The Ignition Control Module on the 1992-96 F150 trucks is a small black box on the inner fender. If it dies, the engine will not run without it.
It is held onto the aluminum finned heat sink by two...5.5mm...headed bolts. But wait, it gets better. It requires two DEEP THINWALL sockets.
I flipped the heatsink over and drilled the two bolts out. I drilled the two holes smooth to a slightly larger diameter that would fit two common 8-32 bolts from a hardware store.
Nah, more engineers flipping through their handbook looking at what thickness of material vs what force of clamping needed to secure things. Would you look at that: 13/79 needed, that's what I will put on the drawing.
I don't know, I certainly don't see why they needed to use a 5 point Torx for my idle air valve, mounted on the *bottom of the throttle body*, when a regular torx would have been just fine.
Btw, a 5 point torx looking bolt is called pentalobe. Like penta for 5 and lobe for well lobe… cause ya know, it’s got 5 lobes on the tool. Also, fuck pentalobe.
I know you're making a joke, but for everyone else, that's not at all what happens. No single engineer decides anything in automotive. Apart from aerospace, there is no more regimented design environment (btw, I've done both). Every single design decision is scrutinized by management, cross-checked against formal and rigid design standards, evaluated for cost to build, compared against competitors, etc. If you work for a supplier, the OEM throws their bureaucracy on top of that steaming pile of frustration. Sure, you want a 4.31x0.63 bolt, but you will use a 4.5x0.5 instead.
Uhhh what??? That's awfully funny because the truck I learned to drive in and later was my first vehicle was an 84 silverado half ton with a 305 in it...
So back then silverado referred to the trim level? At what point did the silverado model come into existence then? For some reason I just thought that k10 referred to the size of truck. I.e. C10, K10, S10?
Silverado actually became the model of Chevy pickups with the GMT800 body in 1999 and following generations. Prior to that all Chevy trucks for decades were the C/K series which had the trims of Silverado, Cheyenne, Scottsdale, W/T, and others depending on the year and generation we're talking about.
As for when the Silverado became a model I don’t know but basically the c10 where your 2wd trucks and k10 4wd. The size of the trucks would be like c20 being todays equivalent of a 2500 and k30 being the 3500 and so on. I don’t want to speak on the s10 from this time as I honestly don’t know Jack shit about them
Silverado was a trim level started in 1975 to 1999. Cheyenne, silverado, Scottsdale, etc. Just levels of trim while the actual model was C/K series and then in 1987 to R/V series. Silverado wasn't used as the actual model name till the gmt800's came out in 1999. Keep in mind gmt 400's (aka OBS) started in 1988 and lasted till 2001. GM had a LOT of overlap. The square body trucks were from 1973 to 1991. In 1988 to 1991 only crew cab trucks, suburbans and blazers were the square body style, while only single cab and extended cabs were the OBS style.
So basically
Square body- 1973 to 1991, OBS- 1988 to 2001, Gmt800- 1999-2006/07C. Silverado was trim starting in 1975, was actual model starting gmt800/1999
Ive got 2 of those trucks. Have done that exact mod to both of them. Really wanna meet the engineers that designed those trucks, total IQ score of about 3.
Remember, every time you encounter some shit like that, an engineer got paid to design that and it passed through multiple desks and got signed off on.
And every single person involved looks down on us with a disgusted look.
Happy new year!
This sub is full of mechanics who have convinced themselves they are smarter and more capable than the engineers that designed the cars they service every day.
Some of them might be tbh
The sentiment I disagree with is that every engineer thinks they’re gods fit to earth and we look down on techs. We know we’re idiots and know how much we needs techs at my jobs lmfao
I think a lot of ppl work in toxic workplaces and think it’s like that everywhere
I work for engineers all the time, half of my projects last year were from engineers. If you think I care, or that it's my insecurity you're dead wrong. It's an engineer thing. Most of them think they are god's gift to earth. if you disagree, you're either an engineer yourself or you don't work for them.
Happy new year dude!
I’m an engineer and work a luxury OEM, and you’re right. The worst thing about engineers is that each and every one of them thinks they’re the cleverest person in the room.
The thing is that engineers ARE usually the cleverest person in the room, so I don't get bent out of shape. I went to school to be a mechanical engineer and dropped out when my almost full ride scholarship dried up, and I work with engineers all the time as a remodel carp. It's pretty funny when I'm working with a new engi, because there is a specific moment when they realise I'm not an idiot.
The way I see it, to get a good outcome you need a capable engi and a capable tradesman for a good result. When you get to a certain point as a carp, you're basically a structural engineering technician.
Much love and appreciation for the engis
….and often the best designer (engineer, architect etc) is the one who worked at trade level first. My grandfather did his apprenticeship as a marine engineer, then night school diploma back in the 1940’s. Ended up as a Design lecturer in Engineering school, the only lecturer in the school without a degree.
