Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt!
Page: 1, 2  Next
Forum Index -> General/Chat Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Steve M.
Samba Member


Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6798
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
Steve M. is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 7:57 am    Post subject: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Thought they didn't exist along with the useless 18mm wrench in my kit.
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Cusser
Samba Member


Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31270
Location: Hot Arizona
Cusser is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 8:24 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

That may have been "borrowed" from another vehicle !!!

Some vehicles (somewhat-modern USA and "Japanese", wherever made) do use stuff that requires 16mm, 18mm, and 20mm wrench sizes. I remember that the fuel filter on our 1994 Suburban had 16mm and 20mm flats on its under-vehicle steel fuel filter; I used two Vise-Grips as NONE of my SAE or metric wrenches would fit, and later bought 16, 18, and 20 as my wrench sets didn't have those sizes. I surmised that GM used those sizes on purpose to try to wangle folks in to dealer for such high-cost service, maybe claiming it was "for safety".

For my 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, I couldn't figure out why my 24mm and 15/16" sockets were loose on differential/transmission drain/fill plugs. I later realized while working on its front end that a 23mm socket was needed, picked that up at the store. Of course, I already had 21mm, 22mm, 24mm, 27mm sockets....

My original combination wrench set (1971, JC Penney, lifetime warranty) came with a 9mm wrench, and I bet I've used that 2 times or less in 50 years.....
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Glenn Premium Member
Mr. 010


Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76760
Location: Sneaking up behind you
Glenn is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 8:33 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

I have a 16mm socket that's 50 years old... never used.
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
FarmerBill
Samba Member


Joined: July 25, 2017
Posts: 762
Location: New England
FarmerBill is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 9:29 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Cusser wrote:

My original combination wrench set (1971, JC Penney, lifetime warranty) came with a 9mm wrench, and I bet I've used that 2 times or less in 50 years.....


Saab and Suzuki love 9mm, I have multiple 9mm wrenches in my tool box because of all the Saabs I owned through the 90s and 00s. Haven't needed them in years now.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Abscate Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22568
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
Abscate is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

BMW like 16 and 18 mm hex hardware
_________________
.ssS!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli


Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12815
Location: North Carolina
TDCTDI is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 2:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

99 + up VW & Audi use 16mm & 18mm nuts & bolts in lots of places.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
modok
Samba Member


Joined: October 30, 2009
Posts: 26743
Location: Colorado Springs
modok is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 8:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

when it comes to bolt heads..... 16 and 5/8 are functionally interchangeable.

Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Iowa Mark
Samba Member


Joined: May 06, 2004
Posts: 1071

Iowa Mark is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:28 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Years ago I was at a Sears store and bought an open end /box end set of wrenches on sale for my tool box at work. Typical 1/4 to 7/8 set. Got to work and found there was no 11/16. Back at Sears I was told that 11/16 was for 7/16 bolts that were phased out and it was no longer used. The conversation got very one sided after that. Mad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
raygreenwood
Samba Member


Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21474
Location: Oklahoma City
raygreenwood is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:15 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

I bet cusser is correct. Bolt was probably b9rrowed.


Also as noted.....on VW/Audi watercooled over the past 20+ years...16mm and 18mm are two of the most common size bolt heads especially on suspension. I just replaced the entire rear suspension arms and bushings as a set and did the clutch 3 weeks ago on my 2012 Golf. Aside from a pair of 21mm bolts on the outer ends of the lower control arms and a pair of 13mm bolts.....virtually all bolts were either 16mm or 18mm. Ray
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
16CVs Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: February 22, 2004
Posts: 4020
Location: Redwood City, California
16CVs is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 10:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

16mm are very common for wiper nuts on Fords and some imports as well.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Cusser
Samba Member


Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31270
Location: Hot Arizona
Cusser is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 8:17 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Don't tell anyone - but my 2004 Nissan Frontier (purchased in 2011) had no alternator pivot bolt at all (explained why previous owner had issues with shops about belt sizes) - found that out a year after getting it. I could only find 10mm thread bolts up to 120mm long locally, and I needed a 130mm long bolt.

So I went to Ace Hardware and purchased a 3/8" thread bolt 5" or 5.5" long and matching nut, and I use that instead. So one can see how this happens....
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
raygreenwood
Samba Member


Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21474
Location: Oklahoma City
raygreenwood is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2022 7:36 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Cusser wrote:
Don't tell anyone - but my 2004 Nissan Frontier (purchased in 2011) had no alternator pivot bolt at all (explained why previous owner had issues with shops about belt sizes) - found that out a year after getting it. I could only find 10mm thread bolts up to 120mm long locally, and I needed a 130mm long bolt.

So I went to Ace Hardware and purchased a 3/8" thread bolt 5" or 5.5" long and matching nut, and I use that instead. So one can see how this happens....


