Japanese forklifts mainly Toyota’s for me. And 11/16 and up are commonly used for hydraulic fittings.

 

[Ign]

This 7/8" lives right here w my toe clamps (1/2-13). I use it almost every day. Literally. Incidentally, the "cross force" design is really nice for this application..

 

[ChrisLS8]

17 is all over Suspension bolts on Nissans

 

[leg17]

As you can see, it all depends on what you are working on.

 

[GerMec]

Japanese/ Old german stuff uses 17/19mm. 15mm is for bicycle pedals. But I can not remember to have ever used a 20mm wrench

 

[Mridolfo]

I've used 23mm wrench on my 2004 Mazda 6 manual transmission filler bolt