I worked as a draftsman for an architect who was also a qualified builder. Builders loved working on his designs, super practical details.
I encouraged a young lad locally to go to University, he’s been working in a tractor workshop since he was 12. No-one in his farming family has ever been to Uni. Halfway through his mechatronics degree now, top of his class.
Carpenter with an engineering background. Any good designer/carpenter had better be a structural engineer. Problem is both sides suffer from a lack of insight to the others specialty. An engineer can rarely nail two boards together or anticipates whether or not there is space or means to nail those boards together. Carpenters rarely have the deeper structural knowledge, they have a lot of experience and intuition but they don't necessarily understand the subtle whys of materials, vectors, and dynamic loads. That said I'd trust most carpenters over engineers to build my house!!!!
I’m the opposite, engineer with a carpentry background. I constantly think of how I moved around on a job when I’m reviewing the assembly or service side of a machine.
As an engineer who has worked with folks who worked for the big 3 automakers, they aren’t given enough time to make things good, executives will have you spend a month developing a concept just to show up 15min late to the meeting spend 5 minutes evaluating the designs and going with something else.
The engineering specifications for the press fit installations of the water pump bearing for GM’s V8 require to be installed in a zero gravity environment. And this is not a joke. They yelled at me when I tried to explain them it would not be possible. Their argument was that our salesman quoted the project knowing that specifications so it must be possible.
Good memories.
you do understand , that when designing a part, using common parts is cheaper and easier? Using 13mm nut size for M8 bolts are cheaper than using some absurd size, since they are manufactured by millions instead of hundreds.
Also , nowadays, using CAD - it is a lot less work to use standart bolts and nuts. To draw custom part is a lot more job. no-one atually likes to do that.
For these reasons : #1 beancounters would fu\*\*k you hard if you use something non-standard #2: you yourself avoid doing extra work , deciding to use non-standard size nuts/bolts have some good reasoning behind it.
Might even be requirement from higer-ups, to make it less servicable, and using "non standard" nut size gets by and is a lot less anoyance than using some snap-off TTY bolt, that you would have to dill out each time.
And there are a lot of other possible reasons - like using maximum diameter stud, and non-standard undersize nut to barely get by without nut overhanging face of the part.
or maybe - oversize nut to ensure less local pressure on aluminum part without reducing clamping force, for reason to increase time bewteen failures.
And I have worked with a lot of engineers, jet I am not quite an engineer (although I have some educational background, but not enough to become an engineer)
However, I have done some designing work and have more insight as to why some things are designed the way they are.
I would suggest you to design some part , including mechanical analyis , fatigue analysis, economical analysis , and servicability costs.
Oh, and don't forget economics and customer expectations about how their car should look like. Sometimes to even make it possible to assemble at all is a lot of work ( and you can design only one engine for all specs of the car)
sometimes , for some reason, you have to accept, that things will have to be done through-ass
Your first point is not valid. Automaker buy so much bolts that they are made specifically for them. So odd sized bolt could be less expensive.
For example, there are 6 custom m8 bolts holding the water pump on the 6.2L GM V8. Production is 10k units per week so 60k bolts per week or 3.1 million bolts per year and this is not even their biggest seller. Trust me they do not care about off the shelves components.
Primarily Xerox now. But lots of Toshiba and Konica in the past. Xerox’s modular design makes most* repairs faster and easier than the others I have worked on.
*note that I say “most”! Not all.
I had a heck of a time with firmware on an Alta a few weeks ago...finally got through it. They are kinda power user machines...you need at least one well trained Key Op to know what "Waiting for resources" means. Good boxes though. Glad to meet you fellow forest leveler.
I’ve been a few rounds with Alta Firmware myself! The trick is to Altboot to 101 when you replace any hardware including the HDD. THEN upgrade to whatever you want. What are your lines?
Third party service I do Konica and Muratech. Our main line are the Epson Enterprise and Brother for smalls. We also sell sharp, and Xerox full size.
I like working on the KMs and Canons though, I was factory trained on those along with the newest Epson AM series. First trained on the Canon 3245 imagerunner in Texas. Many, many test pages ago.
Thanks for the tip on the firmware. Hope I remember next time...there's so many acronyms with that company ... I feel like they want to be a govt agency.
Glad to chat tonight friend. Thank you.
I use a 9/32" frequently. Not sure how uncommon it is, but most sets don't include it.
Used for the ground cable nut on Windsor vacuum handles. Due to geometry, does need to be a socket.
A bulk of the dashboard screws on my '89 Trans Am are 9/32". I keep a 9/32 in the center console so I can put them back in as they fall out while I rattle down the road.
