There are several types of wrenches, each with its own purpose. Wrenches come in different shapes and sizes.
Some wrenches are designed specifically for automotive applications, while others are meant for general household uses.
Luckily, as you’re not considering different ratchet drive sizes, the correct size of wrench you should be using is slightly easier to figure out.
Wrench sets will have a number of different sizes within them, so you won’t necessarily have to purchase more wrenches that aren’t in your toolbox.
Today we’ll be looking at wrench sizing and how you go about working all of these numbers and letters out.
Contents
How Wrenches Are Sized
There are two different methods of sizing wrenches – the standard method (SAE) and the metric sizing. In wrench sets, they will be all positioned in order from smallest size to largest.
SAE and metric nuts and bolts will need to be used with the corresponding wrench sizes. For example, an SAE nut will need to be used with an SAE wrench to ensure that you get the correct fit.
Similarly, a metric bolt should be used with a metric-sized wrench.
Alternatively, you can use a wrench sizing chart to convert SAE sizes to metric sizes, and vice versa.
This means that you’ll be able to use SAE and metric wrenches interchangeably with most kinds of nuts and bolts.
Wrench Sizes In Order
Standard sizing in America are as follows: 5/8, 19/32, 9/16, 1/2, 7/16, 3/8, 11/32, 5/16, 9/32, 1/4, 7/32, 3/16, 5/32, and 1/8. These are set out from the smallest wrench to the largest, and you will be able to buy these wrenches individually or in wretch sets.
Wrench Size Chart
Below is the wrench size chart for both SAE and metric sizes. You can use this to convert wrench sizes from one way of measuring it to another.
The bolt diameter is another term for the amount of space between the two prongs of a wrench. This diameter will be the same as the nut or bolt that it can be used with. Use this to work out which nut and bolt the wrench can be used with.
Bolt Diameter | Metric Wrench Size | Standard Wrench Size (SAE) |
1/8″ | 8 mm | 5/16″ |
3/16″ | 10 mm | 3/8″ |
1/4″ | 11 mm | 7/16″ |
5/16″ | 13 mm | 1/2″ |
3/8″ | 14 mm | 9/16″ |
7/16″ | 16 mm | 5/8″ |
1/2″ | 19 mm | 3/4″ |
9/16″ | 21 mm | 13/16″ |
22 mm | 7/8″ | |
5/8″ | 24 mm | 15/16″ |
25 mm | 1″ | |
3/4″ | 29 mm | 1-1/8″ |
32 mm | 1-1/4″ | |
7/8″ | 34 mm | 1-5/16″ |
35 mm | 1-3/8″ | |
1″ | 38 mm | 1-1/2″ |
41 mm | 1-5/8″ | |
1-1/8″ | 43 mm | 1-11/16″ |
45 mm | 1-3/4″ | |
1-1/4″ | 48 mm | 1-7/8″ |
1-3/8″ | 51 mm | 2″ |
1-1/2″ | 57 mm | 2-1/4″ |
1-5/8″ | 64 mm | 2-1/2″ |
1-3/4″ | 67 mm | 2-5/8″ |
70 mm | 2-3/4″ | |
1-7/8″ | 75 mm | 2-15/16″ |
76 mm | 3″ | |
2″ | 80 mm | 3-1/8″ |
83 mm | 3-1/4″ | |
2-1/4″ | 89 mm | 3-1/2″ |
95 mm | 3-3/4″ | |
2-1/2″ | 99 mm | 3-7/8″ |
102 mm | 4″ | |
2-3/4″ | 108 mm | 4-1/4″ |
114 mm | 4-1/2″ | |
3″ | 118 mm | 4-5/8″ |
3-1/4″ | 127 mm | 5″ |
3-1/2″ | 137 mm | 5-3/8″ |
140 mm | 5-1/2″ | |
3-3/4″ | 146 mm | 5-3/4″ |
152 mm | 6″ | |
165 mm | 6-1/2″ | |
178 mm | 7″ |
Wrenches According To Socket Sizes
Now that you have the conversion chart for your wrench sizes, let’s take a deeper look into standard sizing.
