Metric Hell

[gatorman21218]

I am on a quest to replace all the metric fasteners on my truck with standard. So all those bolts I cut off the front end (leaf spring, shocks, pivot)... can I replace them with standard fasteners of an equivalent size and grade? or will that 20 thousands make a big difference?

Also any one know the actual sizes of the bolts? I have no way of determining metric size bolts

 

[George D.]

I wouldn't try it. I would bet money it would result in death woble. You should be able to find the sizes some where on the internet might even tell you wich bolts are the same between standard and metric or you could look up metric sizes and plug them into one of the many websites that will covert them.

 

[bike-maker]

multiply mm x .0394 to get inches
multiply inches x 25.4 to get mm
Whatever the size difference is, I would use the stock metric bolts. Any extra play on the shank of the bolts will allow movement and where bushings and such that much quicker.

 

[Optikalillushun]

its not to bad with these trucks...15, 18, 22mm is what i seem to remember using a lot of.

 

[foresterdj]

See the chart at this site.
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/science/wrench-conversion.htm

 

[riotwarrior]

....welcome to my world, I have to deal with this as Canadian, everything is metric yet I work on old iron too....60's 70's stuff so I got a full set of metric/standard tools every metric and standard combination wrench x 2 for two wrench situations...an sockets n OMG it's fawked..thanks Canada...dumbasshats!

I would suggest keeping the stock bolts as some of the metric fasteners are actually a higher grade than standard....just sayin...

 

[bike-maker]

It's us Americans that are the exception. All the other countries use metric.......and it makes more sense too.

 

[The Warden]

It's us Americans that are the exception. All the other countries use metric.......and it makes more sense too.

Even as someone who grew up on and personally prefers the U.S. system, IMHO he's right...things would be better and certainly easier if we'd get on board with the rest of the world...

 

[RANOVRU]

If it meant only having to deal with one type of bolt system ever again Id be on board. No having to buy two sets of every tool, heck yea.

Plus metric is a little easier to remember and gauge sizes than fractions...jus saying.

 

[snicklas]

Here is another fun with the metric/standard issue.....

Dad had a 97 Ford Contour. We live in the rust/salt belt, and the rear brake hard line, between the rear wheels rusted through. This line runs along the body, "inside" the channels that make up the rear suspension. To replace this line, all that has to come loose to remove the line. When he picked the car up, the shop that did the work told him that ALL the fasteners, from the center line out on once side were metric, and ALL the fasteners from the center line out on the other side were all standard..... so the assembly line that day, for the rear suspension station, had metric bolts in the bin on one side of the line, and standard in the bin on the other side of the line.......

That was an interesting car to work on.... never know which set you would need.....

 

[G. Mann]

Something else to give you grief... the bolt head is metric.. so is the thread... if you replace it with a SAE bolt.... it won't fit the thread form and ruin the thing you thread it into.... LOSE/lose situation.

Buy a good set of metric tools and live with it. Sorry...

 

[redneckaggie]

coming from a machinist/machine maintenence tech I really wish US would get on board with the metric system. It is so much easier to work with once you become familiar with it. It is just a matter of moving the decimal to go from m to cm or mm and metric is also way more acurrate per decimal place since a mm is a smaller increment than an inch.

 

[bike-maker]

I'm as proud of an American as the next guy, but...
Metric = no more conversion factors
how many meters in a kilometer? Easy
how many feet in a mile?
how many yards in a furlong?
Our system is pretty ridiculous if you think about it.

 

[gatorman21218]

Ok so Ill go with the stock bolts.

As for Metric vs Standard...

I'm a carpenter. I use a tape measure 500 times a day. Standard is not that complicated. I guess it all depends on what you are used to. This country is used to Standard. F*** the rest of the world. Should we dump English and speak chinese? China uses metric. Should we switch to communism? Russia uses metric. Should we switch to the Euro while were at it?

And for those who think that metric is simpilier than standard, explain to me tire sizes. LT235-85-R16 vs 33-12.5-16.5. *** is an aspect ratio?

 

[paulb3]

Ok so Ill go with the stock bolts.

LT235-85-R16 vs 33-12.5-16.5. *** is an aspect ratio?

I think those are launch codes for a nuke.