Laughing yes.....and I will probably be borrowing and using a fair selection of WC bolts for various places on the undercarriage of my 412 as it gets closer to rolling again.

Why?.....because aside from the 16mm or 18mm heads, they come in a HUGE range of lengths, come in the most popular/needed 10mm and 12mm threads, are very high grade.....and are available for a reasonable price down the street at the VW dealer. Plus....and this is where ai got started with it.....they have excellent eccentric bolts in the right thread with nearly perfect length....in stock....for a good price. Ray
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli


Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12815
Location: North Carolina
TDCTDI is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2022 9:27 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

raygreenwood wrote:
Cusser wrote:
Don't tell anyone - but my 2004 Nissan Frontier (purchased in 2011) had no alternator pivot bolt at all (explained why previous owner had issues with shops about belt sizes) - found that out a year after getting it. I could only find 10mm thread bolts up to 120mm long locally, and I needed a 130mm long bolt.

So I went to Ace Hardware and purchased a 3/8" thread bolt 5" or 5.5" long and matching nut, and I use that instead. So one can see how this happens....


Laughing yes.....and I will probably be borrowing and using a fair selection of WC bolts for various places on the undercarriage of my 412 as it gets closer to rolling again.

Why?.....because aside from the 16mm or 18mm heads, they come in a HUGE range of lengths, come in the most popular/needed 10mm and 12mm threads, are very high grade.....and are available for a reasonable price down the street at the VW dealer. Plus....and this is where ai got started with it.....they have excellent eccentric bolts in the right thread with nearly perfect length....in stock....for a good price. Ray



Except for that part where VW considers most of those bolts to be TTY & therefore single use only.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
bandi
Samba Member


Joined: August 24, 2005
Posts: 1063
Location: Campbellford, Ontario, Canada
bandi is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

I use 16 and 18 a LOT on modern VWs... still haven't used that 20 mm socket in my 20 some odd years as a mechanic, other than smashing it onto swollen chrome Chrysler lug nuts!
_________________
'60 Canadian Standard, '64 Bug, another '64 Bug, '66 Bug, '69 Sunroof Bug, '69 GT3 Bug, '71 Super, '72 Super, '73 Canadian Custom, '74 Love Bug, '83 Mexi Bug, '85 Cabrio, '94 Mexi Bug, '99 New Beetle, '02 New Beetle Turbo S, '03 New Beetle VR6. And some Fieros.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Facebook Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
SGKent Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
SGKent is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 11:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:
Thought they didn't exist along with the useless 18mm wrench in my kit.

probably just a rounded off 17mm Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
61SNRF
Samba Member


Joined: March 29, 2009
Posts: 4657
Location: Whittier 90602
61SNRF is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:34 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

bandi wrote:
I use 16 and 18 a LOT on modern VWs... still haven't used that 20 mm socket in my 20 some odd years as a mechanic, other than smashing it onto swollen chrome Chrysler lug nuts!


Have you ever changed the rear engine/trans craddle mounts on that '74 Love Bug? If so you would know the big M18 frame fork bolts have a 20mm hex head Wink
Still have the 20mm impact socket I bought in ~1981, used it once or twice for those and it's been collecting dust ever since!

As for the 16mm hex heads on 10M bolts, from what I've seen in the auto industry the trend is to shave weight everywhere they can.
Volvo didn't stop at 16mm when they reduced the size of the motor mount nuts in ~88, they went from 17mm right to 15mm.
Same for M8, those are now 12mm, M6 has gone from 10mm to 8mm hex heads, M5 is now 7mm hex instead of 8mm.
I beleive this is also a big reason why VW and many other German cars went to internal 12 point spline drive. Less fastener=less weight.
_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
cdennisg
Samba Member


Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20233
Location: Sandpoint, ID
cdennisg is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 10:28 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

First and only time I have used an 18mm socket is for old Honda motorcycle spark plugs.
_________________
nothing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Cusser
Samba Member


Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31270
Location: Hot Arizona
Cusser is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 11:10 am    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

cdennisg wrote:
First and only time I have used an 18mm socket is for old Honda motorcycle spark plugs.


18mm hardware has become more common on vehicles in the last decade.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
cdennisg
Samba Member


Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20233
Location: Sandpoint, ID
cdennisg is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

Cusser wrote:
cdennisg wrote:
First and only time I have used an 18mm socket is for old Honda motorcycle spark plugs.


18mm hardware has become more common on vehicles in the last decade.


That is exactly the reason I have not used my 16 or 18 on anything. The newest vehicle in the fleet is an 08 Toyota with low miles. As such, I rarely need to work on it.
_________________
nothing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
SGKent Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
SGKent is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Unbelievable! ...a 16mm nut and bolt! Reply with quote

I have an 18mm socket that is 40 years old. It was needed on a friend's Maserati. Nothing else has ever required an 18mm. I have run across 16mm on a few things, and 15mm too. Not common though.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> General/Chat All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.