Spanner type

Hello shipmates,
All my spanners and sockets are metric.
I got rid of my AF spanners and sockets a while ago.
I have 3 Evinrude outboards,although I can manage most jobs with what I have got, any help will be appreciated.
"V"

 

Using metric tools on standard nuts and bolts is likely to round the heads because they don't fit properly.

 

Hello again Gonzo,
thanks for your reply,the reason I was asking was so I don't round off the nut and bolt heads.I just need to know if British AF would be suitable,or the correct alternative.

 

Do British AF sizes correspond to the distance across the flats which is the same as standard US practice? Or is this another name for Whitworth with the stated size corresponding the fastener diameter with the distance across the flats larger?

 

There has been some changes over the years,for vehicles here in the uk,whitworth and bsf were outdated,and AF sizes were needed to use on cars.I always thought AF were
"American fine"
The old Landrovers used Whitworth and BSF.Also the British seagull outboards.The flats were a different size.
I can't compare the flats because over the years I have dumped obsolete spanners and sockets.
European and Japanese cars are using metric,and they definitely don't fit American or Canadian outboards.I suspect that the AF would have.

 

We have some old Land Rovers so know about Whitworth and BSF.

"AF" probably stands for "Across Flats" which is the standard way to measure spanners/sockets for both US and metric threads. So a 3/4" wrench or socket fits a hex which is 3/4" across the flats, and an 18mm wrench or socket fits a hex which is 18mm across flats.

US inch thread sizes usually are UNC or UNF which are sometimes called USS or SAE. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Thread_Standard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Standard_thread
I
Older US made outboards presumably used SAE/UNF and possibly USS/UNC. Inch sized "across flats" tools would fit these.

US cars have used metric fasteners for several decades. Don't know about outboards but more recent one are likely to have metric fasteners.

 

Thanks for your replies David,
there seems to be some logic in AF being across the flats.
My brother still has some old AF spanners,he can't bring himself to throw them away.
It seems like the differences are between inches and mm.
I can source both.
Keeping them separate is the key I suppose.
Thanks again for your interest.
Kind regards
V

 

AF is the same as US standard sizes. They both measure across the flats.

 

Thanks Gonzo,
I am going to obtain some.
V

 

Some of the metric spanners work fine, but there is also the option of using the 'metrinch' sockets which are supposed to fit both...

Both Ford and GM went metric in the early 80s' because their cars were global products and the rest of the world was metric. It's just in the UK that we have such a mess of old historic threads and legacy. Now where do I buy those M11 bolts with a few M9 and M7 thrown in for good measure.... even more fun in fine and ultra fine pitch....

Been fun working on the Morris Minor recently as all my spanners are metric.

 

6mm. 1/4. 11mm. 7/16 . 16mm. 5/8. 19mm. 3/4 . 21mm. 13/16. 22mm. 7/8. 24mm. 15/16. 32. 1 1/4. I use these all the time and are a good fit . 10mm 13 and 14mm are not good on af bolts.

 

Thanks Brendan,that's handy info,I'll make a record and keep it handy.

Stan

 

It can be a nightmare I know,I tend to deal with each Situation as it comes.
I had a grounding in engineering in the early 60's in the uk,then went on to work in the experimental toolroom at GM Holden in Melbourne Aus.
When I came back to the Uk I had a taste for the fresh air,and went on to be a bricklayer/builder.At first it was imperial,then it went Metric,but for about 5yrs there was a mix.i.e.metric brickwork and imperial window and door frames.Once it went completely metric,I preferred it.
The old Morris thousand and minor,great little cars,my mate had one that he put a roller bearing crankshaft in,it did 125mph.
The guy that runs the Old british Seagulls company uses a minor van,I think his idea is to keep things looking "that period"
I am just in the middle of restoring a 1964 18hp Evinrude Fast twin,the post is due with a points and condenser kit for it.Our American buddies love them.
Good luck with the Minor,there is a brake upgrade for them I believe.(Discs)

 

Do you have contact info for the Seagull guy? My friend is installing Seagulls on his boat.

 

Hi H,
His name is John,
his email address is--john@savingoldseagulls.co.uk

If you put Saving Old Seagulls up on google you will get what you want.

There is every bit of info and history on the site.Using the serial numbers you will be able to identify your motors.
I have two that I have tuned,they run like a dream.They are just in the way in my shed.They are small ones that have no neutral.
The slightly bigger ones have a neutral,which is a lot more convenient.
If yours are older versions,you can easily upgrade the magnetos,you just change the plate.
The coils on the older ones are hard to get hold of.
I split the crank cases on mine,and faced them up on a flat surface with wet and dry 400 on it.It improves the performance and they rev like when they were new.
Good luck with them.
"V"