8 replies to this topic

[Tails]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone had a metric to AF converstion table?

All my tools are metric and I dont want to replace them unless I have to!



Tails.

[pikey7]

If you want to do anything on a mini, get some imperial tools. There are approximate conversions for most, but if you get one tight bolt, you'll strip it and curse the moment you didn't spend £30 on a set of spanners & sockets.

FYI,

7/16" - 11mm
1/2" - 13mm
9/16" - 14mm
5/8" - 16mm

[Pavel]

It's true that you should always use imperial sockets, but it does depend on the specific nut/bolt. I've sheared 1/2" bolts using a 13mm socket, and the bolt head was almost perfect. In other words in many cases you can get by with metric sockets, but if you come across a tight one or you want the job done right, get a set of imperial sockets. Don't know about UK but here everything's more expensive and you can still get a absolute cheapo ratchet wrench + socket set for something silly like a tenner. Chuck away the wrenches, and keep the sockets + extensions. Never had a cheap socket fail on me or not work (which is more than I can say for other tools).

[Guess-Works.com]

Spend a few pennies on the correct gear... and it is only a few pennies...

http://www.machinema...77&r=2073&g=111

http://www.machinema...85&r=2073&g=111

http://www.machinema...70&r=2075&g=111

Cheap and cheerful...

[Tails]

Never had a cheap socket fail on me or not work

I'v had a few cheap nasty draper socket shear on me, i've get the blood stains on my coveralls to prove it!

Done a bit of googleing and managed to find a table if anyones intrested:

http://www.kincrome....rsiontable.html

[1984mini25]

There was a conversion chart in the FQA section but has seamed to have disappeared

[dklawson]

I've noticed over the years that people in the U.K. frequently refer to its size by the AF dimension. I've come to understand and accept that... but it is a misleading way to measure a bolt.

Regarding the spanners, when you're trying to make things fit, don't use a 13mm on a 1/2", it's simply too loose. However, starting with ridiculously small stuff, you can safely use:
5mm on 3/16"
7mm on 9/32" (with luck)
8mm on 5/16"
11mm on 7/16"
15mm on 19/32" (with luck)
16mm on 5/8"
19mm on 3/4"
24mm on 15/16"

There are others like the 1/2"-13mm thing that my be recommended but in general I think the others are a poor fit. As it is, the ones I've marked "with luck" only work if the head of the bolt is slightly undersized and/or the socket or wrench is slightly oversized.

[Dan]

I've found the only one that's almost a perfect match is 11mm - 7/16". Everything else is different and you should use the right ones or you will end up hurting yourself and your car sooner or later.

Most people I've met don't refer to bolt sizes by their head size DK, it's just a kind of shorthand. You are right it is misleading, especially if you're talking about Whitworth or BS or anything with over or undersized heads like ARP studs and nuts.

And Tails metric sockets and spanners are AF too, don't call imperial tools AF anywhere other than Halfords or you'll look like a muppet. AF means accross flats as that's how they are measured, for some reason Halfords think it only refers to Imperial tools.

Edited by Dan, 10 April 2006 - 04:37 PM.

[andyps]

I have been fiddling with cars for a few years and my first car was an Austin A30 (older than me!) which had a lot of Whitworth nuts and bolts so i have a set of whitworth spanners and before I started buying metric spanners I often found they would fit the metric ones where AF wouldn't. I now have a pretty comprehensive set of metrics but don't find much used for them on minis.