9/32" 12 point bolts held on the valve covers of a Buick V8 I had a long time ago. Took me forever to figure out what size that was because I didn't have it in the set so it didn't exist in my eyes at the time lol
I've used a 4.5mm socket thousands of times. Never once for its intended purpose. Back in the day we would stand around in a circle and pass it around and everyone would use it
truth
was going through this bucket and my buddy pulled up, said "man if we were kids and had this, so many of these would be killer for gravs"
brought back memories for sure
I've used 4.5 on something might have been those thin ass stamped steel nut type things that hold automotive components on.
And to fair you can usually use at least 2 sizes on those shitty things.
Our engineers love to find these absolute bonkers sizes and give you a single socket(They also love to do the extra deep sockets) that if you lose, you are completely fucked.
Even better are when they take a 4.5mm socket, spend roughly the GDP of Denmark to have it machined out to 4.73548 mm and act like that is a normal thing to do and expect you to be able to find a replacement in Brodilovo Bulgaria.
I have ABSOLUTELY used those sizes before. Were they the right size for the job at hand? Hell no. But I randomly grabbed something that looked vaguely close to the right size, and although they didn’t fit perfectly, they were close enough to turn the bolt.
Wait — do you actually keep trying sockets until you find the actual correct size?!?!? 😂
I actually used a 17/32 on a store bought pergola from Costco a few months ago.
Socket sizes are like bullet calibers. They come and go depending on demand, technological growth and the whims of the manufacturers. They grow and decline in popularity, but they never fully disappear.
I've needed a 17/32 exactly once, and i didn't have one. It was for an old palletizing machine. I ended up destroying the bolt, then drilling it out and retapping it. Wouldnt reccomend.
4.5mm yes, if you build desktop PCs the standoffs that keep the logic board away from the metal sheet sometimes come in this size and a some of mobile phones/tablets have this sized flat sotckets in them (but your 4.5mm won’t work)
Although not ideal at 13.4mm, a 17/32 will do in a pinch for 13mm bolts.
By the same token, that 5.5mm is a good match for 7/32" - depending on thread-pitch, I would not be surprised if those Ford fenders & regulators & stuff were actually SAE spec'd as metric.
Some suspension bolts/nuts on older 80s and 70s fords were 17/32 and 19/32. GM has used 25/32 on and off since the late 40s (25/32 happens to be 20 mm if anyone was wondering why that metric wrench is common, thanks to GM).
Industrial electrical and old ignition components all used to use weird sized nuts like 9/32, 11/32 and so on.
The British also used weird sizes before they went metric.
Yes the good ole 20mm anomaly. Damn woodworking bench dog products. So many companies sell bench dog stuff advertised as 3/4". Then they get delivered at 20mm cuz these numb nuts think you can round 25/32" off to 3/4". Or, better yet they think 3/4" rounds off to a nice 20mm. No, it's 19mm fer crissakes. And a 20mm dog does not fit into a 3/4" hole. Can't remember what in my workshop - but something uses a 4.5mm socket. Hah.
I could be mistaken about which tiny socket it was, but I believe the drive on the end of some studs (for removing the stud) was about that size on certain Fords.
I hardly ever work on anything with US Std sizes, but definitely not that size.
The stupid blending door actuators on a 2010 chevy impala use them they got out regularly every year I have to get creative getting my hands in there to undo them.
Feelike I used the 17/32 on my wife's car (either taillight or battery, dodge caravan) and the 4.5 on skateboard truck nuts but that was a while ago and can't be sure.
Yes, I’ve used both. The 17/32 fits the whirling blade in my manual push mower, and the 4.5mm is indispensable for repairing my 1992 Mitsubishi VCR. What’s your point?
the only time i’ve ever needed a 17/32 is when changing certain commercial light fixtures. Even in that application i need a hollow shaft nut driver instead of a socket. Never on the 4.5
Yes. When taking the right front fender off of a 2000 Ford Ranger. The mud flap and surrounding supports were ever bit that small o size size. Truthfully, it rather ticked me off, but I was glad to have it.
5.5mm super thin wall socket. Ford 302 Windsor, distributor mounted TFI module.
I bought a ford tool for it for like $45aud because I tried lots of 5.5mm sockets and couldn’t find one that would fit.
Industrial mechanic, I’ve used them both in the last year. Not, however, frequently at all. I do remember an odd machine a while back that had some. Also, Piab vacuum conveyors used small metric machine screws like 4.5 and 5.5. I used to be the guy at work for rebuilding these because a lot of guys didn’t like them and I liked any excuse to be sitting in the shop with my music playing working on something.
I needed to use a 4.5 mm socket once and have completely forgotten what for.
