flare nut wrench - conclusions on Craftsman / Gearwrench / Armstrong

cbracer · Mar 12, 2012

So I searched past the last 6 months of posts in my quest to purchase some flare nut wrenches. Here's what I've found:

1. China made fully polished Craftsman wrenches are inexpensive, and almost everyone says they flex. (us made polished not available anymore)
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942013000P?prdNo=10

2. Raised labeled / RP Craftsman wrench set is still available online and made in the US. Do these also flex?????
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944096000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

3. GearWrench version appears to be the same as #1. But I'll assume the gearwrench ones should be stronger because they do well in wrenches, but not if they are the same as #1.

4. Armstrong makes polished but only in SAE. Their metric sizes seem strange as they double the 11mm and don't make a 10mm. doh! It's no misprint either. However, there's a dealer on ebay that has a set of 3 metric for $8 so that's hard to beat.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Armstrong-3...125?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae5718a7d

SK, S-O, MAC, etc seem to be all well liked. I want to purchase a set of flares but only really need metric. I want the armstrong and can polish them myself, but I don't want to not have a 10mm. hmmmmm....

--chris

blue dog · Mar 12, 2012

Just picked up a SK set from tooltopia, very happy with them.

yasha32 · Mar 12, 2012

I have gearwrench set, I love them! nice and sturdy.

monster1 · Mar 12, 2012

I have the craftsman pro sae set. I've used them seldomly but they fit tight. What would you possibility use them for that would require that much force that they would flex?

NC-Fordguy · Mar 12, 2012

I have the craftsman made in the usa set and the gearwrench swivel head set...both sae.

I like the gearwrench flex head on drum brake bleeders. Keeps you from skinning up your knuckles breaking loose stubborn bleeders.

Both sets have served me well

JayL · Mar 12, 2012

I went with Snap On for this particular tool.

None the less I purchased it slightly used and is a metric set.

Seanbev24 · Mar 12, 2012

Are you a pro or home wrencher? Although terribly expensive, the Snap-on flare wrenches really are worth the money if they'll see regular use. When people say cheap flare nut wrenches work fine, it's usually because they've only used them on fittings a good open end wrench could handle. My less expensive next choice would probably be SK.

Tony N. · Mar 12, 2012

Great thread. I was considering gearwrench since they have quite good reviews on amazon. but I may have to wait for a used snap on set now.

WHT · Mar 12, 2012

cbracer said:
SK, S-O, MAC, etc seem to be all well liked. I want to purchase a set of flares but only really need metric. I want the armstrong and can polish them myself, but I don't want to not have a 10mm. hmmmmm....

--chris

Good luck, Chris. But, not sure I would try to polish a chrome plated satin finish wrench (actually, I am very sure I would not try to polish a chrome plated satin finish wrench).

John316 · Mar 12, 2012

I always thought that it was the CM raised panel flare wrenches where people are always complaining about them spreading, not the polished ones.

sometoyotaguy · Mar 12, 2012

I have a Craftsman set that I bought a few years ago. I think it's made in the US, but I'm not too impressed with it. It's pretty sloppy at least for brake lines on my Toyota. 10/12mm

Maybe Toyota uses standard sizes for brake lines?

bcradio · Mar 12, 2012

I have some craftsman pro's and they spread like butter. Rounded a couple fittings for me. I bit the bullet and got the SO 6 piece last night on ebay. Hopefully they will be better

thesilverone · Mar 12, 2012

when it comes to flare nut wrenches, snap on is the way to go.

amolaver · Mar 12, 2012

i've got gearwrench both 'normal' flare and flex head, and no issues with either. my craftsman RP i actually threw out because they opened up on a particularly rusty fitting and i ended up with a pretty sweet cut across my hand.

i've had to dead blow the GW a couple of a times for stuck fittings and so far, all good.

ahm

pipsters · Mar 12, 2012

I have both Gearwrench wrenches and Craftsman Pro and RP wrenches. The Gearwrench wrenches are just about the same as Craftsman Pros, the RP's are a little stronger, so that is why I went with Craftsman RP flare nut wrenches. In my use they have performed well. I have the same set linked above and picked up a 16x18mm Allen from Cripe for around $7 to complete the set.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-16mm-...182?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad9ffd2e6

volunteers · Mar 12, 2012

a dummy question: I know what the flare nut wrench is used for, but can I use it as a regular open end wrench?

back2class · Mar 12, 2012

I recomend Snap-On for very little. Line wrenches are one that I do. Had them and sold them because I seldom use them now have SK. They seem ok, but wish I had kept the SO. I own and use craftsman raised pannel wrenches regularly so I am not a wrench snob....dont skimp on the line wrenches!

Skin · Mar 12, 2012

volunteers said:
a dummy question: I know what the flare nut wrench is used for, but can I use it as a regular open end wrench?

absolutely. But the thicker the open end the better.

toolmaker1 · Mar 12, 2012

I have a couple snapon line wrenches and I also have complete sets of SK and craftsman pro made by sk. the snapons are hands down the best available but a weekend wrench could easily get by with the sk's. I live in the heart of the lake effect snow/salt belt so when I use mine it is always UGLY. :thumbup:

pipsters · Mar 12, 2012

volunteers said:
a dummy question: I know what the flare nut wrench is used for, but can I use it as a regular open end wrench?

You could I suppose but flare nut wrenches are designed for soft fittings to prevent rounding them off. Also you have to put the flare nut wrench on by sliding it over the nut vs. straight on, which may pose an issue (actually it definitely would pose an issue on various things I've worked on even in my limited experience).

For brake bleeder lines, I use a 6 point box end wrench. Prevents any rounding issues, just slip the wrench on the bleed nut and then put the tubing on over that.

shanker · Mar 12, 2012

i've had all of the above line wrenches...even Harbor Freights (which are the WORST)..

I now have a set of Matco's and couldnt be happier

cbracer · Mar 12, 2012

Thanks for all the responses. I'm impressed by how active this board is.

I'd be curious to know if the GearWrench ones are made in Taiwan or China. If it's China then are the identical to the polished Craftsman ones made there also?

volunteers said:
a dummy question: I know what the flare nut wrench is used for, but can I use it as a regular open end wrench?

For brake line fittings and other special areas, a regular open end wrench is too wide to fit. The fittings are also soft so you need more than 2 contact points or the fitting will round off.

Conversely, you might not want to use a flare nut wrench in place of a normal wrench for normal applications because flare nut wrenches can't survive the amount of torque a normal wrench can. Hence people see them open up when lots of torque is applied to a fitting that can handle it.

drdirt11 · Mar 12, 2012

i have a set of so and cornwell. both great

dieselmike · Mar 12, 2012

no screwin around with line wrenches, used snap on sets from ebay. 80$ for metric 60$ for inch

Pro-Painter · Mar 12, 2012

I'm lazy and did not read all the posts, so forgive me if this has already been said. But Gearwrench, Craftsman (china), Northern tool, ACE professiopnal and NAPA evercraft are all the same flare nut wrenches. They come in all the same sizes and have the same facing ends.

Here is a neat picture posted by another member who's name I don't remember, he found this in his local Northern tool store. The Northern wrenches are $12.99 for a 3pc set and as you can see, they are made by the same plant that makes craftsman. So if your interested in craftsman or Gearwrench, just save your money and get the northern tool, evercraft or ACE ones. The only down side, is they only come in three sizes each (metric & SAE) But craftsman sells the singles if you need more sizes.

flare nut wrench - conclusions on Craftsman / Gearwrench / Armstrong

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