Why do wrench sets have missing sizes?!
- Thread starter Mike83
- Start date
vettex2
Banned
No it won't vettex2
Banned
Or swapped out the blinker fluid reservoir
You could buy the full polish 18pc 7-24mm from Wright for $232 on Amazon... and they are beautiful.
Last edited:
geartow
Well-known member
it is used on gm inline fuel filters i own a 20 mm line wrench for them
derosa
Well-known member
It had to do with a shortage of the muffler bearings at that time requiring them to be imported from Japan who was only producing them in metric.
Strouty
Well-known member
chris142
Well-known member
Gm oil cooler lines. I use my 20mm daily.
I believe spark plug threads on my 1947 Farmall H are metric. Also, there were no metric bolts used on old things but because of wear, rust, bad manufacturing tolerances , etc. sometimes a metric wrench will just fit tighter.
Alchymist
Well-known member
1927 Carynone with the straight 8 had a lot of fasteners with a 11mm hex head on a bolt threaded 1/2" Whitworth with a 21/32" square nut.
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Is that guy is still waiting for his Studebaker?
Think of deleted sizes in a wrench set as options.. You could buy the options; as desired. --hopefully.
Wonder if that Studebaker had optional power steering and automatic transmission?
Think of deleted sizes in a wrench set as options.. You could buy the options; as desired. --hopefully.
Wonder if that Studebaker had optional power steering and automatic transmission?
PBCampbell
Well-known member
I think someone maybe is yanking some chains with this post. On another note I'm still trying to figure out where I lost a 23mm combination wrench. I'm sure I had one, but can't recall ever running into that fastner size.
Attachments
WWheeler
Well-known member
I've used my 5.5 mm sockets a lot. Just off the top of my head it gets used a lot for hose clamps, coil packs, & body & trim.
X2. 5.5mm gets used a ton in car dashboard screws as well as the plastic covers you have to remove to change the oil on most cars nowadays.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
chris142
Well-known member
Dodge truck lugnuts are 23mm.
I think someone maybe is yanking some chains with this post. On another note I'm still trying to figure out where I lost a 23mm combination wrench. I'm sure I had one, but can't recall ever running into that fastner size.
derosa
Well-known member
that and 23mm are 2 sizes i've never used but have, have used 4.5mm hex on old italian bicycle parts.
jerseykat1
Well-known member
This frustrates me as well!
californiaHank
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2015
- Messages
- 487
I guess I'm weird ...
I bought a 5.5 mm socket to add to a set that was missing it.
The 5.5 fits M3 hex nuts and hex bolts - common on small electronics stuff.
If you've got both SAE and metric sockets in your tool box, 7/32" is amost exactly 5.5 mm, so you don't really need it.
You usually see 5.5 sockets in European metric sets, but some American sets skip them because they assume you've already got a 7/32".
wvrailroader
Well-known member
My Ford F-350 company truck uses needs a 5.5mm socket to take the trim off around the headlight to change the headlight bulb. Glad my Gearwrench set included that size.
Sometimes with a tool brand you need to widen the field of vision..
Pretul sets I have skip 16-17mm but carry the 5/8" and 11/16" so if I have both sets no skip. They were arranged before 18mm was a factor so a skip and no SAE to step in but no big deal. I added an old 18-21mm from loose stocks and then 20-22mm to kick the set up to 7/8" . And it packs small.
Those with severe OCD need not apply but I get work done with good quality cheap India made wrenches daily. Subbing between standards and all the tricks that work.
At home are better wrenches with full range to 22mm but the cost of loss (a real factor for me) is much greater.
They do the same jobs equally well, nothing to complain about.
Pretul sets I have skip 16-17mm but carry the 5/8" and 11/16" so if I have both sets no skip. They were arranged before 18mm was a factor so a skip and no SAE to step in but no big deal. I added an old 18-21mm from loose stocks and then 20-22mm to kick the set up to 7/8" . And it packs small.
Those with severe OCD need not apply but I get work done with good quality cheap India made wrenches daily. Subbing between standards and all the tricks that work.
At home are better wrenches with full range to 22mm but the cost of loss (a real factor for me) is much greater.
They do the same jobs equally well, nothing to complain about.
I have a set of Mac wrenches that came with a 23mm, in over twenty years it has never been used. If anyone would like to purchase it to fill in a set please let me know, as it is too small to be used as a doorstop and I don't need anymore paperweights.
Dtech494
Member
The 5/8 is equivalent of 16mm.
The 20mm is used on 90's gm gas filter.
Also on 200's oil cooler lines.
The 23mm that is talked about fits some tie rod end nuts.
I used the 23 mm today on a 2006 Dodge charger tie rod lock nut.
It has 23mm on the replacement tie rod it was originally 24mm.
There is a 26mm suppose to be used on some euro applications or large lines.
I think they skip uncommon sizes to reduce the cost of the set.
As you've likely noticed that when you buy that one wrench it costs quite a bit compared to the set cost too. Unfortunately for us.
