Just bought another socket set. (can never have too many tools.)

It came with 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19mm.

I cannot think of a time where I encountered a 7, 9, 11, or 16mm bolt. The only time I remember a 13mm was when I bought an aftermarket bolt to replace a factory and it came with an oddball 13mm head, when the original was a 14mm. The only time I've encountered a 15mm bolt was when working on a fluid pump doing HVAC work.

Where are people encountering these oddball sizes to motivate a tool company to offer them in their sets? When working on Jap cars, seems like 90% are 10, 12, 14, 17, 19 and 21.

It is so they can sell you something you do not need therefore adding cost to the set and increasing their revenue and margins. It is as simple as that.

That's odd

I was just curious if there was some machine, or industry that commonly uses these sized sockets? I bet I have sockets that have never been used in 30 years. They just came as part of a set.

If they wanted to replicate reality they'd have four 10mm sockets in a set as replacements for the ones you always lose.


"When working on Jap cars, seems like 90% are 10, 12, 14, 17, 19 and 21." Japanese motorcycles as well. They need to include a 21mm in each set so you don't have to go out and buy just that one socket.

I had to buy some of those - in 7,8, 9 in wrenches at least- for working on ATVs, snow blowers, snow machines. Honda, Yamaha, Arctic Cat, Kawasaki, Home Depot (China snow blower).

I had to pull the dog chewed 2nd and 3rd row seatbelts out of my wife's Expedition to have them rewebbed (I hope I can figure how to re-install! . ) .

Yep- out of all the bolts I had to take out, one - repeat one- was metric head. 8 IIRC. WTF?

I've used the 11 in one of my sets a couple of times. Not sure I've ever found a need for a 7mm one, but there's always a first time.

11 is almost same size as 7/16”. Inter cooler clamps on Ford 7.3. 12mm 12 point driveshaft bolts 99-06 Ford F-250 and 350. 13 and 15 pretty common on just about anything Ford. My favorite is a 5.5mm. A lot of interior bolts are 5.5. One socket you don’t want to lose. 7mm also interior bolts. As you can tell I mainly work on Fords. My favorite is the late 80s early 90s where they used half standard half metric. That will make you cuss like a sailor.

I work on printing equipment. The Japanese, and Germans use that 7mm , and 5.5. I come across them from time . The 13 is real common.

I use them all on various equipment that comes from Germany and all of the other countries that use the metric system.
Press plant and other equipment in the car plants
Processing,filling and packaging equipment in the food plants
Just to name a few
Not to mention all of the metric stuff at home

Have used them all. Have had at least 3 vehicles that the oil plug was 15. 16 is a size that pops up on car A/C and other accessories.

I also work on equipment from Italy . 5.5 , 10, and 13 MM very common.

Seems like 13 and 15 are pretty common on American brands of cars. Toyota is mostly even numbers. I was recently working on a Toyota and needed a 12mm impact socket. I had two cheap sets and neither one had a 12. Had to go out and buy one.

5.5 is an odd one. Couple of years ago I was working on a piece of German electronic gear. Nothing I had would fit. Had to buy a whole set of nut drivers to get the 5.5mm. Don't think I have used it since.


Jerry

Metric is a perfect example of the lgbtq movement insinuating itself into engineering schools. Send your 6 ft tall son to college for four years, get back a 182.88 cm person confused about his plumbing.

They ought to put 2 or 3 10mm sockets in a set.

I do think the drain plug on one of my ATV's is a 20mm or a 22mm, I cannot remember and it was only two weeks ago when I changed the oil. It is tough getting old.

I’ve encountered them all. Better to have and not need than need and not have.

I’m surprised you find the 13mm a rare encounter. 13 is the equivalent to a 1/2” and 14 is equivalent to the 9/16”.

Metric. The entire system is odd.

21 is usually 1/2” drive category.

I use the 13 as an interchange with 1/2 inch. Either works in any application I have tried. For that 5.5 mm try a six point 7/32"

Bought four sets at Sears about 7-8 years ago metric & standard , standard depth & deep well , measured the inside diameter with my RCBS Dial Caliper - all are too big- loose on nut/bolt heads compared to the Sears set I bought back in the 80's .

!6mm is quite common on european and american vehicles, not japanese, 9 and 11 less so but I've encountered both. I don't recall ever using a 7mm socket but I rarely work on electronics where it may be used.

It's probably just a coincidence, but Sears is just about gone.

What sizes do you find on a Ruckus?

Mostly 12.

Wait until you run into some Whitworth sockets.

The oil drain plug on my JL Wrangler is 13mm. Have used all sizes of sockets you mentioned in the last couple of years. My gripe is the USA should totally switch to the metric system in 1970.

Interesting input, thanks. I rarely use SAE sockets. All my cars are Jap at the moment. I bought this set because I wanted 6 point sockets, they are considered impact.

I've heard of the 5.5, always wondered what it was for. Thanks

Wait until you have swollen (lug) nuts!
Then you buy sockets in 1/2mm sizes!

I
I'd guess that 5.5mm was to interchange with 7/32".

Model A Ford used among other common sizes the 19/32" and 21/32". How do I know? As a kid, helped the old man restore Model A's: "Gimme the blankety-blank 19/32" socket!". I miss him and those days.

I don’t think the Big Three have used SAE in a long, long, time.

Interesting, as I've got a few old wrenches from my old man who got them from who knows where back in the Olden Days that are those sizes. Not sockets, but open end ones.

