Most wrench sets don't contain a 18mm wrench ?

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I never saw an 18mm bolt head/ but until I bought my Ford truck. It seems like American vehicles use all the metric sizes that the Japanese avoid.
 
It seems like the main sizes you'll see on an Asian vehicle are 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, and 19. Domestics tend to use 7, 13, 15, 18, and maybe a few others.
 
I have yet to encounter an 18 mm nut. My Grand Wag had 16mm hardware on the power steering pump. I have a 16mm impact socket that I have used to shift very rusted 17mms. I don't like to buy something that I use very little. Things would be different if I used the tools to earn a living
 
US based tool brands seem to be turning the corner on this, offering 18mm instead of 19mm. More Asian centric brands seem to be sticking with the 19mm and continuing to leave out the 18mm.
 
Seems like tool sets skip "uncommon" sizes to reduce price... having said that, quality sets usually don't skip ANY sizes. My experience with SK, Snap-On and Wright is that sizes are NOT skipped for wrenches and sockets.

I always buy complete sets (no skipped sizes), never know when you'll need an oddball size and then it'll be hard to find later down the road (if you want to stick with the same brand you already own).

I know I've used at least each size 6-19 mm at few times on various vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, etc... For me the least common are 6,9,11,15,16.
 
1/32" sizes are usually pre-war US stuff, maybe some British... 1/64" even less common.

I've NEVER worked on anything with 32ths and 64ths... well maybe one, 5/32 (IIRC) for a machine screw. That's it. However guys who work on pre-war cars and a lot of old machinery use 32nds.
 
Most European cars use 15, 16, and 18mm fasteners, I'm referring to the wrench size, not the thread diameter of course.
But 15 years ago 14, 17 and 19mm were the norm.
A quick and dirty way to make a judgement of a wrench set or allen key set is if it skips a size then it's probably junk.
Torx wrenches will include sizes 27 and 48 if the are a quality brand too.

Claud.
 
Originally Posted By: bmwpowere36m3
1/32" sizes are usually pre-war US stuff, maybe some British... 1/64" even less common.

I've NEVER worked on anything with 32ths and 64ths... well maybe one, 5/32 (IIRC) for a machine screw. That's it. However guys who work on pre-war cars and a lot of old machinery use 32nds.

19/32 and 23/32 for ford flatheads thru 1954. I still have the bar for changing valve springs on those. You need 7mm if you work on anything French( goes with their yellow headlights)
 
Any professional wrench or socket set will come with an 18. My Snap On and Matco sets for 1/2in and 3/8in have them from 8mm to 21(24 on the 1/2in)but skip only 20mm (23mm on the 1/2in stuff) and same for the wrenches. Craftsman, Stanley, Kobalt, Husky all usually skip this and other common sizes and sale items (ex. 8pc 3/8 socket set for 19.99 probably skips a few). Buy the good stuff and pay more and its more complete. i've used a 20mm or 23mm maybe 3 times in my career of 8 years
 
Could have used another skipped 23mm size today on some badly swelled stupid lug nuts on a Dodge truck! Suppose to be 7/8 which didn't fit, or a 22mm, or even a special
22.5mm socket. 24mm too big, but I seem to be missing a 23mm for sure.
 
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