Sockets & Wrenches - For 97 Buick Park Ave

[Carlostrece]

I'm going on a car trip this week (as a passenger in my car) to Lowes with a neighbor friend. This is an exciting outing for me because I'm no longer able to drive my car. I love Kobalt (and Carlyle) tools, and Lowes is beyond the range of my mobility scooter. So it will be a super fun outing!

I'm going to buy a 19 piece set of Kobalt ⅜ drive metric 6-point sockets for use on my 97 Buick, neighbors' Japanese and Korean cars, and my mobility scooter.

Do I only need to buy a ($42) metric set, or do I need to also buy a ($42) standard set?

My cousin told me that my 97 Buick's bolts & nuts that he's encountered (so far) have been metric. Does my Buick have any standard (SAE) bolts/nuts on it?

i.e. - should I also buy standard SAE sockets? If so, the entire $42 SAE set, or just a few individual SAE sockets of specific sizes?

 

[andyd]

Unless you work on 40 yr old + stuff, you probably won't need the SAE sizes. I only use them on my Lawnboy and Ariens Sno-blower

 

[PF52]

Probably not any standard fasteners.

It's a GM car, so the most common sizes will be 5.5mm, 7mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 18mm, 19mm.... 8mm for the battery terminals... plus maybe something bigger for strut-to-knuckle bolts and CV axle bolts. That'll cover most of the car.

 

[Tdbo]

I'd probably spend a little more money and buy a set like this.
Much lower price per socket and generally a much better value:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-55-...me-Mechanics-Tool-Set-in-Hard-Case/5015276021

 

[eljefino]

The mobility scooter is the odd man out, it could be cobbled together from various sources including some SAE.

Boss had a 90's Astro Van that had both SAE and metric fasteners holding the alternator on. But that had the SBC-derived 4.3. The 3.8 "should be" all metric.

You can still find fractional (inch) fasteners on brake line nuts, muffler clamps, batteries, radiator hose clamps. Buying individual SAE sockets will quickly get financially worse than just buying everything.

 

[Nukeman7]

If you could wait until the Black Friday sales in November, Lowes always puts this KOBALT Tool Kit on sale for $99. It is a certified bargain at that price and will serve you for life...especially with the lifetime replacement warranty.

 

[Carlostrece]

Probably not any standard fasteners.

It's a GM car, so the most common sizes will be 5.5mm, 7mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 18mm, 19mm.... 8mm for the battery terminals... plus maybe something bigger for strut-to-knuckle bolts and CV axle bolts. That'll cover most of the car.

My cousin has been bringing his tools when he works at my house, but if he forgets to bring a tool it's a problem because he lives 30 miles away. So I'm tooling up a bit.

Thanks for the excellent info for bolt sizes for my 97 Buick.

What are the common bolt head sizes for 03 Honda CR-V and 11 Hyundai Elantra?

My Chinese made mobility scooter uses only odd number metric sizes (a few 7 & 9 mm, lots of 13 mm, a few 15, 17, 19, and one 43 mm). For some reason the Chinese love odd numbers.

The 43 mm nut is the headtube bearings adjuster nut. We couldn't find a 43 mm thin wrench locally nor online. So I bought the next size smaller thin wrench from Amazon. He then used a die grinder with little grinding wheel to remove just enough material to make it a 43 mm wrench. Works perfectly.

 

[Nukeman7]

Thanks for the excellent info for bolt sizes for my 97 Buick.

What are the common bolt head sizes for 03 Honda CR-V and 11 Hyundai Elantra?

10mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm & 19mm

 

[Timmastertech]

Because your buick has a 3800 there are some SAE fasteners on the engine. I would add 1/2 inch and 9/16 shallow and deep but no real need for a full set

 

[grasscutter]

You won't need standard sizes unless it has to do with the engine. For example, cylinder head bolts, lower intake manifold bolts, oil pan bolts will all be standard SAE. Other things that are on the outside of the engine like the alternator mounting bolts will be metric. The reason for that is because the Buick 3800 V6 goes back a long ways even before it was called a 3800.

 

[Carlostrece]

Because your buick has a 3800 there are some SAE fasteners on the engine. I would add 1/2 inch and 9/16 shallow and deep but no real need for a full set

Are there any metric sizes that are close enough to be used on 1/2 or 9/16 bolt heads?

 

[Carlostrece]

Are there any metric sizes that are close enough to be used on 1/2 or 9/16 bolt heads?

My research indicates that 13mm socket/wrench can work for ½ inch bolts. Is that the case only for 12 point or 6 point, or both?

 

[Carlostrece]

What's the difference between a 9/16 deep socket and a 9/16 spark plug socket?

What diameter socket is needed for a 97 Buick Park Ave spark plug?

 

[spasm3]

What's the difference between a 9/16 deep socket and a 9/16 spark plug socket?

What diameter socket is needed for a 97 Buick Park Ave spark plug?

Spark plug socket may have a rubber gasket inside to hold the plug as it's removed, also a hex for a wrench near the ratchet end.

IIRC, it's 5/8.

 

[grasscutter]

Are there any metric sizes that are close enough to be used on 1/2 or 9/16 bolt heads?

The 14mm is slightly smaller than the 9/16.

The 13mm is larger than 1/2 inch and not as close as 14mm is to 9/16.

 

[grasscutter]

What's the difference between a 9/16 deep socket and a 9/16 spark plug socket?

What diameter socket is needed for a 97 Buick Park Ave spark plug?

The spark plug socket has a rubber tube inside to grip the ceramic insulator. This keeps the spark plug centered in the socket.

A regular deep socket can possibly break the ceramic insulator by not keeping it centered.

You need a 5/8 spark plug socket for the Park Avenue.