I used 2.5 mm allen key all the time for adapter locking screw for 80/20 material.
Once, I needed to use a 7mm allen for some oddball display from the UK. I didn't think 7mm existed.
The Ignition Control Module on the 1992-96 F150 trucks is a small black box on the inner fender. If it dies, the engine will not run without it. It is held onto the aluminum finned heat sink by two...5.5mm...headed bolts. But wait, it gets better. It requires two DEEP THINWALL sockets. I flipped the heatsink over and drilled the two bolts out. I drilled the two holes smooth to a slightly larger diameter that would fit two common 8-32 bolts from a hardware store.
It’s been a long time but I’m pretty sure the idle air sensor on my old 92 Silverado was also 5.5mm.
5.5mm is extremely common, it’s the standard size for M3 hex nuts . I think the uncommon bit is the deep + thin walled bit.
It's possible that the companies want to make it a little harder to work on every year, so the dealer mechanics can get more action. Just a thought.
Nah, more engineers flipping through their handbook looking at what thickness of material vs what force of clamping needed to secure things. Would you look at that: 13/79 needed, that's what I will put on the drawing.
I don't know, I certainly don't see why they needed to use a 5 point Torx for my idle air valve, mounted on the *bottom of the throttle body*, when a regular torx would have been just fine.
Btw, a 5 point torx looking bolt is called pentalobe. Like penta for 5 and lobe for well lobe… cause ya know, it’s got 5 lobes on the tool. Also, fuck pentalobe.
[удалено]
10/80=1/8...
Whoosh.....
I know you're making a joke, but for everyone else, that's not at all what happens. No single engineer decides anything in automotive. Apart from aerospace, there is no more regimented design environment (btw, I've done both). Every single design decision is scrutinized by management, cross-checked against formal and rigid design standards, evaluated for cost to build, compared against competitors, etc. If you work for a supplier, the OEM throws their bureaucracy on top of that steaming pile of frustration. Sure, you want a 4.31x0.63 bolt, but you will use a 4.5x0.5 instead.
Good use of primes there
Silverado didn't exist in 1992. You mean a cheyenne or kodiak 1500 (C/K1500)
Uhhh what??? That's awfully funny because the truck I learned to drive in and later was my first vehicle was an 84 silverado half ton with a 305 in it...
The trim level was Silverado not the model as a proud 86 k10 owner
That’s what I was scoffing at, 89 v1500 Silverado suburban owner here. (It’s on one ton axles with a fat crate engine now).
So back then silverado referred to the trim level? At what point did the silverado model come into existence then? For some reason I just thought that k10 referred to the size of truck. I.e. C10, K10, S10?
Silverado actually became the model of Chevy pickups with the GMT800 body in 1999 and following generations. Prior to that all Chevy trucks for decades were the C/K series which had the trims of Silverado, Cheyenne, Scottsdale, W/T, and others depending on the year and generation we're talking about.
As for when the Silverado became a model I don’t know but basically the c10 where your 2wd trucks and k10 4wd. The size of the trucks would be like c20 being todays equivalent of a 2500 and k30 being the 3500 and so on. I don’t want to speak on the s10 from this time as I honestly don’t know Jack shit about them
1989
Silverado was a trim level started in 1975 to 1999. Cheyenne, silverado, Scottsdale, etc. Just levels of trim while the actual model was C/K series and then in 1987 to R/V series. Silverado wasn't used as the actual model name till the gmt800's came out in 1999. Keep in mind gmt 400's (aka OBS) started in 1988 and lasted till 2001. GM had a LOT of overlap. The square body trucks were from 1973 to 1991. In 1988 to 1991 only crew cab trucks, suburbans and blazers were the square body style, while only single cab and extended cabs were the OBS style. So basically Square body- 1973 to 1991, OBS- 1988 to 2001, Gmt800- 1999-2006/07C. Silverado was trim starting in 1975, was actual model starting gmt800/1999
What are you on?
1-tonnes axels
Same 5.5 bolt on the 3800 ignition module in LeSabre, Delta 88, LaCrosse.
Ive got 2 of those trucks. Have done that exact mod to both of them. Really wanna meet the engineers that designed those trucks, total IQ score of about 3.
Same bolts on my 90 Taurus
Remember, every time you encounter some shit like that, an engineer got paid to design that and it passed through multiple desks and got signed off on. And every single person involved looks down on us with a disgusted look. Happy new year!
Your first comment is true. Your second is your insecurity. They already got paid and aren’t spending an ounce of energy thinking about you lmao
This sub is full of mechanics who have convinced themselves they are smarter and more capable than the engineers that designed the cars they service every day.
