90deg. / offset adjustable "Ford" wrench

[308guru]

I've had some recent cases where I could have used an adjustable wrench that had the jaws turned 90deg as pictured. I was tightening compression nuts on plumbing supply valves that were close to the wall and didn't offer an alternate grip. I wound up using a kludge of standard adjustable wrenches holding other adjustable wrenches which worked but was certainly less than ideal.

Does anyone have experience with these or similar? Seems as though they are called "Ford" wrenches. Just wondering if they are worth the spend or if I will be disappointed in the quality. I don't particularly care for super sloppy adjustable wrenches. If there are other manufacturers to look at I certainly will.

Is there a common/typical use for these or how did they get the "Ford" name (aside from the obvious of having to always work on a Ford)?

Amazon.com

 

[slowtwitch73]

I scored a big one at the re store... very handy.

Even the typical Ford size would prove pretty useful.

I've seen them called (adjustable) monkey wrenches, and adjustable automotive wrenches.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Included as part of the factory tool kit supplied originally with a model T, and a lot of their cars after. They had the ford script, either on the moveable jaw (in the box) or across the top. Beginning in about 1926 the **** end had a squared off end that fit the plug in the rear end.

 

[DAustin]

I always keep a Crescent Auto wrench in my car's toolbox. A 9" wrench will open to 2 3/4" or 70mm.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Included as part of the factory tool kit supplied originally with a model T, and a lot of their cars after. They had the ford script, either on the moveable jaw (in the box) or across the top. Beginning in about 1926 the **** end had a squared off end that fit the plug in the rear end.

Oh so it wasn’t because of “always having to work on a Ford”, it was because “Ford” was synonymous with “car”

 

[DAustin]

The Ford adjustable wrench became very common after the Model T Ford tool kit was released in 1911. The wrench is so well-known that mechanics use the term "Ford" wrench to describe the type of wrench, even if it wasn't made by Ford.

 

[four.cycle]

"Ford Wrench" / "Auto Wrench" / "Monkey Wrench" = kinda-sorta interchangeable terms.

Made by all kinds of manufacturers. I have an old Moore. Diamond made some really nice ones. They are still made in the current era by a few outfits.

 

[garfunkle24]

I have a couple of sizes of the NWS Excelsior in this pattern. They're handy to tweak a bracket or something when a regular adjustable can't get there and I've used them on a couple of awkward hyd fittings that weren't very tight.

I can't speak for other brands/types but given the narrow jaws and general sloppiness of the ones I have, I'd be reluctant to use them on any fastener that was decently tight unless as a last resort.

They were probably fine on the rough, typically square shaped fasteners of their day. On modern hex hardware torqued to the moon, not so much.

I avoid plumbing so can't speak to their use there.

 

[KnurledNut]

I was tightening compression nuts on plumbing supply valves that were close to the wall and didn't offer an alternate grip.

12 point flare wrench. Ridgid makes one just for angle/straight stops if thats what the use was.

 

[Submariner733]

I find the 15" Monkey Wrench incredibly useful for Sloan plumbing fittings and HJE has a very nice USA Diamond Auto Wrench.


I previously carried the Ridgid Hex Wrench, but removed the wrench from my mobile cart after rounding the corners on Sloan covers. I initially fielded a 12" Monkey Wrench, but found the jaw depth too shallow to reliably use on the Sloan covers.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Those offset adjustable wrenches also came in the original tool kit on the 1939-52 N Series Ford tractors. There were several suppliers of them but they were all stamped with the script lettering inside the Ford oval.

 

[seber]

I have a few of those and over the years have had at least a dozen pass through my hands. I would never consider using one on an actual fastener. What the OP referred to is an ideal application for a crowfoot wrench or socket. The Ford wrenches are made for desperation use when you know you are going to have to replace the fastener when you get home.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Those offset adjustable wrenches also came in the original tool kit on the 1939-52 N Series Ford tractors. There were several suppliers of them but they were all stamped with the script lettering inside the Ford oval.

Somehow I've ended up with quite a few of those despite nobody ever owning an N series tractor that we are aware of. We have a Ferguson 20 and Ford 4000 SU but no N series.

 

[slowtwitch73]

I have a few of those and over the years have had at least a dozen pass through my hands. I would never consider using one on an actual fastener. What the OP referred to is an ideal application for a crowfoot wrench or socket. The Ford wrenches are made for desperation use when you know you are going to have to replace the fastener when you get home.

The newer iterations are just fine for the fastener. Beats having to buy every big *** socket known to mankind for the odd times you need one.

 

[Ultradog MN]

"Ford 4000 SU"

Those are outstanding tractors!

 

[four.cycle]

Only $50 from Epstein for this lovely 15-inch Diamond

 

[Kscardsfan]

Those are outstanding tractors!

We got it for dad this year as a surprise retirement and Christmas present. He worked summers for a small farmer in high school and he had a smaller Ford tractor similar to that but dad has long since forgotten what model. He hopped on and had the choke and throttle set immediately, I had been working on it and messing with it for a month prior and would still occasionally kill it when I got on. He said he felt like he was 16 again on Mr. Houck's farm, so I guess it's muscle memory lol. Right now I'm trying to put together a tool kit for it so he will have it ready to go in the field, but I am struggling with what to put in the factory toolbox since it's so small lol.

