How often would I use a wrench size over 1" ??

[thetreshon]

I do home repairs and light auto repairs.

I keep seeing some -V- series USA Craftsman wrenches at this pawnshop, but keep telling myself I'll probably never use them.

Any SAE wrench sets I have go up to 1".

I'm trying to cut back, and these are $10 each I think, is it worth it I never ever need them? I remember seeing 1-1/4" and 1-1/8"....can't remember other sizes.

Lately I'm trying to justify these types of purchases after collecting a lot of quality USA and Canadian stuff at pawnshops for super cheap.

 

[Catamount]

Well right now I'm trying to remove the head nut on an old bicycle and it's a 1 3/16 wrench, which I don't have.

The point is that you never know when you might need them... for $10 each I probably wouldn't bite but for $2 - $5 each I would.

 

[diesel research]

What do you drive? You can find several places in the steering/suspension area with such sizes.

I personally prefer to use 2 breaker bars and 2 impact sockets if I am doing something by hand and need a back up wrench, but a few times they won't fit.

 

[Gary S]

As cars get smaller, your odds of using big wrenches gets less. If you do any work on large trucks or farm equipment, you use them every day.
Tailor your tools to the jobs you need to do.

 

[LawnDart79]

I have wrenches up to 2". All of my stuff larger than 1" is Harbor Freight or equivilent. They don't get used much, but when you need them you need them.

 

[Hud]

Used 1" to remove mower blades yesterday

 

[HandyManny]

I do home repairs and light auto repairs.

I keep seeing some -V- series USA Craftsman wrenches at this pawnshop, but keep telling myself I'll probably never use them.

Any SAE wrench sets I have go up to 1".

I'm trying to cut back, and these are $10 each I think, is it worth it I never ever need them? I remember seeing 1-1/4" and 1-1/8"....can't remember other sizes.

Lately I'm trying to justify these types of purchases after collecting a lot of quality USA and Canadian stuff at pawnshops for super cheap.

It really is pretty simple. If you don't have any nut or bolt with a hex that big and can't justify the purchase the just don't bother with them.

I have a towbar wrench I use from time to time to make sure the ball hitch is seated correctly on my drawbar for towing. It's a 1 1/2 inch box wrench. For my needs that the largest wrench I need for anything.

I have a buddy who has all the large tools - 24 inch pipe wrench, 15 inch adjustable wrench, the largest Big Azz channellocks they make, 3/4 inch drive ratchets, etc, etc, etc. I asked him why he has all this large oversized stuff. His reply - in case I need it for something around the house or for one of the cars. He drives sedans and I look around most residential buildings and can't find anything you'd ever use those large capacity tools on.

Around my home I've never had need for any tool larger than a 12 inch adjustable wrench and a pair of 10" Channellock #430 pliers. Seriously.

 

[HandyManny]

Used 1" to remove mower blades yesterday

That must be a big mower. Mine are only 5/8ths.

 

[MartyO]

It all depends on how big your nuts are.

 

[HandyManny]

It all depends on how big your nuts are.

Essentially true!! My advise to a homeowner or any DIYer is just take a look around your home and in your vehicles and ask yourself - what's the largest size fastener I'll ever remove or tigten. Be honest, don't just go with the largest you see, but the largest ones you are comfortable with and have the skill set to be fiddling with. Buy tools that will be useful and practical for you to use around the house or in your garage. Just be smart about it.

 

[timtim2008]

i think ive only used a 1" for a riding mower blade.

and the only thing larger is my Trailer hitch ball nut..

 

[speed bump]

Depends on what you do I guess: home and light auto repairs whats the point for me I havent really drawn a line for jobs I won't do so I need everything and occasionally use it all.

 

[Wakefield]

That must be a big mower. Mine are only 5/8ths.

My old Craftsmans are 15/16" (nut). Crank has a male threaded end.
My Briggs have hole tapped in cranks with SAE fine 3/8" female. I have seen bolts that fit in both 9/16 and 5/8 wrench size I think you have to get bolts of high enough grade markings. Grade 5 or 7 or 8 ?