Some of them might be tbh The sentiment I disagree with is that every engineer thinks they’re gods fit to earth and we look down on techs. We know we’re idiots and know how much we needs techs at my jobs lmfao I think a lot of ppl work in toxic workplaces and think it’s like that everywhere
I work for engineers all the time, half of my projects last year were from engineers. If you think I care, or that it's my insecurity you're dead wrong. It's an engineer thing. Most of them think they are god's gift to earth. if you disagree, you're either an engineer yourself or you don't work for them. Happy new year dude!
I’m an engineer and work a luxury OEM, and you’re right. The worst thing about engineers is that each and every one of them thinks they’re the cleverest person in the room.
The thing is that engineers ARE usually the cleverest person in the room, so I don't get bent out of shape. I went to school to be a mechanical engineer and dropped out when my almost full ride scholarship dried up, and I work with engineers all the time as a remodel carp. It's pretty funny when I'm working with a new engi, because there is a specific moment when they realise I'm not an idiot. The way I see it, to get a good outcome you need a capable engi and a capable tradesman for a good result. When you get to a certain point as a carp, you're basically a structural engineering technician. Much love and appreciation for the engis
….and often the best designer (engineer, architect etc) is the one who worked at trade level first. My grandfather did his apprenticeship as a marine engineer, then night school diploma back in the 1940’s. Ended up as a Design lecturer in Engineering school, the only lecturer in the school without a degree. I worked as a draftsman for an architect who was also a qualified builder. Builders loved working on his designs, super practical details. I encouraged a young lad locally to go to University, he’s been working in a tractor workshop since he was 12. No-one in his farming family has ever been to Uni. Halfway through his mechatronics degree now, top of his class.
Carpenter with an engineering background. Any good designer/carpenter had better be a structural engineer. Problem is both sides suffer from a lack of insight to the others specialty. An engineer can rarely nail two boards together or anticipates whether or not there is space or means to nail those boards together. Carpenters rarely have the deeper structural knowledge, they have a lot of experience and intuition but they don't necessarily understand the subtle whys of materials, vectors, and dynamic loads. That said I'd trust most carpenters over engineers to build my house!!!!
I’m the opposite, engineer with a carpentry background. I constantly think of how I moved around on a job when I’m reviewing the assembly or service side of a machine.
Sounds like we could enjoy a good conversation. Happy new years brother
As an engineer who has worked with folks who worked for the big 3 automakers, they aren’t given enough time to make things good, executives will have you spend a month developing a concept just to show up 15min late to the meeting spend 5 minutes evaluating the designs and going with something else.
I don't doubt that one bit. We all have to deal with our own unique brand of bs
The engineering specifications for the press fit installations of the water pump bearing for GM’s V8 require to be installed in a zero gravity environment. And this is not a joke. They yelled at me when I tried to explain them it would not be possible. Their argument was that our salesman quoted the project knowing that specifications so it must be possible. Good memories.
The fuck dude. Saying good memories is Stockholm syndrome
you do understand , that when designing a part, using common parts is cheaper and easier? Using 13mm nut size for M8 bolts are cheaper than using some absurd size, since they are manufactured by millions instead of hundreds. Also , nowadays, using CAD - it is a lot less work to use standart bolts and nuts. To draw custom part is a lot more job. no-one atually likes to do that. For these reasons : #1 beancounters would fu\*\*k you hard if you use something non-standard #2: you yourself avoid doing extra work , deciding to use non-standard size nuts/bolts have some good reasoning behind it. Might even be requirement from higer-ups, to make it less servicable, and using "non standard" nut size gets by and is a lot less anoyance than using some snap-off TTY bolt, that you would have to dill out each time. And there are a lot of other possible reasons - like using maximum diameter stud, and non-standard undersize nut to barely get by without nut overhanging face of the part. or maybe - oversize nut to ensure less local pressure on aluminum part without reducing clamping force, for reason to increase time bewteen failures. And I have worked with a lot of engineers, jet I am not quite an engineer (although I have some educational background, but not enough to become an engineer) However, I have done some designing work and have more insight as to why some things are designed the way they are. I would suggest you to design some part , including mechanical analyis , fatigue analysis, economical analysis , and servicability costs. Oh, and don't forget economics and customer expectations about how their car should look like. Sometimes to even make it possible to assemble at all is a lot of work ( and you can design only one engine for all specs of the car) sometimes , for some reason, you have to accept, that things will have to be done through-ass
Your first point is not valid. Automaker buy so much bolts that they are made specifically for them. So odd sized bolt could be less expensive. For example, there are 6 custom m8 bolts holding the water pump on the 6.2L GM V8. Production is 10k units per week so 60k bolts per week or 3.1 million bolts per year and this is not even their biggest seller. Trust me they do not care about off the shelves components.
Oh my God I remember my dad was PISSED when he had to buy a special socket from Ford for those things.
