mtkst19
Well-known member
Like a bunch of you, i have run into situations where i need a thin profile wrench to get into tight spots. My go-to wrench set is the snap on flank drives. My 1st "thin" set is a gedore double open end set that is surprisingly thin. my "really" thin set is the low torque snap on set. yet they are fairly thin. And they mean no torque.
As a result, i will buy various wrenches at flea markets with the intentions of bending/shaving etc to make into wrenches i can use for alignment jam nuts or what ever i need.
I want a complete set of thin wrenches, but the only condition i have is i need to be able to put some *** on the handle and not worry about folding the wrench. This all but rules out the low torque snap on set. the gedores i can do this too. Yet the fact they are double open end hinders their use. If i could luck into an exact set set of these, i'd cut one end off every wrench and make my own thin set of single open wrenches.
In my travels for a thin wrench, i came across this bike tool company named Zogs, whose parent company is thinwrench.
http://www.thinwrench.com/
I see that they make custom tools. So what the hell, i contacted them to see about a set of wrenches for automotive use.
The owner and I conversed via e-mail. He is interested in making a automotive set of wrenches for our needs. For trial an error--he sent me an assortment of wrenches to try out. These are more or less wrenches from the bicycle line. I was told to try them out and see what i thought. use and abuse them.
I received the package and immediately tried to bend the wrenches in half as soon as they came out of the package. I could flex the smaller ones a little, the bigger sizes not at all. So im impressed there.
Next up i tried to distort the span of the wrench. So put the 18mm wrench on a bolt i had chucked up and tried to twist to spread the jaws. It held its ground.
Then i put the wrenches into real world use. If you live in the rust belt, you know how tie rods freeze. I generally use a mini-ductor to heat tie rods. Yet not this time. We had to test out out new tool. The car was an audi a4. The outer tie rods are fairly notorious for freezing. before the mini-ductor, you basically dug out torches and wrapped wet rags hoping you didn't burn other things up as you heated the tie rod.
In this instance, i got the wrench on the jam nut-- which you need a thinner wrench to do so as standard size wrenches wont fit between locknut and tie rod end. I then worked a little cheater pipe in. nothing crazy, as you only have so much room between the 4 control arms. The wrench held its own though and got the job done.
I have not gotten to use all the sizes i was sent. those that i have, no issues. This is not something you would use every day. However, when you need a thin profile wrench you can lean into, i wouldn't hesitate to do so.
Pros--
1) high quality steel. I have already tried bending them into a "u" by hand. The smaller sized wrenches have some flex. the bigger sized im not moving. We will see what happens when they get cheater piped some more.
2) the finish and feel in the hand is good. Smooth "natural" finish that does not seem bulky nor does it cut into my hand. Not as finished as a tool truck tool. Yet i can deal.
3) im impressed w/ how accurate the spread is on the wrenches. My 42mm is coming in at 42.02mm. the 22 and 18 after being used/abused are still at 22.04 and 18.07 respectively. Every spread is within hundredths of being dead on. No slop is good!
4) Lengths are dead on
5) Thickness. these ******* are thin.
6) USA made
Cons--
1) Size numbering. the numbers are etched and i doubt they would ever go away. however it wouldn't hurt to make them bigger or have the numbers stand out better.
2) Brand the tool. Granted, i was sent a sampler pack. yet i feel a brand should be put on it and mark it MADE IN THE USA.
3) I'd personally do away w/ the hanging holes. If someone wants to hang their wrenches, im sure they will drill a hole in the handle to do so. I know these were designed for bike shops. Most shops have tools hanging on a pegboard. Yet for auto use i'd say leave them blank. Again, not a valid ***** since this is not the "automotive" set.
4) not really a legitimate ***** because of the sample pack. Yet all wrenches need to be uniformed. I.E. same head design, way the wrench faces when "numbers" up etc. I know these are wrenches designed for a different criteria. Im sure this will be addressed.
Now the specs for comparison
13mm-- thin wrench 13/15-- 2.08mm, gedore (12/13- 4.6, 14/15- 5.3mm) and can't read my snap on writing-- looks like 13mm flank is 7 and 15mm flank is 8mm-- i apologize as i put a smudge on the paper i was writing on. i do not own the snap on low torque 13/15 (did, it grew legs and walked away). yet i do own their 12/14. for the hell of it, the 12 mm and 14mm (ltam1214) is 4mm thick
17mm--
the low torque snapon is 4.4 mm thick. flank drive is 8.35mm, gedore 6mm
Thin wrench is 2.25 mm thick
18mm- gedore 18/19-- 6.5mm, snap on flank drive 9mm thin wrench- 2.25
22mm- this is common for alignment jam nuts- A snap on flankdrive is 10.9 mm thick. A cornwell wrench is 9mm, craftsman is 9.5mm My double open gedore is 7.2. yet i own a single open wrench that is german made. It measures 8mm thick. The thin wrench is 2.89
not an exact accurate comparison but--
32mm-- gedore 30/32-- 9.0mm, mac tools (s159a) 6.4mm thick and I do not have a thin wrench brand 32 to compare against it. yet the 42 they sent me (which i cant think of a use for) is a mere 4.25mm thick
As a result, i will buy various wrenches at flea markets with the intentions of bending/shaving etc to make into wrenches i can use for alignment jam nuts or what ever i need.