That's interesting! I have a couple of those sockets and always wondered what they would fit.

Considering they're built in Mexico, probably not 😀

I've used all those sizes.

I have a couple hundred sockets in my pickup toolbox.

1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4" drive, SAE, metric, standard, deep well, impact, etc..

Gotta have 'em!

try having some whitworths show up in your tool box. i never even heard of them until i saw these. no idea where i got them. probably in boxes of other schit i scrounged somewhere.

My father in law had square socckets, we borrowed to take out the old little Giant chain elevator, also two Bebe ratchet hoists.

I use all that chit all the time

9mm are some battery post bolts and a few ujoint yoke

11?? Gmafb that is 7/16.

16 and 18mm are the ones I have to dump the box out and hunt for. Some oil drain plugs and caliper brackets.

7mm is a common bolt size around dash work and car interiors, audio installs, some muzzleloader nipples too


Too bad Harbor Freight doesnt sell a whole stick of 10 or 12 millimeter sockets


14 is a little tight on some 9/16 applications. Some

13mm that’s close to 1/2” everybody know dat, interchange often

Has anyone’s grandma gave you any of those Gator Grip sockets ? Or those bob vila pliers ?

Lol

Boomers exclude yourself yall gram maw been deddt for 60 years

My kia front diff has 24 drain and 23 filler

16 is some spark plugs. You think an extra in between is irritating, wait until you need it and dont have it

7mm for ford 4.6 coil on plugs.

LOL

Give me a minute here...

Damn it, couldn't find it.

7.0358

1” doesn’t need to be in the set

I have the Bob Vila pliers...They were a gift. I actually use them sometimes, they kind of work. "Robogrip"

I was looking for the deep well, 3/8" drive socket that works on anything...


Bunch of little spring loaded rods. It must be out at the farm. Tried using it once as a joke on my dad.

TFF

Always thought those sockets were good for stripping bolts, but never tried one.

Who da fugk make some legit needle nose these days without having to hijack a Snap-On truck?

Fook!

I have a Robo Grip!



X-mas gift 25 years ago.

Robo-Grip is legit brah!

What do you call a metric cookie?

A gram cracker.

Just went and looked.



Last 3 needle nose I bought.

Knipex, Channellock, Klein.

Knipex has most even tips.
(ordered so I couldn't cherry pick)

Klein was really uneven.



Adjustable wrenches for the win....lol

I use the odd size sockets when bolt heads are rusted out or stripped. I pound them on the bolt and most of the time I get lucky.

Thanks, Samola.

Sure thing man.

Forgot to mention that I really like Channellock pliers.

Awesome fencing pliers.

Their adjustable wrenches are also nice.

My set has 2MM,3MM,4MM,4 .5MM ,5MM,5,5MM,6 ,6.5MM,7,8,9,10,11.12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,&30MM sockets.

What does a 23/32" equate to, in metric?

18 or 19?

The ‘20s.

23÷32 = .72

.72 x 26.2 = 18.8mm

Going by memory..

18.2563

It's an oversize 18mm that is hammer fit.

Calculator memory?

Conversion chart.

I've used 7, 9 & 11 on my older Mercedes. I cannot recall if I've used a 16, but I think I have.

Every 1/2" drive S.A.E. socket set has a 1" socket. There is no S.A.E. nut or bolt in creation that it fits.

But don't toss it. It'll fit some flatted shafts and occasionally the end of a gear puller, or some such...

I work on airplanes, rare to need metric. Plane power alternators use 10mm and 17mm, rare to need any other size.
I keep a 10, 12, 13,14,17 in my box for the cats and such that break down and block the way.
I use 21mm 21½ and 22mm on lug nuts

The oil drain plug on my old 84 Volvo wagon, was a 1 inch nut. It was made in Canada.

guess that is a 38mm socket in metric.

38mm is inch and a half-ish

1 inch is 25.4mm, not 26.2 so 18.3mm

I used to work at the Ford house here in the 80s...
All the screws you could access outside the dash bezel were 5.5mm and 7mm metric....... once inside, they were all 1/4" standard...... lol
Ford did a bunch of that sort of thing.......

8mm is approximately 5/16
11mm is approximately 7/16
13mm is slightly over a half
14 is slightly under a 9/16
17 is approximately 11/16
19mm is approximately 3/4

I was wrenching on a Polaris a few months back and it had them all over.

Haha, where did I come up with 26.2? Must be thinking marathon 😀. I actually knew it was 25.4. Not sure why I typed that. 🤔

Ps...I'm no marathon runner 🤣

I have some old Wizard sockets from Western Auto

9mm is the valve adjustment size on most EZGO golf carts.

13mm is used on the KTM family of motorcycles everywhere a Japanese motorcycle uses 12mm.

I was helping a guy change a flat on a horse trailer. He had those stupid cladded lug nuts and he spun one of the caps off. That lug nut without the cladding is 18mm. Guess who had an 18mm to save the day?

I'm pretty sure that Crappy Hamster has a story where he was dumped out of a moving vehicle and when he got up he found in the ditch next to him an empty tissue box filled to the brim with 10mm sockets, or something like that. Man, what are the odds?

I use 1" a lot, aircraft oil filters are 1" drive, all the drain plugs on a Beaver are 1".
Lots of hose fittings are 1"

My father in law was a crack mechanic, and careful with tools, but he'd use sockets with his press to push out shafts.

I can never remember which is SAE and which is metric.
Back to the OP - I've enountered 13 and 15's quite often. Some of those others, not so much.