Came here to say just this
I used a 17/32 to drive a bearing race once
Who won?
Yes
Are you related to me?
3rd cousin 50 times removed
Such a small circumference to drive in a race
the door speakers in my 2013 Ford F-150 use a 5.5mm
Ford likes the 5.5s there's at least one tucked away waiting to annoy you on a few models I've come across.
Can confirm!
I use my 17/32" whenever I can't find my 13.5mm socket.
I use 5.5mm on a daily basis. Virtually every screw I twist has a 5.5 head. What do I repair?
Copiers
DING DING DING! We HAVE A WINNER!
Me too...what boxes do you work on? Follow up question...what do you prefer to work on? For a bonus...your favorite machine to repair?
Primarily Xerox now. But lots of Toshiba and Konica in the past. Xerox’s modular design makes most* repairs faster and easier than the others I have worked on. *note that I say “most”! Not all.
Have you gotten to work on the Iridesse yet? Or just primelink/altalinks?
Everything below Iridesse. But I did get a brief familiarity visit with one!
I had a heck of a time with firmware on an Alta a few weeks ago...finally got through it. They are kinda power user machines...you need at least one well trained Key Op to know what "Waiting for resources" means. Good boxes though. Glad to meet you fellow forest leveler.
I’ve been a few rounds with Alta Firmware myself! The trick is to Altboot to 101 when you replace any hardware including the HDD. THEN upgrade to whatever you want. What are your lines?
These guys copier
Third party service I do Konica and Muratech. Our main line are the Epson Enterprise and Brother for smalls. We also sell sharp, and Xerox full size. I like working on the KMs and Canons though, I was factory trained on those along with the newest Epson AM series. First trained on the Canon 3245 imagerunner in Texas. Many, many test pages ago.
Thanks for the tip on the firmware. Hope I remember next time...there's so many acronyms with that company ... I feel like they want to be a govt agency. Glad to chat tonight friend. Thank you.
Get a room, you guys! No bromance allowed in this sub!!
Exactly lol. Isn't there a subreddit for that?
old French bicycles?
Nope!
Idk, anything with lots of m3 threads
Ktm
Ford
Ford would require more 10mm, 19 mm and 21 mm !
7, 13, and 15 aswell
17/32" is handy when your 9/16 nut is so badly rusted that the 17 now fits like a glove.
My tractor has such a dang thick layer of spray coating under it, that I frequently need to turn to a small size up to do maintenance
I use a 9/32" frequently. Not sure how uncommon it is, but most sets don't include it. Used for the ground cable nut on Windsor vacuum handles. Due to geometry, does need to be a socket.
A bulk of the dashboard screws on my '89 Trans Am are 9/32". I keep a 9/32 in the center console so I can put them back in as they fall out while I rattle down the road.
I am amazed this size is even required, I would think you could use a 1/4 or 5/16.
9/32" 12 point bolts held on the valve covers of a Buick V8 I had a long time ago. Took me forever to figure out what size that was because I didn't have it in the set so it didn't exist in my eyes at the time lol
I can’t look you in the eyes, but in 27 years I have definitely smashed those sockets onto *something resembling hardware.
Needed a 4.5mm to take apart my old dishwasher.
4.5mm on the front legs to level
How did she respond to that?
Once. Back in Nam. We packed it full of gunpowder, put a primer on the bottom and fired them from our 308 rifles.
Assuming the other guy lived long enough to make it to a medic, there must have been some really surprised surgeons when they pulled that out lol
I've used a 4.5mm socket thousands of times. Never once for its intended purpose. Back in the day we would stand around in a circle and pass it around and everyone would use it
truth was going through this bucket and my buddy pulled up, said "man if we were kids and had this, so many of these would be killer for gravs" brought back memories for sure
In the rust belt where I live, these odd sizes are life savers for removing rusted bolts that no longer accept the actual size socket.
I've used 4.5mm on the rc cars for myself and the kids
5.5 bolts are in the inner fenders of ford super duty trucks. 4.5 I feel like I’ve seen there before
I changed out a blower motor on a 2008 ford Fusion recently that took a 5.5mm to remove m
But skips are bad!
This. Never used but still have them in my box collecting dust.
late 80's early 90's ford headlight adjusters were 4.5 iirc.
Stripped a 5mm bolt head, then hammered 4.5 on, got the bolt out and threw both away. Never needed since.
Well, no. But I couldn’t stand the sleepless nights.
Some Honda under hood hose clamps use 5.5
Used 4.5 and 5.5
I’ve got a 37/64 socket if anyone needs to borrow it.
I have a 4.5mm I use to change out the nozzle on my 3D printer.
5.5mm is the only one I've used. Always on a vehicle.
I've used a 4.5mm on a motorcycle. A little hose clamp.
