Let's Talk Flare Nut Wrenches!
- Thread starter BrandonV
- Start date
Kaizen
Well-known member
can't help but can say i just threw out my harbor freight set. Tried using several times over the years and piece of **** just flexed.
Mike65
Well-known member
I have a couple I bought when I was a line mechanic (40years ago) from Mac Tools. 7/16", 1/2", 9/16" & 5/8".
The poor-boy workaround for crappy flare nut wrenches is to squeeze them with a large pair of vise-grips while you loosen the fitting to stop them from spreading.
I have kept using my Harbor Freight set and doing this rather than purchasing a decent set from Snap-On because I am notoriously cheap and rarely need line wrenches. It is not a realistic solution for a professional mechanic.
This Matco set looks pretty cool if you got a Matco truck stop near you.
Hearse85Caddy
Active member
I picked up the Sunnex set on Amazon a few years ago. Metric and SAE in the same roll. They have been good to me!
Are the USA made Williams equally good?
I bought a couple Snap-on sets more than 45 years ago while I was a line mechanic at a Chevy/Olds dealership.
The fractional set covers 1/4” thru 11/16” without skipping any sizes.
The metric set contains 9 thru 15mm as well as 17, 19, and 21mm
Later while working at Chrysler’s proving grounds I purchased an 18mm wrench that I used the heck out of on rack and pinion steering gears.
I‘m not going to say I used all the above sizes in the original sets. But at least for the automotive fittings I encountered, I don't remember needing any other sizes (until I needed the 18mm in the late 90’s)
Can‘t help you with HVAC fitting needs.
I’m going to go against popular opinion and say I have several 70’s Craftsman wrenches, 1/4. thru 11/16“ that served me well at home for a lot of years doing side jobs when my Snap-on wrench’s were at work.
The smaller sizes did a lot of brake line work and the 5/8 wrench did a couple hundred tune ups over the years with no problems I remember.
The fractional set covers 1/4” thru 11/16” without skipping any sizes.
The metric set contains 9 thru 15mm as well as 17, 19, and 21mm
Later while working at Chrysler’s proving grounds I purchased an 18mm wrench that I used the heck out of on rack and pinion steering gears.
I‘m not going to say I used all the above sizes in the original sets. But at least for the automotive fittings I encountered, I don't remember needing any other sizes (until I needed the 18mm in the late 90’s)
Can‘t help you with HVAC fitting needs.
I’m going to go against popular opinion and say I have several 70’s Craftsman wrenches, 1/4. thru 11/16“ that served me well at home for a lot of years doing side jobs when my Snap-on wrench’s were at work.
The smaller sizes did a lot of brake line work and the 5/8 wrench did a couple hundred tune ups over the years with no problems I remember.
I really don't know, I haven't tried them. I have bought SnapOns used for less than the new Williams would cost.
USA made Craftsman line wrenches are what made me buy Snap Ons. Those pieces of **** weren't worth the energy it took to get them out of the drawer.
I do know I never rounded off a GM Quadra jet fuel line fitting while changing a fuel filter, nor found a fitting I couldn’t loosen while doing a tuneup, with the 5/8” Craftsman line wrench.
YMMV
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BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Snap-on is the only ones I’ll use. Well worth it. I have some long gone brands that I use for SAE too and they aren’t bad and don’t flex but for modern brands Snap-on all the way nothing else is worth it.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
I do this even with my Snap-On flare nut wrenches, I figure it saves stress on the wrench and minimizes the chance of rounding off the fitting.
About the only place I use them is on brake lines.
Wrench97
Well-known member
3/8", 10mm, 7/16", 12mm. 1/2", 13mm, 9/16", 15mm, 5/8" Larger sizes I find are more forgiving if a good quality open end wrench.
Also I find over 13mm , 1/2" crowsfoot line wrenches are more useful then a regular wrench.
Also I find over 13mm , 1/2" crowsfoot line wrenches are more useful then a regular wrench.
goldtang
Well-known member
the sizes in my sets are If this helps, but the brand is Sidchrome made in Australia ,my sets would be more than 30 years old ( I realise they are not in the USA)
Metric 10 x 11, 12 x 13, 13 x 14, 15 x 17, 19 x 22
SAE 3/8 x 7/16, 1/2 x 9/16, 5/8 x 11/16, 3/4 x 7/8"
Metric 10 x 11, 12 x 13, 13 x 14, 15 x 17, 19 x 22
SAE 3/8 x 7/16, 1/2 x 9/16, 5/8 x 11/16, 3/4 x 7/8"
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RPH
Well-known member
SK 11 piece set, about 26 years old. Never had an issue with them.
Jazz1
Well-known member
I frequently crack the nut loose with VISEGRIPS
I have Mastercraft in 6 sizes each SAE and Metric..about 20 years ago i realized metrics were required….
I have Mastercraft in 6 sizes each SAE and Metric..about 20 years ago i realized metrics were required….
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I've done the vice grip thing more than one time when things were starting to go south. It works!
