I had to use a 9/32 socket!!!!

9/32. I thought the nut was a 1/4. But no.

9/32.

It was a hose clamp

(Might have been metric)

It was probably a 7mm. I'm not much of a mechanic, but I can tell you that 7mm is very common in dashboards in Ford, GM, and Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep.

7mm would of been just as rare.
I have not been under a car dash in years. And then that would have been a 67 Mustang

I have found 7mm on GM and Ford also.

Metrics are a absolute now a days. German cars seem to use special fasteners, sort of a torx. Many of those which get torqued are one time use bolts.

Just replaced the radio head unit on my 03 F150, every one of the dash bolts that had to be removed were 7mm.

2005 Mercury sway bar connector ends, 7mm to stop them from spinning. Used one the other day.


9/32, like 11/32 and 15/16, it's rare, but when you need em you need em. (well now days it's odd metrics sizes that play that game, the in between ones that don't come in most sets)

But have you ever found a dropped 10mm socket?

I recall using a 9/32 on my Schwinn bike about 50 years ago. But maybe it's a false memory. But I also remember wondering why there were not 32 sockets in the kit such as 3/32 or 27/32 and so on.

Then there is the other size socket I have never used....19/32. One sits in the Craftsman set that's been in the family at least 70 years
Cousin Phil (RIP) said it is found on Military equipment. He was a motor pool Sarge. Then a transmission shop owner. Great mechanic.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
But have you ever found a dropped 10mm socket?

Only after I'd bought a new one to replace it.

I still have my first new car, a 1985 Monte Carlo SS. GM cars of this area were a bit of a Metric Nightmare, engine parts were SAE and body parts were Metric. Then there was the Transmission, which had 5/16-18 threads for the oil pan but 13mm Hex heads on the screws. Been many a mid 80's transmission that needed helicoil inserts installed due to folks trying to force fit an 8mm screw into a 5/16-18 threaded hole. Note 5/16 and 8mm are so close in diameter they would interchange except for the Metric thread pitch being different. The tip off for this particular mismatch is that in a 5/16-18 tapped hole a 8mm screw will start binding 2 turns in and if you try and force it anyway about 4 turns in it's fully jammed and you'll need to install a helicoil insert to put that tapped hole back in service if you can work that seized screw back out of the hole. Go Bubba on trying to force it in and you'll be shopping for a new transmission case.

The end result is that if you look into either of my tool chests you will find complete sets of Metric and SAE hand tools.