How to Convert English to Metric for Tools
English units, also called Imperial units, are the standard unit of measurement in the United States. For tools, these measurements are often expressed as 1/2 inch, 3/8 inch or 1 1/4 inch. Most imported cars and parts, however, will use metric units, which require metric sizes. Using tools measured in inches will usually result in an improper fit when working with metric screws, bolts and such. To find the proper metric tool, you may need to find the closest fitting inch measurement and convert it to millimeters, so you will know what size tool to purchase.
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Instructions
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Experiment with varying sizes of imperial wrenches or sockets until you find the closest fit. If the wrench has too much play in it, it is too big. If it won't quite fit onto the nut or bolt, it is too small.
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Multiply the closest fitting Imperial size by 25.4 to convert to millimeters. As an example, a 1/2-inch wrench would convert to 12.7 mm. Since there is no such thing as a 12.7 mm wrench, you will also have to round the conversion.
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Round the number up if the wrench was too small. Round the number down if the wrench was too loose. In the example, if the 1/2-inch wrench fit around the nut, but had too much play in it, your metric equivalent would be 12 mm.
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References
- Photo Credit Wrench image by hugy from Fotolia.com