This is the most common sizing that modern wrenches are made under, so it makes sense to have as much information on this sizing as possible.
Below is a table of SAE socket sizes. These refer to SAE tools, sockets, and bolts.
SAE Socket Sizes | ||||
1/4” Drive | 3/8” Drive | 1/2” Drive | 3/4” Drives | 1” Drives |
5/32″ | 1/4″ | 3/8″ | 7/8″ | 1-5/8″ |
3/16″ | 5/16″ | 7/16″ | 15/16″ | 1-11/16″ |
7/32″ | 3/8″ | 1/2″ | 1″ | 1-3/4″ |
1/4″ | 7/16″ | 9/16″ | 1-1/16″ | 1-13/16″ |
9/32″ | 1/2″ | 19/32″ | 1-1/8″ | 1-7/8″ |
5/16″ | 9/16″ | 5/8″ | 1-3/16″ | 2″ |
11/32″ | 5/8″ | 21/32″ | 1-1/4″ | 2-1/8″ |
3/8″ | 11/16″ | 11/16″ | 1-5/16″ | 2-3/16″ |
7/16″ | 3/4″ | 3/4″ | 1-3/8″ | 2-1/4″ |
1/2″ | 13/16″ | 25/32″ | 1-7/16″ | 2-3/8″ |
9/16″ | 7/8″ | 13/16″ | 1-1/2″ | 2-1/2″ |
15/16″ | 7/8″ | 1-5/8″ | 2-5/8″ | |
1″ | 15/16″ | 1-11/16″ | 2-3/4″ | |
1″ | 1-3/4″ | 2-15/16″ | ||
1-1/16″ | 1-13/16″ | 3″ | ||
1-1/8” | 1-7/8” | 3-1/8” | ||
1-3/16″ | 2″ | |||
1-1/4” | 2-1/8” | |||
1-1/2″ | 2-3/16″ | |||
2-1/4” |
Converting SAE Sizes To Metric Sizes
If you need to convert metric sizes from standard sizing, you can use the chart below to help with that.
Bear in mind that metric sizes don’t always relate completely to imperial sizes, but there are different socket sizes from both methods of sizing that correlate quite closely to one another.
When converting SAE sizes to metric sizes, you will need to convert them between inches and millimeters. This chart can help you to convert sizes in regard to wrenches, sockets, and other tools as well.
Standard To Metric Sizing Conversions | ||
SAE Sizes | Metric Sizes | Similar Socket Sizes |
5/32” | 4 mm | 5/32” and 4 mm are almost the same |
4.5 mm | ||
3/16” | ||
5 mm | ||
5.5 mm | ||
7/32” | ||
6 mm | ||
1/4” | ||
6.5 mm | ||
7 mm | ||
9/32” | ||
5/16” | 5/16” and 8 mm are almost the same | |
8 mm | ||
11/32” | ||
9 mm | ||
3/8” | ||
10 mm | ||
13/32” | ||
11 mm | 7/16” and 11 mm are almost the same | |
7/16” | ||
15/32” | 15/32” and 12 mm are almost the same | |
12 mm | ||
1/2” | ||
13 mm | ||
17/32” | ||
14 mm | ||
9/16” | ||
15 mm | 19/32” and 15 mm are almost the same | |
19/32” | ||
5/8” | ||
16 mm | ||
21/32” | ||
17 mm | ||
11/16” | ||
18 mm | ||
23/32” | 19 mm | 3/4” and 19 mm are almost the same |
3/4” | ||
25/32” | ||
20 mm | ||
13/16” | ||
21 mm | ||
27/32” | ||
22 mm | ||
7/8” | ||
23 mm | 29/32” and 23 mm are almost the same | |
29/32” | ||
15/16” | ||
24 mm | ||
1” |
Summary
We hope that our article today has been of use to you. Remember to bookmark this page and come back to it any time that you need to work out a conversion for your wrenches, sockets, or other tools.
Different methods of sizing can be frustrating and annoying to people who are just trying to get a job done, but we hope that our charts today can be helpful with that moving forward.