Are Chevy bolts metric or standard?

Chevy Bolt Sizes: Metric or Standard?
Chevy bolts are primarily metric. The threads are all metric, and the heads of the bolts have numbers such as 5.8, 8.8, 10.9, and 12.9, indicating their metric nature. While there may be some exceptions, especially in older models, the general trend for Chevy trucks and vehicles is to use metric fasteners. This means that for most modern Chevy vehicles, having a decent assortment of metric sockets and wrenches would be sufficient for most maintenance and repair tasks.
It’s worth noting that as platforms get re-designed, they are increasingly going metric, but there have been instances where both metric and standard bolts were used, especially in older models. However, the overall trend for modern Chevy vehicles leans heavily towards metric fasteners.
If you’re putting together a tool kit for your Chevy vehicle, having a good assortment of metric sockets and wrenches would be the most practical approach, given the predominance of metric fasteners in modern Chevy vehicles.

Can I use a standard socket on a metric bolt?

Yes, you can use some sockets on both metric and SAE sizes. However, you need to be careful, as most times they are not exactly the same, and you can strip a bolt by using an SAE socket on a metric bolt and vice versa.

What cars use metric bolts?

Car frames date back to the 1940s, when metric fasteners were the go-to. Even today’s modern cars continue to use metric fasteners as the standard because they have various decimal dimensions instead of inches like standard measurements. Even American-made cars use metric bolts.

Does GM use metric or imperial?

Metric
To directly answer your question: GM cars are primarily (if not entirely) Metric these days (probably since the mid-to-late 90’s). The Korean/Japanese/European cars are all going to be Metric as well. You should be able to get a small ratchet set which contains both SAE and Metric sockets in it.

What year did GM go to metric bolts?

Well-known member. GM went to mostly metric bolt heads and nuts for the ’78 Model Year; thought the threads were still inch.

Can you use standard tools on metric bolts?

Yes, you can use a standard wrench on a metric bolt, but it may not fit perfectly. It is recommended to use the correct size wrench for optimal results.

Does GMC use metric or SAE?

I’m fairly certain it’s all metric. I keep a set of SAE wrenches for the two or three things I’ve bolted on that are SAE (modified seat mounting bolts, the carrier racks on my rear doors, etc.), but as far as I can recall, I haven’t needed those wrenches for anything “normal”.

How do you know if a bolt is metric or standard?

If a metric bolt is more than 6 mm in diameter, the International Standards Organization (ISO) embosses the bolt’s head with the term “ISO M” or “M” to certify that the bolt complies with ISO standards. Manufacturers also sometimes mark metric bolts with single-digit numbers to indicate their strength.

Does Chevy use metric bolts?

American manufacturers have been implementing the metric system in their cars since at least 1981. All cars now designed and built by American manufacturers are completely metric.

Are GMC bolts metric?

GM chassis fasteners are all metric these days.

When did Chevy go metric?

When General Motors decided to go metric in 1973, letters announcing the move were sent to its 47,000 suppliers. Six months later the manufacturer held a meeting for 600 of its suppliers of nuts and bolts to explain the thread system it had adopted. The mostly metric Chevette was the result.