 

[dscheidt]

We got it for dad this year as a surprise retirement and Christmas present. He worked summers for a small farmer in high school and he had a smaller Ford tractor similar to that but dad has long since forgotten what model. He hopped on and had the choke and throttle set immediately, I had been working on it and messing with it for a month prior and would still occasionally kill it when I got on. He said he felt like he was 16 again on Mr. Houck's farm, so I guess it's muscle memory lol. Right now I'm trying to put together a tool kit for it so he will have it ready to go in the field, but I am struggling with what to put in the factory toolbox since it's so small lol.

three broken screwdrivers, a rusty pair of fencing pliers, and a hammer (preferably one with one claw broken off) is the standard equipment in just about every tractor tool box I've looked at. Fancy tractors get a handful of used fuses, and a bunch of rusty dirt.

a more useful kit would be a n-in-1 screwdriver, a pair of 10" locking pliers, a hammer, a crescent wrench, and some hitch pins and clips. Tools aren't going to be used to fix the tractor, just make some adjustments, and help hook up stuff to the hitch.

 

[Ultradog MN]

We got it for dad this year as a surprise retirement and Christmas present. He worked summers for a small farmer in high school and he had a smaller Ford tractor similar to that but dad has long since forgotten what model. He hopped on and had the choke and throttle set immediately, I had been working on it and messing with it for a month prior and would still occasionally kill it when I got on. He said he felt like he was 16 again on Mr. Houck's farm, so I guess it's muscle memory lol. Right now I'm trying to put together a tool kit for it so he will have it ready to go in the field, but I am struggling with what to put in the factory toolbox since it's so small lol.

I agree with @dscheidt
Keep it tuned and maintained while it's still in the yard and you won't have much need for tools in the tool box. They are pretty reliable tractors.
A couple extra lynch pins, an extra pin or two for the top link and the pin+hairpin for the drawbar will go a long way.
I have a couple of 4000s - both of which have the "crab claw" style lift arms with changeable,
category I/ II balls (photos) so I keep the extra balls I'm not using in there also. That about fills it up.
Some guys bolt an ammo box to the rear axle for extra tools too.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Part of the reason the Ford wrenches open that big (and they open bigger than most crescent wrenches) was for the owner to be able to remove and replace the big packing nut connecting the exhaust pipe to the exhaust manifold on a T.

If the jaws are still parallel and not wobby, they work fine for all kinds of things, but this is the why.

Another fun fact of the other tools that came with a T was a flat stock wrench to work on the wheels. The biggie is the one with the flared walls that just happen to match the curve on the T hubcaps, because they realized the adjustable wrench would not only bung up the flats on the hubcap but could break the brass cap.

On the back wheels it wasn't that big a deal, but on the fronts you needed it to keep the grease in, and protect the bearings from dirt. If they're broken or have a hole in it, the grease gets out. When part of your maintenance was regreasing those front bearings regularly, and when roads were dirt or mud, it was kind of important to keep them clean and protected.

 

[Zewnten]

I use one regularly on hydraulic lines. Works great for small spaces and big fittings.

 

[Kscardsfan]

I agree with @dscheidt
Keep it tuned and maintained while it's still in the yard and you won't have much need for tools in the tool box. They are pretty reliable tractors.
A couple extra lynch pins, an extra pin or two for the top link and the pin+hairpin for the drawbar will go a long way.
I have a couple of 4000s - both of which have the "crab claw" style lift arms with changeable,
category I/ II balls (photos) so I keep the extra balls I'm not using in there also. That about fills it up.
Some guys bolt an ammo box to the rear axle for extra tools too.

Where do you get those balls and clips? Been meaning to figure that out.

 

[garfunkle24]

Where do you get those balls and clips? Been meaning to figure that out.

Amazon. Or any ag dealer. Just search for "3 point hitch ball" or "lower link ball" and lynch pins. Class dictates pin bore.

 

[308guru]

Can we keep this thread on topic per the original question?

Tractor talk can be a different thread or via pm.

 

[four.cycle]

^ may as well try herding cats as try to get this crowd to stay on topic.

 

[four.cycle]

Tractor talk can be a different thread or via pm.

there's always mytractorforum.com for the determined.

 

[swsman]

I find the 15" Monkey Wrench incredibly useful for Sloan plumbing fittings and HJE has a very nice USA Diamond Auto Wrench.


I previously carried the Ridgid Hex Wrench, but removed the wrench from my mobile cart after rounding the corners on Sloan covers. I initially fielded a 12" Monkey Wrench, but found the jaw depth too shallow to reliably use on the Sloan covers.

When I did commercial maintenance I used a combination of large Milwaukee smooth jaw pliers, rubber strap wrenches, as well as variety of crescent wrenches.

Have not found anything I could not get off with some common sense (of course no damage to the fictures).

Funny thing is I bought those rubber strap wrenches over 20 years ago for automotive use.