Understanding Metric Hardware

I'm lucky enough to live 1-mile from a McFadden-Dale store... they gots erra'thang!

And once you get bored with nuts and bolts, try and figure how to mix and match Metric and Imperial AC fittings in the same vehicle.

NOHOME said:

And once you get bored with nuts and bolts, try and figure how to mix and match Metric and Imperial AC fittings in the same vehicle.

Make all the places where they meet soft hose?

I have only done a couple AC swap kinda deals, and I went to a company that makes adaptors from all sorts of different kinds of compressor/condensor/etc to generic threaded O ring fittings, which made life SO easy.

Since this is back from the dead, why can I not find JIS screwdrivers anywhere short of the internet, when every single Japanese bike in car use them?

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Have yet to find that vendor.

In reply to bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter) :

I have a set of JIS Phillips drivers to work on Japanese carbs & distributors (my 'real' job). The JIS screwdrivers were an exciting new tool for a few days, but ultimately I havent found any real improvement over a good quality Mac or S-K driver with grit blasted tip.

One thing I'll add to the conversation, never assume that because your tap and die set has a size in it, that you can find a bolt to match it.

I once bought a used aluminum flywheel for 50 bucks because its pressure plate bolt holes had all been stripped. No problem I thought. It had m12x1.5 holes originally, so I grabbed the m13x1.5 tap from my set and upsized it by one. Next step, order new bolts. Ha! They don't exist.

Knurled. said:

ebonyandivory said:

Screw you and your Metric and Imperial sizes.

Signed: Torx 

Torx is available in standard and metric.

 

(Want to find a standard Torx?  Look at Ford seatbelts from the 70s.  Seatbelt fasteners are always 7/16-NF, and Ford used Torx)

Seatbelt anchor bolts are either 7/16 NF or M11-1.25 because they're functionally equivalent.  They're not identical but they're cross compatible.

In reply to spandak : I get most of my fasteners from McMaster-Carr. They don't ship in super small quantities but I like to keep extra of the common size in stock. Great variety of sizes and grades.