Recoveryman
Well-known member
I wonder if the "line" wrenches that you all are refering to are what I know as "tubing" wrenches? I agree with RPH on the S-K choice, hard to beat.
Recoveryman
Recoveryman
well for me, its 9mm & 11mm most used (porsche clutches & brakes).
I have snap on, Proto, a full metric set in SK, and a gear wrench.
Ranked in order for my use:
snap on - the best
proto - good. very precise machining
sk - good, kinda fat ends, shorter than I'd like
gear wrench - works, but really fat ends
they are all good. however, the lower down the list the 'bigger' they are. the snap on and proto are really compact.
I have snap on, Proto, a full metric set in SK, and a gear wrench.
Ranked in order for my use:
snap on - the best
proto - good. very precise machining
sk - good, kinda fat ends, shorter than I'd like
gear wrench - works, but really fat ends
they are all good. however, the lower down the list the 'bigger' they are. the snap on and proto are really compact.
It's about time we had another thread about these.
At least it's about sizes this time.
1Bad55Chevy
Well-known member
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- Feb 20, 2025
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- 607
I work on cars in Texas so no rust. I honestly don't even own a metric flare nut set and I get by just fine! I do have a set of Proto SAE but what I have found is they will still round off any really corroded flare nuts on classic vehicles.
On late model vehicles 25 years old and newer I have never rounded off a flare nut with an open ended wrench.
On late model vehicles 25 years old and newer I have never rounded off a flare nut with an open ended wrench.
txvwnut
Well-known member
Add a 14, 15, 17 and a 19mm and you got it covered for the aircooled stuff.
Almost impossible to do a direct comparison since once a nut is removed it's removed but this sounds to me like that 1% extra you gain by spending the stupid extra money on the Snap-on.
The fitment and lack of spread keeps the grip nice and tight.
There are varying levels of corrosion though so if it basically has no integrity left it won't matter what wrench you try, you're in vise grip territory.
And a 7mm if you want to use one on the brake bleeder.
1Bad55Chevy
Well-known member
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- Feb 20, 2025
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My biggest issue today isn't with rounding the nut off it's with the nut being corroded to the brake line. I deal with this on Dodge Trucks a lot where I brake the nut loose then notice the hard line is flexing with the nut. I try soaking them in oil and everything and nothing ever seems to work!
Ah yeah. No wrench can fix that. PB Blaster seems to work for me.
My problem lately and what made me go with the SO wrenches is the age of the nut itself and the softness of the metal. 38 year old truck in particular, in Pennsylvania.
I didn't work my way up the brand chain though, I went from Tekton with fitment issues straight to the SO. There might be perfectly adequate stuff in between, but I was afraid to waste the money and end up getting the SO anyway.
I also have a semi with a lot of air fittings and those are also brass.
If it was a one off on a 2015 Hyundai or whatever, there's no way I'd spend the money on SO.
There have been so many iterations of the Craftsman line wrenches over the decades. I had the Craftsman that looked like they were made by SK. They spread horribly. I ended up buying the Snap-on ones.
I didn't discover the Bonney's until late in my career - perhaps the last decade I worked. But boy once using them I never could see doing the job without them.
However, they only made them in SAE - no metric. Fortunately the refrigeration stuff I worked on was SAE.
The DFE full polish, DFE satins, and flare/box end combos were great. From 3/8" to 1 1/8" depending on type.
Double ratcheting flare wrenches were nice with the carpal tunnel but quite bulky.
However, they only made them in SAE - no metric. Fortunately the refrigeration stuff I worked on was SAE.
The DFE full polish, DFE satins, and flare/box end combos were great. From 3/8" to 1 1/8" depending on type.
Double ratcheting flare wrenches were nice with the carpal tunnel but quite bulky.
Attachments
Mac USA are every bit as good (and even slightly better according to TTC's testing). Having metrics in Snap On and SAE in Mac, both are every bit as good as each other.
Wrench97
Well-known member
Heat works.
Hmmm... I will have to watch that episode again. I don't anyone rating anything higher than Snap On.
I know TTC rated the Milwaukee at #3. I don't remember #2, maybe it was MAC.
Not sure if those numbers have been updated at any point since whatever episode that was I watched.
That being said, I traded my Snap On back to my dealer in 2023. I just found myself never using them. I have the Milwaukee set and feel comfortable that the 1 time I might need them, they should do the job.
I've had also had the Gearwrench set in the past, but again don't think I ever used them, and that was when I was still working in a shop.
On-topic; in the automotive world flare nut wrenches are mainly used for brake lines/bleeder screws which are smaller sizes. I know they can also be used on power steering lines and transmission fluid cooler lines as well, which are generally larger. I think a standard set from 8mm to 19mm would be sufficient if you actually need/use them.
Wrench97
Well-known member
Bleeder screws I usually use a 6 point wrench or a 6 point socket to break loose.
SouthernIllinois
Well-known member
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- Jan 14, 2024
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- 1,650
Paid $35 on eBay for these USA Craftsman set
Their only use will be on a 1965 Corvair fuel and brake lines.
Their only use will be on a 1965 Corvair fuel and brake lines.
