Why is it that all the nicely packaged mechanic's sets with the form fitted cases are dual SAE/metric?? I guess there's still SAE stuff around, but I haven't put a wrench to one in decades, literally. I like the cased sets for carrying in my car and maybe even for garage use, but damned if I'm going to buy and lug around twice the number of sockets and wrenches I need.
Yeah, the only time I've used SAE stuff is when building my own stuff with SAE hardware I purchased. And that's just because there's a b***** selection at the hardware store.
I could see it for general tool sets, I guess - but mechanic's sets? I literally can't remember the last car I bought that didn't use metric fasteners. I know it was before my 1986 300ZX Turbo. And no, I'm not excepting domestic vehicles.
You'd be surprised at how often I use standard stuff. Even on my pickup (ford) which isn't even ten years old, half the stuff is standard. And my 06 mustang- same way.
I don't know why it's mix and match. But american cars have been that way for quite some time. It's like 90-95% metric..... but then some random nut or bolt on something like the alternator will be standard.
I'll agree that I don't need to carry around SAE stuff with me most of the time, though.
I *would* be surprised! The first domestic vehicle I owned since I was a kid was a 1994 Camaro. Everything on that car that I touched was metric (and I touched quite a bit of it). I was surprised *then* because I assumed holdover parts like the rear axle might still be SAE, but they weren't. My 1999 Corvette was all metric, and I *think* my 1989 was as well, and I know my 2001 Tahoe was.
Its only the caterpillar stuff at work that throws up the weird stuff . Everyone else is on the metric and available from stock ,but CAT like to throw in sizes and threads I dont have a spare bolt or tap or die for . We need to order in those special as required .
Yeah ,but even the crazy Hyong sung science and technologicalsistics or whatever the ferk it is chinese loader we ended up with when the company drove a recycling yard into bankrupcy manages to be all metric . Whats with the US hanging on to the old ways ? Your supposed to be the new world !!!
Yeah ,but even the crazy Hyong sung science and technologicalsistics or whatever the ferk it is chinese loader we ended up with when the company drove a recycling yard into bankrupcy manages to be all metric . Whats with the US hanging on to the old ways ? Your supposed to be the new world !!!
Why did everyone go and change? THAT is the better question. It really depends on the company as to what they use over here.
The real problem is that most vendors stock more shit in SAE than in metric... you can't go to a hardware store here and get as much metric shit as you can SAE shit. Even though like 85%+ of shit is metric.
It makes NO fucking sense. Anything metric that we use here at work I have to order in. If I need an SAE size of ANY type of fastener, though- I can run to our vendor and get it off the shelf in 20 minutes.
Keven this is the worst rant ever who get upset about having to many tool? You can get get all metric tool sets if you look around. Take a look at Cruztools.
My issue is no matter how big the set there is always one or more crucial tools missing. I have 2 sets of t-handles nether set came with a 1/2". Only to find out when elbow deep in a repair!
There is WAY too much SAE stuff to not include it in a standard mechanic's tool set. When I used to work as a mechanic not a day went by that I didn't use something SAE, and I was just a service mechanic; I didn't get into the tough stuff in a car that often has the weird nuts and bolts. Granted, the vast majority of stuff on both foreign (basically all metric) and domestic is metric, there is a bit of mix and match on the domestics. We used to call this hodge podge of metric and standard on American cars 'metridge.'
At this point in time, I would say a mechanic's tool set is incomplete without SAE. Maybe in twenty or more years, an SAE mechanic's tool set will be obsolete.
I use SAE all the time, but, Kevin, you know what's in my garage.
From the half-and-half side of life, when doing a cyl head gasket on a Jaguar AJ6 or AJ16 you use nothing but metric until you get to the cam sprockets. Then you have to grab your 1/2" wrench to loosen those bolts. The metricization (?) I guess was only skin-deep.
Hey, I got to use a not-often used wrench on Friday. While changing the brake light switch on my '67 420 the original was 1". Not a wrench I often need to grab. The replacement needed a 7/8" to fit it. (yes, a brake light switch that screws into the brakes lines, activated by hydraulic fluid pressure. Don't get me started! Grrrrr.)
I love those fluid pressure brake light switches. I retro fit those to my bikes as I find they last the life of the bike and don't go faulty like them stupid little micro clickers inside levers.
I hate how H-D went to Torx and allen bolts, except for the bolts used fluid changes.
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