What is the difference between SAE and metric sockets?

What is the difference between SAE and metric sockets?

SAE sockets are sized in inches and fractions of inches. Metric and SAE wrenches have different systems of measurement. Metric sockets and wrenches use the metric measurement system. This is when millimeters are used to describe the size.

What is a SAE socket set?

SAE sockets: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) sockets are manufactured for work on American-made vehicles. Socket sizes are measured based on imperial system inches and fractions. Some of the commonly used SAE sizes are 3/8 in., 5/8 in., and 11/16 in. sockets.

What is the difference between metric and imperial socket sets?

A simple rule is that if the bolt has lines on its head then it’s considered imperial. If it’s got numbers on the head then it’s metric and the higher the number, the stronger the bolt. Another notable difference is that metric fasteners are coarser than their imperial counterparts.

What is SAE in metric?

Tool Sizes Tool measurements are either “Metric” or “Standard.” The latter refers to SAE tools. SAE tools are measured in 1/1000 of an inch. Metric tools are measured by the metric system. The “mm” listed on metric tools refers to millimeters.

Is SAE or metric better?

Metric Measurements Metric is the preferred fastener measurement throughout the world. More exact than fractions of an inch, metric measurements–based on millimeters–are a precise representation of the diameter of the head of the fastener. Imported cars have used metric bolts for more than 30 years.

Is SAE and imperial the same?

How to Convert Between SAE and Imperial Socket Sizes? There are two different methods for measuring the hex sizes of sockets. The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) system uses inches, and the imperial or metric system uses millimeters.

How do you know if SAE is metric?

While there is no precise correlation between SAE fractional and metric measurements, there are many sockets that are close enough in size to be used interchangeably, in some circumstances. For example, 5/16 and 8 mm, 7/16 and 11 mm, 5/8 and 16 mm, 3/4 and 19 mm, 7/8 and 22 mm, and 15/16 and 24 mm.

Do cars use metric or SAE?

American cars are assembled with nuts and bolts that use standard measurements while foreign cars almost exclusively use metric measurements.

Are metric and SAE wrenches interchangeable?