Metric OCD

[WMichelsen]

Being German made, the fasteners in our cars are metric.
How important is it (to you) to maintain an all metric car? Not regarding replacement fasteners, but when there is a non-compromising situation.

For example, I've added an electrical junction panel for seat-heaters/usb-charger/dash-cam, relay box for headlights, speaker grills, etc. These are fresh additions, so choice of fasteners and fabrication dimensions, are open. But, I try to keep it all metric. Instead of 1/4" fasteners (that I have on hand), I'll go out and buy 6-mm. When deciding hole spacing, I'll measure out 50-mm instead of 2", etc.

Is it just me? I actually annoy myself.

[porsche tech]

Keep it metric. Using SAE is akin to using drywall screws.

[masraum]

Technically, it doesn't matter functionally in the slightest.

But, if I need to get out one socket/wrench set (metric only) or two (metric and SAE) AND I have to remember which fasteners are which, that'd be a pain compared to staying all metric.

But if I bought something that came with SAE fasteners, I probably wouldn't re-engineer it to use metric just because.

[Zeke]

Well you can look at it as you don't need SAE tools at your side when you're working on the car. AFA being a purist, I think it's how OCD you are. I match washers and nuts when fishing in the bin for that and that to use. I guess I can't stand 2 different types of screws used on the same item.

The odd ball thing on German and all cars is the universal seat belt bolt. 7/16"-20 UNF on just about everything. But to save the day, the bolt head is often 17mm. That makes that one bolt rather unique.

[GH85Carrera]

I try to keep my 911 all metric just to make it easy to know what set of wrenches to get.

My 1986 El Camino was built in Mexico. The body and chassis are all metric, the engine is all SAE. It is very annoying. Of course many metric sockets will work on a SAE bolt, but it is not ideal fit and possible rounding off the head.

For instance, the power steering rack is metric and and the hoses are metric. To get to it, I have to take off the AC compressor, and that is all SAE. Fortunately, after 392,000 miles I have only had to replace it once.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Well you can look at it as you don't need SAE tools at your side when you're working on the car. AFA being a purist, I think it's how OCD you are. I match washers and nuts when fishing in the bin for that and that to use. I guess I can't stand 2 different types of screws used on the same item.

The odd ball thing on German and all cars is the universal seat belt bolt. 7/16"-20 UNF on just about everything. But to save the day, the bolt head is often 17mm. That makes that one bolt rather unique.

All seatbelt nuts are the same size on all cars. Dictated by USDOT. Since the USA is the major market, most manufacturers just make it easy on themselves and make a world car.

Virtually every car have wheels measured in inches as well.

The only part that is pretty much used on all cars and would be swapable from car to car regardless of make is the valve cores of the tire fill valve.

[A930Rocket]

All metric on my 911 and F150.

My toolbox is 95% metric tools. The red square in the wrench drawer is all of my SAE wrenches. I have maybe 2-3 rows of SAE sockets.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by masraum

Technically, it doesn't matter functionally in the slightest.

But, if I need to get out one socket/wrench set (metric only) or two (metric and SAE) AND I have to remember which fasteners are which, that'd be a pain compared to staying all metric.

But if I bought something that came with SAE fasteners, I probably wouldn't re-engineer it to use metric just because.

Bingo. Tools? A lot of what you have depends on your age...back in my teern years, when I started doing minor stuff, my cars were aLL SAE, so I collected a lot of wrenches & sockets...now I probably have more metric, but didn't thrown the SAE tools away.

[Por_sha911]

Do you clock all the screws in Daylight Savings or Standard time?

[herr_oberst]

Metric car stays metric. Period. Fasteners match, too. I've wasted untold time looking for the 4th bolt when I have 3 in my hand, but I tell myself that that's why I save Every.God.Damn.Nut and bolt that I come across.
I don't worry about measuring the distance between two holes in either metric or imperial, because one of the holes is going to be off anyway.

[WMichelsen]

Thanks for being a support group

It really is quite annoying. I have dozens of cans of random fasteners, and more boxes and bags of new. Probably 90%+ are SAE ... because ... well ... USA.

So, when I'm making a doo-dad, and need a bolt, I have every size, type, and flavor of 1/4-20 right here.
But Noooo... can't have that in my Porsche. So, I have to order that M6-30, and wait 5-days, because "Big Box Store" doesn't carry good metric stock.
(that's all just a hypothetical)

[HobieMarty]

If it's metric, it stays metric and I always match bolts or screws, never mix and match because it looks like crap if ya do.
Today I removed the fuel pump from the TR and I find it funny that this British car doesn't have any metric fasteners. The bolts for the fuel pump were actually 1/2 inch nuts on studs.

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[sc_rufctr]

As our cars age they generally increase in value (Have you seen the price of a good 356 lately? ).
So I try to keep my car as OEM as possible. I only use metric fasteners.

- A few years ago I purchased a "JWest Engineering Rennshift" (easily reversible mod).

and guess what... It uses standard US imperial fasteners.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by HobieMarty

If it's metric, it stays metric and I always match bolts or screws, never mix and match because it looks like crap if ya do.
Today I removed the fuel pump from the TR and I find it funny that this British car doesn't have any metric fasteners. The bolts for the fuel pump were actually 1/2 inch nuts on studs.

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Every once in a while you'll find they throw in some rando Whitworth fastener on those cars, with a head size and a thread pitch that matches up with nothing in the known universe.

[fanaudical]

You're not OCD - you're particular.

All metric on my 911 and the Audi's (and the bicycles). The Dodge truck is "who knows" - it has a hodge-podge mix of stuff from the factory.

I have almost a small hardware store's worth of both metric and SAE fasteners for selection stashed in the garage...

[Bill Douglas]

Here in NZ it seems everything is in metric. I don't know how the guys with old English cars get on. Since the age of 16 everything has been Japanese or German so I've had it easy with nuts and bolts.

[911 Rod]

I use what I have, but saying that I'm not sure I have used SAE fasteners on my Porsches.
Maybe if I'm fabricating something like my fire extinguisher mount.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Bingo. Tools? A lot of what you have depends on your age...back in my teern years, when I started doing minor stuff, my cars were aLL SAE, so I collected a lot of wrenches & sockets...now I probably have more metric, but didn't thrown the SAE tools away.

I did not own a SAE wrench until 1991 when I bought my El Camino. My first car was a 1960 36 HP VW bug. I replaced it was a mighty 60 HP 73 Super beetle. Then in 1974 came the mighty 95 HP 914 2.0 that I ordered to my specs.

I was 37 before I bought my El Camino and had to delve into SAE. Even with my 85 911, I never owned a 18mm wrench of any sort, until I needed a 18mm crow foot line wrench to get the high pressure power steering line off of the steering rack.

[VINMAN]

My Dodge Ram is mix of standard and metric right out of the factory
It can be a pita.

Most annoying are the brake lines. One end can ne metric, and the other end standard

Idiotic engineering at its finest...