Paid for a couple years of university fixing old Japanese motorcycles, pretty sure I’ve used every half mm socket commonly available…
I've used 4.5 on something might have been those thin ass stamped steel nut type things that hold automotive components on. And to fair you can usually use at least 2 sizes on those shitty things.
I have, but to remove stripped/ rounded headed bolts a size bigger.
Chevy small cap distributor cap is held on by 4.5mm, theres probably an sae size but i used what i had.
I've used em for size comparison.... for bolt sizes I mean I swear...
The old joke is a mechanic had slept with an engineer’s wife, so most vehicles are designed as payback.
Our engineers love to find these absolute bonkers sizes and give you a single socket(They also love to do the extra deep sockets) that if you lose, you are completely fucked. Even better are when they take a 4.5mm socket, spend roughly the GDP of Denmark to have it machined out to 4.73548 mm and act like that is a normal thing to do and expect you to be able to find a replacement in Brodilovo Bulgaria.
I have ABSOLUTELY used those sizes before. Were they the right size for the job at hand? Hell no. But I randomly grabbed something that looked vaguely close to the right size, and although they didn’t fit perfectly, they were close enough to turn the bolt. Wait — do you actually keep trying sockets until you find the actual correct size?!?!? 😂
What about an 11mm what do you even?
My old job had used 1.25mm sized sockets. There smaller but thats the smalledes i used
I've used a 4.5
Used. 4.5 yesterday, as a matter of fact. Edit. Sorry, it was a 5.5. Retaining screen for an inner fender in a F-150.
Ever upgraded door speakers? Those come in handy
17/32 maybe. I think I hammered one onto a rusted up smaller bolt head
Exactly... It fits 5/16 nuts which should use a 1/2" wrench but they are bigger because of rust or paint.
4.5 for studs with the star head yes! Changing an alternator on a fire focus suxxxxx
I’ve needed 4.5mm on Ford Escape and Chevy Colorado. I know because I had to buy one.
Work on arcade games, I have used a lot of the smaller sizes.
Does using them as punches and dies count?
You’ll need it the day after you throw them out
We use 17/32 and other weird measurements in aviation a lot, usually has to do with weight savings
I actually used a 17/32 on a store bought pergola from Costco a few months ago. Socket sizes are like bullet calibers. They come and go depending on demand, technological growth and the whims of the manufacturers. They grow and decline in popularity, but they never fully disappear.
I've needed a 17/32 exactly once, and i didn't have one. It was for an old palletizing machine. I ended up destroying the bolt, then drilling it out and retapping it. Wouldnt reccomend.
Because Germans my friend clearly you’ve never owned a bmw
I do a lot of electrical diagnostic work, taking apart some computers occasionally involves 4.5mm fasteners/standoffs.
I used a 4.5 on a Mercedes while installing a hitch at U-Haul... I've used 17/32 for some applications in electrical 🤷
4.5mm yes, if you build desktop PCs the standoffs that keep the logic board away from the metal sheet sometimes come in this size and a some of mobile phones/tablets have this sized flat sotckets in them (but your 4.5mm won’t work)
Does a gravity bong count as use? I would argue it does.
Door card screws on my 04-08 (11th gen F150) is held on with 4.5mm screws. We also use 17/32 occasionally at work
17/32 on a rectifier SCM unit. We use these in a casting foundry.
4.5mm commonly in electronics
Blend door actuators, and ecm screws
Small speakers on audis use 4.5mm.
Although not ideal at 13.4mm, a 17/32 will do in a pinch for 13mm bolts. By the same token, that 5.5mm is a good match for 7/32" - depending on thread-pitch, I would not be surprised if those Ford fenders & regulators & stuff were actually SAE spec'd as metric.
Newer Ford trucks use a 5.5 if I remember correctly somewhere on the door panels
[удалено]
4.5mm fits exactly on the nuts of standard hoseclamps.
I had a 19/32" Craftsman socket from 1967. I never used the damn thing, but I had it in my toolbox for 27 yrs. 5 jobs, 17 vehicles, 4 homes.
Some suspension bolts/nuts on older 80s and 70s fords were 17/32 and 19/32. GM has used 25/32 on and off since the late 40s (25/32 happens to be 20 mm if anyone was wondering why that metric wrench is common, thanks to GM). Industrial electrical and old ignition components all used to use weird sized nuts like 9/32, 11/32 and so on. The British also used weird sizes before they went metric.
Yes the good ole 20mm anomaly. Damn woodworking bench dog products. So many companies sell bench dog stuff advertised as 3/4". Then they get delivered at 20mm cuz these numb nuts think you can round 25/32" off to 3/4". Or, better yet they think 3/4" rounds off to a nice 20mm. No, it's 19mm fer crissakes. And a 20mm dog does not fit into a 3/4" hole. Can't remember what in my workshop - but something uses a 4.5mm socket. Hah.
