What do you mean by imperial? Strictly, that would be BSF/BSW, and not that many cars still in existence use them. But the Unified sizes - where the spanners are marked with their actual size rather than the thread one they fit - ie AF in inches - are used on most UK cars made since WW2 until the metric changeover. So probably the majority of 'classics' in existence.
"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
I do mean, of course, in the UK.
BA is pretty imperial - it just doesn't use imperial measurements. What's the square drive size on your metric sockets, by the way?
Ian
For BA, spanner size = 10.5 x sqrt(pitch)
HTH, HAND.
Ian
You're right. I meant "imperially measured AF" rather than "imperial pitch"
Ian
I'll ask again, what the f*ck has thread pitch size got to do with the size of the hexagon head, clue, one could have a bolt with a 5" AF hexagon head and a metric 4x1.25mm thread (f*ck knows were it might get used but I'm sure that someone could design something) - spanner size is irrelevant to thread pitch.
In BA sizes it's directly correlated, as above. & for BSW &BSF.
Personally I find it deepy tedious when some bastard of a designer decides to use non-standard head to thread sizes.
Always done for a good reason. Non standard = specialist manufacture = £££, avoided wherever possible...
Julian.
Or the only way to do the job - cite the (classic) Mini flywheel bolt.
Until someone designs something that needs a bolt that has a 30mm AF hex head and a BA thread...
That'd explain why you find bolts with 11mm heads all over vauxhauls then.
And 12mm heads on Jap machines. Euro car manufacturers seem to avoid the
12mm head, I wonder why? Funny old world....Julian.
The same reason Japanese ones avoid 13mm, it's not a standard JIS size.
In message , Tom writes
If you had posted a week ago, there was an absolute bargain on Amazon. A
24 piece, half inch drive set by Bacho for £24. It came with a free multitool and tape measure too. I've used Bacho tools (Swedish) professionally and they are very good. It's now out of stock but here's the link in case they get more in but I think its unlikely.
I ordered one, got an email saying they had no stock, it was a none-bargain ;(
they're about that price in the tool merchants round here.
Sealey do little sets 7-19mm with a ratchet, bar etc. in 3/8th drive and they're bloody good. Cost about £20 too. Proper wall drive type sockets to avoid rounding bolts. I've given mine plenty of use and abuse (including sticking the sockets on a rattle gun with an adaptor, and plenty of long bars) and I've managed to break nothing.
TBH I struggle to see how you'd spend £250 unless you were buying some real bling tools for pro use day in day out.
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Adrian saying something like:
Bollocks. I've had flexi-head and wobbly imperial bits for years.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required