Missing 20mm and 16mm Sockets

[CaJLMetalHead]

I am willing to bet it is also some kind of industrial agreement to skip certain sizes to simplify design, maintenance, etc.. . for example.. 20mm.... I noticed that at least in cars and SUVs... the use of 21mm is more prevalent.. and 19mm is even more common... so I guess the logic is kind of "why use 20mm which probably has similar torque strength to a 21mm? you also see it in smaller sizes.. ... I don't think I have seen many parts using 14mm for example..

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[ParadigmDawg]

Carmen Sandiego stole all the 16mm and 20mm sockets. That's the reason.

That is a fact

 

[Terrymo]

You can just use a crescent wrench to round the heads of any bolts you don’t have the socket for.

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[roaniecowpony]

14mm and 9/16" as well as 24mm and 15/16" fall in that category as well.

I like Tekton also. Not snap-on quality but not snap-on price either.

I like them as well as my Snap-On tools.

I recently bought another load of Tekton tools that included the 3/8" drive small body ratchet built on a 1/4" drive 90 tooth ratchet. It's my new favorite tool. 3/8 Inch Drive x 6 Inch Flex Quick-Release Small Body Ratchet | TEKTON

 

[autotragic]

13mm and 1/2" wrenches generally are interchangeable as are 5/16" and 8mm.

I have used 16mm recently on something or another. I can't recall using a 20mm recently.

But, Tekton has them all. I've become a fan of Tekton. High quality, Taiwan made, US company. Taiwan is primarily known for it's silicon chip manufacturing quality and capacity. But they have other industries with high quality.

I've had good luck with all my Tekton tools I've bought over the last few years and one of my favorite things about them is the no skipped sizes nonsense. Like I can get a set from 6 mm all the way to 22 mm and not a single missed size. If you want to save a little money they have most of their sets from 8 mm to 19 mm too but I stick to the 6 to 22 just to make sure I cover all the regular uses that I have.

 

[dsgrey]

Never thought about it but my 40+ year old Craftsman sockets include a 16mm but not a 20mm. I can't say whether I bought the 16mm separately way back and have just never needed a 20mm.

 

[S2k Chris]

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Trust me you really don’t.

-Guy who just used a Leatherman to pull a splinter of out my hand in the parking lot from this weekend’s project

 

[Terrymo]

Trust me you really don’t.

-Guy who just used a Leatherman to pull a splinter of out my hand in the parking lot from this weekend’s project

I see no problem with a Leatherman in that scenario...adjustable crescent wrenches on the other hand

 

[DanFelix]

16MM and 20MM get skipped in standard socket sets quite regularly due to the fact they don't match up to common metric diameter hex bolts. Take the 20MM socket for example. If M13 was a common screw diameter.....then it would be used with a 20mm hex. Being that it is uncommon, M12 and M14 are more common screw diameters and use 19MM and 21MM(22MM?) hex sockets respectively. Doesn't mean that you won't ever run into a 20MM hex, as I can think of some caliper pins and lug nuts with those shitty aluminum caps that use 20mm.

Agreed. I have never needed them so I won't go to any special effort to include them. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Joe98]

I have 2 socket sets

They both have 16mm and neither have 20mm

 

[PW6764]

When I updated to a JL from TJ I found that my old tool sets were missing for the 18mm deep/regular sockets and combo wrenches.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I recently bought some 90 tooth Gearwrench ratchets. Near tool truck quality, I'm very impressed with them. I have one of their 1/4" bit driver/socket sets to, and that is what impressed me enough to try their bigger ratchets.

I was down to just two old Craftsman 3/8" and 1/2" 36 tooth ratchets, and I'd filled in with some Huskys that I'd come to hate, as they always reversed on me while using them. Now the Huskys get put in the loose tool bag that goes along on road trips, no longer residing in my tool box. One day, I'll use them to make a starter set for my grandson. To be fair, I haven't tried the higher end Husky ratchets that have come out in the last few years.

As far as sockets go, most are about the same. The real low end stuff is going to rust and split on you, but Husky, Kobalt, Craftsman, Crescent, Sata (Amazon), Tekton, Gearwrench, etc will all be about the same quality, Ratchet quality differs though. each brand had cheap, medium and higher quality.

Taiwan has some very good product coming out these days. The price difference is so vast between what they produce over there and the US tool truck brands that it's hard to justify, especially for a guy doing occasional work in his his own garage.

Watch some of these pro techs YouTube and pay attention tho the brands they are using. In many instances it's not to the high dollar, we finance you, tool truck brands.

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