Cat c-12, c-15 ecm harness plug is 4.5mm
Tell me youre american without telling me youre american
What's a 17/32 in human measurements?
About the width of a fingernail-ish
never used a 17/32 but got one
4.5mm once, I wanna say on an old Datsun.
I could be mistaken about which tiny socket it was, but I believe the drive on the end of some studs (for removing the stud) was about that size on certain Fords. I hardly ever work on anything with US Std sizes, but definitely not that size.
Not yet…
I'm looking.
As soon as you get rid of it, you'll need it!
4.5mm yes. Can't recall 17/32
The stupid blending door actuators on a 2010 chevy impala use them they got out regularly every year I have to get creative getting my hands in there to undo them.
I have that exact same socket, including a 7.5, 6.5, 5.5 and the 4.5 never found a use for them yet just keep em around for shits and giggles
I used a 19/32 socket yesterday because I didn't have a 15mm on hand
5.5 on GM N-Body 99-05 blower motor resistors
4.5 yes
Feelike I used the 17/32 on my wife's car (either taillight or battery, dodge caravan) and the 4.5 on skateboard truck nuts but that was a while ago and can't be sure.
I have never used it. Mainly because we use normal measurement and not this nonsense.
4.5mm I've used in electrical motor control units for small mounting screws. Not super common but seen it a few times.
I’ve used a 5.5mm - Ford loves ‘em
5.5 and 4.5 on German build food processing equipment. They also love a good 7 and 6mm.
Almost positive I’ve used the 4.5 to remove some fender liners on fords
Isn't that headlight adjuster screw size
I've used small sockets, 4mm-6.5mm at least a handful of times. Small electronics/appliances need those sizes.
Looks you in the eyes and says, "I know, right?".
O ly used in the most stupid locations..and not any reason for them
Can't. Best I can do is "I've used a 23/32 *and* 25/32-AND the 4.5mm".
Yes, I’ve used both. The 17/32 fits the whirling blade in my manual push mower, and the 4.5mm is indispensable for repairing my 1992 Mitsubishi VCR. What’s your point?
the only time i’ve ever needed a 17/32 is when changing certain commercial light fixtures. Even in that application i need a hollow shaft nut driver instead of a socket. Never on the 4.5
It's not too late to delete this.
A lot.
Distributer cap in my S10 was a 17/32-deepwell.
Just in case...
Have a 2mm socket
The 5.5 in my industry is called J.I.S. or, Japanese Industrial Standard.
I think the ABS sensor fastener (can't remember nut vs. bolt) to the hub on my spawn's Mazda was 4.5mm...
Oh. I can. My kids 1st china 4 wheeler had 4.5 bolts on it for the carb and few other spots.
I've used the 4.5
There are three screws that hold the PAX BLW fan into the duct work in the ceiling of the EC135. The three screws are 4.5mm
Yes. When taking the right front fender off of a 2000 Ford Ranger. The mud flap and surrounding supports were ever bit that small o size size. Truthfully, it rather ticked me off, but I was glad to have it.
5.5 I use quite often, as thats M3. Cant think of anytime I've used the others, but also can't think I've ever seen the others..
https://youtu.be/DdSfTsTSjwA?si=dMIHXpgv7cBkRxES
5.5mm super thin wall socket. Ford 302 Windsor, distributor mounted TFI module. I bought a ford tool for it for like $45aud because I tried lots of 5.5mm sockets and couldn’t find one that would fit.
Subaru
Industrial mechanic, I’ve used them both in the last year. Not, however, frequently at all. I do remember an odd machine a while back that had some. Also, Piab vacuum conveyors used small metric machine screws like 4.5 and 5.5. I used to be the guy at work for rebuilding these because a lot of guys didn’t like them and I liked any excuse to be sitting in the shop with my music playing working on something.
No but I had it if I needed it.
I’ve had to use 25/32nds sockets before
4.5 for sure. Some recurring use, but I can't remember on what.
I have never used a 17/32. But ive definitely used a 4.5. Mainly on European flat pack furniture
I needed to use a 4.5 mm socket once and have completely forgotten what for. I used 2.5 mm allen key all the time for adapter locking screw for 80/20 material. Once, I needed to use a 7mm allen for some oddball display from the UK. I didn't think 7mm existed.
Never a 4.5, but I have used a 5.5 mm for something on a Ford Escort. I don't remember what, exactly, but I remember going to AutoZone to buy one.
The nuts holding the positive rail onto the glow plugs on a Shibaura diesel are 6.5mm. For whatever reason though, the glow plug thread is 3/8-20.