Imperial socket sets still being sold?!

Feb 25, 2019 Last reply: 7 years ago 97 Replies

I just bought a new socket set (for car repairs) as I lost my last one. Half the bits are imperial! What the hell are they selling those for? My first car was made in 1988, and even that was metric for goodness sake. I guess half of it's going on freecycle for vintage car owners.


Still plenty of new stuff being sold using imperial. New rotary lawn mower - the bolt that holds the blade on has a 9/16 inch head. I expect if it has a Briggs and Stratten (USA) engine it will be all imperial.

I've never had to use an imperial socket bit. Perhaps if you have every size (each mm), then one will always fit. Being 0.5mm out probably still fits good enough.

Your mower would be 14.2875mm then. I assume you can't quite get the 14mm socket bit onto it? I guess 0.75mm too big would maybe jump.

I'm really surprised your mower is imperial though. What make is it and why are they in the wrong century? Bloody hell my first car was a (British) 1988 Rover, and even they used metric bolts.

A lot of disability scooters are imperial.

Bill

Most people who want a metric set of sockets would buy a metric socket set.

Are you illiterate?

Many imperial sockets have very close equivalents. I've even measured

1/2" sockets and they've been the same as a 13mm. I suspect the set you bought was a cheap one, so you might even find some imperial sockets are a better fit on metric nuts and bolts.

He's just a troll.

I've got metric, imperial AF, Whitworth, a few other standards, even one or 2 handmade ones from the 1800s. Some of the old stuff is good on metric kit too, mark everything with its mm AF size.

NT

No, I just expected them all to be metric by now.

I just prefer to use mm, without having to do fractions calculations to work out if 9/16 is bigger or smaller than 19/32. Why don't they just make them all x/32?

Look you utter f****it.... it was a perfectly sensible question, why can't you handle that concept? I wanted to know why people were selling imperial sockets since there are no imperial bolts left that haven't rusted away. But no, you have to come out with your stupid childish f****ng "you're a troll ner ner ner ner ner" s**te. Just grow up or rot in hell and stop filling up usenet with your f****ng complaints.

On what? An Austin Healy?

Why? Because the owners are older?! That makes no sense at all.

Another thing, why do most socket sets stop at 13mm? 99% of the time, a socket set is used on a car. That needs way above 13mm. Wheelnuts are usually 17mm for example.

I won't be able to try, I've cancelled the order in disgust. All I want is a set of sockets that I can use on my car, that means metric, and large. Who the f*ck uses 7mm sockets?! Is that for a bicycle or something?

ROFL, found something else interesting. Why do people have locking wheelnuts on their cars when you can just remove them with this?

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Pot kettle comes to mind.

by an idiot who can't tell the difference between buying a metric socket set and a mixed set.

As you're learning, but in denial of, there are still imperial bolts on new equipment.

That is because you act like a troll. If the hat fits..........

Could well be a brand new Briggs and Stratton engine, something you obviously know very little.

That's not very bright of you.

Must be the sets you buy. I don't have this problem.

I think a terminal on my alternator is 7mm. Perhaps you send your car to the garage if anything complicated needs doing.

There shouldn't be. And I've never seen one. Not on a car anyway, which is where most socket sets are used.

No, you just assume I'm one because you don't like my questions, my attitude, whatever. I'm not asking fake questions, and I can't see why anyone would do that, it would be an utterly pointless exercise.

I prefer electric mowers. I live in the 21st century.

Clearly I'm ahead of the rest of the human race. I know the yanks are stuck with imperial, but I'd have thought the UK would be a bit more modern by now.

Type "socket set" into Ebay and see what you get.

You really have problems with doubling a number?

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