Same here!

And if you peruse enough threads in this forum, you'll find that the majority of the members do the same when explaining a procedure involving bolt removal...mostly because we are primarily concerned with removing and reinstalling fasteners in order to repair an offending part...not replacement of the fasteners themselves.

__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

The Jaguar that I completed today has thirty two 14mm bolts, with three thread pitches, fine, coarse and machine thread.
Some cars have more some have less.

This is why I have so blasted many tools, designers and engineers stick fasteners in some of the strangest places, and then expect a mechanic to do the impossible to fix it.

The mechanic fixing your car does not want to spend $23,000.00
USD, just to buy the same tools again with a metric shank.
You may not be aware:
There are fewer automotive mechanics every year because.
#1. Rotten pay.
#2. Filthy dangerous job.
#3. Tool cost.
#4. Steep learning curve and training cost.
#5. Can make more money elsewhere.
#6. Beginners get the rotten jobs.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

So...whunter....

1. You don't know what a smiley face and wink is ;-)

I'll forget about the 3/8" & 1/2" drives and just stick with my 9.525 and 12.7 mm metric drives then.


2. Sounds like you hate your profession too.

Anyway, you missed the humor and I hope you have a nice weekend.

I love my profession; but I know it in has bad warts.
You have a wonderful easter weekend.

whunter

So does the 13mm have a larger X between the 13mm and the 8 because it is used more often on mercedes than a 10mm or 14mm? (Check your earlier post)

10mm x 8 x 1.25
13mm X 8 x 1.25
14mm x 8 x 1.25

Sorry, couldn't resist! Just stirring it up.

Haasman

__________________
'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

Posted by manny:

Just a little nit-picking.
Seems like everytime somebody refers to a bolt, they call it 10 mm, 14 mm, 17 mm,... whatever.
What they actually MEAN is the size of the bolthead.
I believe the only people dealing in these " Industrial - strength " bolts, are heavy equipment mechanics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey manny, looks like you forgot to take your meds . Your mood is "out of wack" :p

Just kidding.....

__________________
JR
1986 Gold 300E 4Dr automatic

Well, our '83 Chevy m'home has the best of both! Most of the drivetrain fasteners are metric, most chassis ones are SAE, and the coach body is all SAE. I carry complete sets of both enroute.

Steve

__________________
'91 MB 190E 2.3
'08 RAV4 Ltd 3.5
'83 Lazy Daze m'home 5.7

The US gov't DID pass legislation to go all metric... thus the '83 Chevy (& others) w/ mixed fasteners.

Then, they chickened out. Idiots.

remember to use the same hardness bolt when replacing a fastener!!

I like the sae system of slashes rather than
printed numbers.

__________________
71 220D 169K wrecked
83 240D 118K sweet 4 speed
91 350SDL (one of the 60% good engines) 156K
84 300d (loaner to my sister) 189K
79 300SD (partswagen)
86 420SEL partswagen
70 220d (partswagen)
68 280s GASSER!!! under construction now
85 300sd 310K miles winter beater car retired
93 300d 2.5 turbo 168K wife's car
83 280SL euro 5 speed 155K
69 250S newest project 54K

PMS !!!!
Poor mechanics syndrome.

__________________
2007 C 230 Sport.

I'll forget about the 3/8" & 1/2" drives and just stick with my 9.525 and 12.7 mm metric drives then.

Drives..?? I prefer the word "Spanner".

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm,, Was it Shakespear who said "much adoo about nothing"?

I have a set of metric, a set of imperial (U.S. for those lurking who haven't heard the term) and a set of Whitworth. I'm stuck with the whitworth because the Austin-Healey 4-cylinder engine and a few suspension parts used those fasteners. In spite of that, I use metric to adjust the A-H valves and there is one metric bolt on the front of the muffler (sigh). I still have to watch for Whitworth versus British Standard Fine. (My open-end wrenches have both stamped on them.)

Obviously, the Tacoma and both MBs use metric.

Having to do a lot of engineering work in metric in my past life, I am one of those who wished the whole world was metric. Moving decimal places is a lot easier than inches, feet, yards, furlongs and miles....


my $.02,

Wes

Wes: it will come.....eventually all countries will be on the metric system.
There are only three 3rd world countries to convince.
Liberia, Burma....and the United States who are the the only countries that have not adopted the metric system yet.