How many sockets would you need....

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PhillyJoe

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To carry to assist a motorist with a flat tire.

I carry a floor jack in the trunk and a breaker bar with a socket to change my GM car tire. I don't trust scissors jacks and tire irons are ok but not always a good way to loosen a lug nut. How many sockets would I need to change the majority of the popular cars on the road?
Assuming my socket would fit many/most GM cars. If not would it fit mid and full size but not compacts?
Would I need 5 total? 10? 20? Would 1 socket fit most Honda, Toyota? Same one for Hyundai? Subaru? How about VW/Audi/BMW?Would a socket that fits a ford also work on a Mazda?
 
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I think a 3/4" deep well will cover a lot. I think Hondas and Toyotas are technically 19mm, but that's 0.748", so a 3/4" works great. And 3/4" has worked on many of the domestic brands I've owned. You'd probably want a 13/16" as well. I've not seen one as large as 7/8", but they could be out there. I also don't think I've seen 11/16" or smaller, but they could be out there as well.
 
HF has the "flip socket" set that covers six sizes, but technically five as it has both 19mm and 3/4 which are effectively the same.

17mm, 19mm(3/4), 21mm, 22mm(7/8), 13/16.

You may also need thin wall (chrome, not impact) for some aftermarket wheels.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-impact-flip-socket-set-pc-69994.html

If you want to go nuts, an 18mm will handle dodge lug nuts that have lost their chrome, and a 20mm will handle ones where the chrome is half twisted and gorked up but still hanging in there.
 
Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Japanese are 21mm no?


I think Toyota is. I know Honda is 19mm, but I think you're right about Toyota being 21mm (0.8268"). A loose 13/16" (0.8125") will fit it.
 
Hello, Miller88 is on the right track.
In my life I can remember working on 3/4", 17mm, 19mm and 21mm lug nuts and bolts.
21mm is used on my brother's Michelin PAX wheels of his '07 Odyssey Touring; maybe sis' Mazda3iTouring.

I know there are ones smaller than 3/4" in the inch size range.
I doubt there's a 16mm or 15mm or smaller in the metric range.

A "big cross" (90 degree X type) lug wrench would be cool if you could find one with 3/4', 17MM, 19MM and 1/2" drive.

Like that Canadian drain plug site which lists all the thread sizes clearly (can't remember the name), maybe there's a lug bolt site somewhere. K
 
So glad all newer cars are Metric now... Life is so easy.

They even organize nicely! 10mm, 11mm, 12mm...

Being a mechanic got so much cheaper!

Sorry, just a Canadian here...
 
Originally Posted By: Falken
So glad all newer cars are Metric now... Life is so easy.

They even organize nicely! 10mm, 11mm, 12mm...


Wingo. The Chevy in the fleet is 19 or 21 mil, I know my Nissan's were both metric. I keep a 17mm deepwell socket and drive in the trunk of the VW. Those lug studs are a bugger, but a deepwell by itself makes it alot easier.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira

A "big cross" (90 degree X type) lug wrench would be cool if you could find one with 3/4', 17MM, 19MM and 1/2" drive.


I carry a cross lug wrench with 3/4, 13/16, 11/16 and 19mm drives. I find cross lug wrenches work really well on hard to loosen nuts, better than tire wrenches for sure.

I gave my daughter a bigger cross wrench but I don't remember the drive sizes.

Has worked for me so far (fingers crossed).
 
Originally Posted By: ecotourist
I gave my daughter a bigger cross wrench but I don't remember the drive sizes.

Better than that, my daughter got married. Her husband can fix the flat.
 
Get a 4 in 1 socket nut kit unless you're planning to get hired on by AAA. If the unlucky person has an odd size, use their wrench. I helped a coworker change his tire a few days ago. His scissor lift and lug wrench worked fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Whats the point here, are you looking to help someone/anyone broken down on the road?


Sort of. About a year ago, a young girl had a flat outside our house. When I went up to the car, she was on the phone but no one was home. She was going to try AAA. I asked where she was from and home was an hour away. I told her she would be on the road in 10 minutes if she had a spare and a tire iron. She opened the trunk to look while I got my small floor jack.
Pump pump pump, 5 bolts off, spare, 5 bolts on, let car down, as her dad was returning her call. She told him she was on her way.
Kept the floor jack in the car ever since. Being home I had my socket set but if the situation happened on the road would I be able to help most people with a few sockets.
 
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