I want a complete set of thin wrenches, but the only condition i have is i need to be able to put some *** on the handle and not worry about folding the wrench. This all but rules out the low torque snap on set. the gedores i can do this too. Yet the fact they are double open end hinders their use. If i could luck into an exact set set of these, i'd cut one end off every wrench and make my own thin set of single open wrenches.
In my travels for a thin wrench, i came across this bike tool company named Zogs, whose parent company is thinwrench.
http://www.thinwrench.com/
I see that they make custom tools. So what the hell, i contacted them to see about a set of wrenches for automotive use.
The owner and I conversed via e-mail. He is interested in making a automotive set of wrenches for our needs. For trial an error--he sent me an assortment of wrenches to try out. These are more or less wrenches from the bicycle line. I was told to try them out and see what i thought. use and abuse them.
I received the package and immediately tried to bend the wrenches in half as soon as they came out of the package. I could flex the smaller ones a little, the bigger sizes not at all. So im impressed there.
Next up i tried to distort the span of the wrench. So put the 18mm wrench on a bolt i had chucked up and tried to twist to spread the jaws. It held its ground.
Then i put the wrenches into real world use. If you live in the rust belt, you know how tie rods freeze. I generally use a mini-ductor to heat tie rods. Yet not this time. We had to test out out new tool. The car was an audi a4. The outer tie rods are fairly notorious for freezing. before the mini-ductor, you basically dug out torches and wrapped wet rags hoping you didn't burn other things up as you heated the tie rod.
In this instance, i got the wrench on the jam nut-- which you need a thinner wrench to do so as standard size wrenches wont fit between locknut and tie rod end. I then worked a little cheater pipe in. nothing crazy, as you only have so much room between the 4 control arms. The wrench held its own though and got the job done.
I have not gotten to use all the sizes i was sent. those that i have, no issues. This is not something you would use every day. However, when you need a thin profile wrench you can lean into, i wouldn't hesitate to do so.
Pros--
1) high quality steel. I have already tried bending them into a "u" by hand. The smaller sized wrenches have some flex. the bigger sized im not moving. We will see what happens when they get cheater piped some more.
2) the finish and feel in the hand is good. Smooth "natural" finish that does not seem bulky nor does it cut into my hand. Not as finished as a tool truck tool. Yet i can deal.
3) im impressed w/ how accurate the spread is on the wrenches. My 42mm is coming in at 42.02mm. the 22 and 18 after being used/abused are still at 22.04 and 18.07 respectively. Every spread is within hundredths of being dead on. No slop is good!
4) Lengths are dead on
5) Thickness. these ******* are thin.
6) USA made
Cons--
1) Size numbering. the numbers are etched and i doubt they would ever go away. however it wouldn't hurt to make them bigger or have the numbers stand out better.
2) Brand the tool. Granted, i was sent a sampler pack. yet i feel a brand should be put on it and mark it MADE IN THE USA.
3) I'd personally do away w/ the hanging holes. If someone wants to hang their wrenches, im sure they will drill a hole in the handle to do so. I know these were designed for bike shops. Most shops have tools hanging on a pegboard. Yet for auto use i'd say leave them blank. Again, not a valid ***** since this is not the "automotive" set.
4) not really a legitimate ***** because of the sample pack. Yet all wrenches need to be uniformed. I.E. same head design, way the wrench faces when "numbers" up etc. I know these are wrenches designed for a different criteria. Im sure this will be addressed.
Now the specs for comparison
13mm-- thin wrench 13/15-- 2.08mm, gedore (12/13- 4.6, 14/15- 5.3mm) and can't read my snap on writing-- looks like 13mm flank is 7 and 15mm flank is 8mm-- i apologize as i put a smudge on the paper i was writing on. i do not own the snap on low torque 13/15 (did, it grew legs and walked away). yet i do own their 12/14. for the hell of it, the 12 mm and 14mm (ltam1214) is 4mm thick
17mm--
the low torque snapon is 4.4 mm thick. flank drive is 8.35mm, gedore 6mm
Thin wrench is 2.25 mm thick
18mm- gedore 18/19-- 6.5mm, snap on flank drive 9mm thin wrench- 2.25
22mm- this is common for alignment jam nuts- A snap on flankdrive is 10.9 mm thick. A cornwell wrench is 9mm, craftsman is 9.5mm My double open gedore is 7.2. yet i own a single open wrench that is german made. It measures 8mm thick. The thin wrench is 2.89
not an exact accurate comparison but--
32mm-- gedore 30/32-- 9.0mm, mac tools (s159a) 6.4mm thick and I do not have a thin wrench brand 32 to compare against it. yet the 42 they sent me (which i cant think of a use for) is a mere 4.25mm thick
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