 

[HandyManny]

My old Craftsmans are 15/16" (nut). Crank has a male threaded end.
My Briggs have hole tapped in cranks with SAE fine 3/8" female. I have seen bolts that fit in both 9/16 and 5/8 wrench size I think you have to get bolts of high enough grade markings. Grade 5 or 7 or 8 ?

Maybe a grade 5. The torque required for my mower blade is 65 ft/lbs. That's reasonable, tight , but not too much.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

Like has already been mentioned, 1½" for trailer balls. I rarely use anything over an inch around the house unless it's suspension and axle work. I did use an 1¼" wrench on my water heater the other day, but a 12" Crescent would have done it just as easily.

 

[Professur]

I've used a 1¾ any number of times .... didn't have a hammer handy.

 

[Formiga]

When I got my toolset and was sorting it out, I remember thinking I'll never use these Big F Wrenches! Its surprising how often I've used them in the last couple of months just wrenching on light trucks and cars.
If you can put together a set from pawnshops for peanuts, probably worth it. If you never touch the front end of your vehicles, don't waste your money.

 

[blazemaster83]

If I didnt buy large machines I would probably rarely use anything above 1". If I just needed it for home repairs I'd probably get by with a large crescent wrench as much as I hate them. The only things I can think of in my shop that need large wrenches are:

*oxy/propane regulators use a 1 1/8" (Im a glassblower)
*1920's drill press I have has some large fasteners (1 1/4", 1 3/8")
*3 phase 14" us electrical grinder uses a 2" wrench for the arbor.
*I dont own a vehicle, but can imagine only needing large wrenches for suspension and drivetrain stuff if you work on that

It would be nice to have a set up to 2", but so far I've just bought the size I need when I need em.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

At flea markets the larger sizes can be found rather cheaply. I would say that you need sizes up to 1-1/4", larger than that is probably unusual unless you are working on a tractor or something else unusual. I've been acquiring large sizes for several years now having a full 3/4" drive set up to 2-1/4 (nearly all Williams) and all kinds of box and open end wrenches up to 1-1/2 or so.

I have large Metric sizes up to about 36mm, one or two above that.

Charles

 

[Gtamazing]

I use <1" more than >1"

 

[pipsters]

I bought this set for about $3.25 per wrench new.

(1/4, 5/16, 11/32, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1, 1-1/16, 1-1/8, 1-1/4, and 1-5/16 in.) and 25 metric (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, and 32mm) sizes and all of them 12 point wrenches, even up to 18-1/4 in. long.

Figured it was cheaper to get them all now then have to buy individual wrenches later in life. Also you can sell them on ebay for around $10-$15 a piece if not needed (for the larger sizes). I actually ran the numbers, if you wanted to sell off everything from that set above 24mm and 1" you could come away with the rest of the wrenches *for free*, ie it would cover almost all of your original purchase price. In fact, it seems people have made a decent business out of parting out large Sears sets on ebay, mostly sockets and wrenches. The impact socket set (52 piece) can be sold on ebay for $220+ after fees, and I purchased it for $152.

 

[moronmountain]

I use 1 1/4", and 1 5/16" often enough. The only thing I ever use above 1 1/2" is for axle sockets, and wrenches or normal sockets don't work there. I mostly just work on older American cars though aside from my Civic that I drive to work. Even then the big stuff rarely comes out.

 

[Kev442]

I too bought the HF set that goes to 1 1/4" for peanuts. I use an over 1" a few times a year, just used the 1 1/16 yesterday. My trailer balls have 1 1/16 and 1 1/8 nuts . I have to switch between 1 7/8 and 2" balls every once in awhile when using the ancient trailer.

 

[bobcatdan]

1 1/8" and 1 1/4" are common enough that for a sawbuck a piece, buy them. There is not a lot on on a car or light trucks that big besides ball joint nuts and maybe egr tubes.

 

[vette-kid]

1-1/8" on a Lee Turret press...actually I think all dies are the same size, so any reloading operation. I think I also used something over 1" on the bed mounts for my Tacoma, but I cant remember for sure on that one.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

my most used wreches over 1'' are 1 1/8'', 1 1/4'', and 1 5/16''.

 

[thetreshon]

Awesome - thanks for everyone's responses, the wrenches in question have been there for a while. I'll be heading back there in next couple of days, I'll see if they went down in price and I'll go from there.