The 20mm is used on 90's gm gas filter.
Also on 200's oil cooler lines.
The 23mm that is talked about fits some tie rod end nuts.
I used the 23 mm today on a 2006 Dodge charger tie rod lock nut.
It has 23mm on the replacement tie rod it was originally 24mm.
There is a 26mm suppose to be used on some euro applications or large lines.
I think they skip uncommon sizes to reduce the cost of the set.
As you've likely noticed that when you buy that one wrench it costs quite a bit compared to the set cost too. Unfortunately for us.
MikeF2316
Well-known member
I used my 23 mm wrench on a nut on the driveshaft of a '67 Peugeot 404. And my 5.5 mm socket to change the heater motor in a relatively new Buick. And for the longest time, the only place I used my 16mm wrench was on the nut on the fender on Volvo power antennas. But in the last few years bolts that used to have 17 mm hex now have 16.
WWheeler
Well-known member
You could always turn that unused wrench into something useful.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dOHHMtYr2KE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
That was with an 11mm. Just think what you could do with a 23mm.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dOHHMtYr2KE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
That was with an 11mm. Just think what you could do with a 23mm.
jerseykat1
Well-known member
Why is it that so many wrench sets are intentionally missing some size(s)?I need 16mm and 20mm! Anyone else agree with me?
population control. They want to make your blood pressure rise when you find out that you don't have an 11mm and that's the only size you need for the job that's got you stranded on the side of the road.
If any tool company leaves out a 10mm they should just go out of business immediately.
jerseykat1
Well-known member
haaa he is the reason tool companies leave out the 11mm he uses them to go fishing..
wafrederick
Well-known member
This includes 18mm and 15mm too left out.1 3/16" sometimes in the SAE sets and Craftsman does not sell this wrench size
Ironically today I found out I needed two 16mm wrenches to remove fuel filter connectors. Even more difficult is that they should be flare nut wrenches or crows foot. So yes 16mm are used and when i look at my tools I have a 20mm wrench which is not part of any set and I can see I have used it many times!
jimmyfingers
New member
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2022
- Messages
- 1
Anybody remember Metrinch?
If it is a brand new SK 20mm stubby, it was from an SK giveaway a few years ago. I have never used mine. A lot of people on GJ got in on that giveaway... and have an SK 20mm stubby that they are unlikely to ever use.
WWheeler
Well-known member
lol, the thread that never dies. I somehow stumbled upon it and apparently not noticing how old it was revived it after it laid dormant for 9 years, and that was 5 years ago. Now 5 years later it's brought back to life once again.
FWIW Gearwrench makes a pretty nice 44pc SAE/Metric long pattern 12 pt and 28 pc std length SAE/Metric 6 pt sets of wrenches with no skipped sizes IIRC. I bought both 6 or so years ago for my work box, partly because the price was really good for comprehensive sets that size but mostly was just trying to avoid having anything nicer around the crew of sticky-fingered rogues I'm stuck bringing my tools around every day (anything co-worker owned from a pro brand like Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Cornwell, etc in the building tend to grow legs), and they've held up perfectly so far. I somehow haven't even managed to lose one yet.
FWIW Gearwrench makes a pretty nice 44pc SAE/Metric long pattern 12 pt and 28 pc std length SAE/Metric 6 pt sets of wrenches with no skipped sizes IIRC. I bought both 6 or so years ago for my work box, partly because the price was really good for comprehensive sets that size but mostly was just trying to avoid having anything nicer around the crew of sticky-fingered rogues I'm stuck bringing my tools around every day (anything co-worker owned from a pro brand like Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Cornwell, etc in the building tend to grow legs), and they've held up perfectly so far. I somehow haven't even managed to lose one yet.
bubinga
Well-known member
16 and 18 are often skipped. Makes me mad too, as they are needed, I didn't think 20mm was often used, what are you needing a 20mm for?Why is it that so many wrench sets are intentionally missing some size(s)?
bubinga
Well-known member
Still a good relevant thread.14 year old thread
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
Especially when dealing with the canuter valve on a late 1940-early 1946 Maybach Mercedes T34 powertrain - you end up using all the necessary 1/2 mm sizes for that beast...
msharley
Well-known member
Even the 10mm?lol, the thread that never dies. I somehow stumbled upon it and apparently not noticing how old it was revived it after it laid dormant for 9 years, and that was 5 years ago. Now 5 years later it's brought back to life once again.
FWIW Gearwrench makes a pretty nice 44pc SAE/Metric long pattern 12 pt and 28 pc std length SAE/Metric 6 pt sets of wrenches with no skipped sizes IIRC. I bought both 6 or so years ago for my work box, partly because the price was really good for comprehensive sets that size but mostly was just trying to avoid having anything nicer around the crew of sticky-fingered rogues I'm stuck bringing my tools around every day (anything co-worker owned from a pro brand like Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Cornwell, etc in the building tend to grow legs), and they've held up perfectly so far. I somehow haven't even managed to lose one yet.