anyone using Proto line wrenches?

[bimmer630]

I bought this set of proto line wrenches about 10 years ago.. And Ive been at BMW dealerships most of my wrenching life, so I barely even need line wrenches (You'd be surprised how the fittings on these cars come off very nicely with a standard open end, as long as the car isnt too whopped and rusty)

Anyway, Ive only started to use them more recently, as I am now working in Cleveland and see more corrosion on cars.

I noticed the 11mm (the one thats used the most) doesnt really fit snugly on most of the fittings, and just rounds them off.

Anyone else notice a fitment issue with these wrenches? I thought I was being clever by ordering proto wrenches, because many techs I worked with didnt even know what proto was, and In my opinion they were usually cheaper than truck brands, and just as good (usually the SAME) as the stuff being sold off the Mac truck.


Anyway, SO is the BEST line wrench, and I think I will get a set at some point. I was just curious as to others experiences with these. Ive also owned SK line wrenches and they would always spread out and round off fittings. I have a few SAE Mac line wrenches that seem stout, but again, SO seems to be the best game in town for line wrenches.

 

[bimmer630]

Another thing with the SO wrenches is the hex shape is clocked so that you can flip the wrench over and get another bite on a fitting. The proto has one flat of the hex facing perpendicular to the wrench beam, which doesn’t allow this


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[bimmer630]

I can’t post video, but you can see the slop in this wrench on a like new brake line fitting


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[LXCam]

You already know the answer. I have three different full sets here plus a few misc sizes from other companies, even proto. I finally give in a couple years back and bought both the SO sets, should have done this years ago.

 

[sweet victory]

I can't justify pulling the trigger on a set of line wrenches for myself, but I may get a 10mm. I like these, since once you break the fitting loose, you can use the open end to quickly remove/loose.

https://store.snapon.com/Open-End-a...AE-Open-End-Flare-Nut-Wrench-Set-P630726.aspx

 

[tslater1989]

I can see in the first photo, your 11mm looks distorted. Top of the jaw looks like overbite.
My Gearwrench line wrenches have worked fine for me for quite a few years now. To be fair, I live in central Michigan, replacing brake lines is like Russian roulette.

 

[bimmer630]

I can't justify pulling the trigger on a set of line wrenches for myself, but I may get a 10mm. I like these, since once you break the fitting loose, you can use the open end to quickly remove/loose.

https://store.snapon.com/Open-End-a...AE-Open-End-Flare-Nut-Wrench-Set-P630726.aspx

Ive used those yeah. They also have a fatter open end, Which is nice on fittings sometimes.

 

[woody 73]

My curiosity got the better of me and I had a few proto line wrenches lying around so I checked and sure enough they had a little slop. Not sure what to tell you op, my proto tools have never let me down but that is no help to you.

 

[M6erfan]

OP, I'm really sorry to hear that! Cleveland...

 

[bimmer630]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78474 Looks like its a wide "spread" issue!

 

[Nero]

I can see in the first photo, your 11mm looks distorted. Top of the jaw looks like overbite.
My Gearwrench line wrenches have worked fine for me for quite a few years now. To be fair, I live in central Michigan, replacing brake lines is like Russian roulette.

Curious: do you have the ratcheting flare nut wrenches? I've never met anyone with a set and I'm wondering if they're worth buying as they're on sale currently.

 

[Gmonkee]

The boss has an odd mix of them from GN to Proto/Urrea and both styles of snapper including the Thorsen style.

Just odd bits as we find them really. I have a set of Wurth offset flex.

The Wurth are too precise for any damages at all. New is great and useless on badly distorted line ends.

Proto goes into the general population as not as precise as forgiving on light damages and may spread under high stress.
Only the oval shank Snapper are really top stuff for anything reasonably normal to difficult. We only have two of those.

I would not make extra effort to get Proto/Urrea line wrenches based on what id here now.

 

[sberry]

I have the Proto and have to agree, nothing great about them, same experience. The best thing for brake lines is 6 and 10R vise grips. I usually skip right to them.

 

[Dirty Diesels]

Try these you will never struggle to undo brake pipe fittings again.

 

[bimmer630]

I’m not talking about rusted rounded off fittings so much, just ones that are a tad stuck.. and the wrench ruins your day.
For those of you that say screw it, go straight for the vice grips... have any of you TRIED a snapon line wrench? They WORK.

Also? In general, german cars have nicer metal in their hardware so it’s rare to ever have a rounded out rusty fitting.
There have just been times where a slightly tight and slightly rusty fitting would have turned with the proper wrench, and my goofy proto wrench spread out and slipped.



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[sberry]

I got a couple snaps, yes they fit better. The Proto didn't open like Cman but just didn't fit tight to start with. I like the vgrips, it loosens them getting on them real tight in many cases. I don't care about marks on rusty fittings, don't always want to ruin them though, some are odd and don't stock them.
Getting on them with straight jaws securely does very little damage, using curves really fudges them up.

 

[Snaparxon]

I have a set of Proto metric 12 point line wrenches. No complaints, but I mainly use the 10mm. But when I can tell they want to strip I heat up the fitting with a small torch. I have Snap on 6 point standard and metric and the Matco Loc-Rite standard 12 points also.

 

[joecon]

don't waste your money on anything but Snap-On line wrenches.
I like the combination wrenches with a line wrench on one side and
an open end on the other. This is one of the places that one wrench
is better than the rest. I have other Protos and like then a lot but
for line wrenches your wasting your money if you don't buy snap on.

 

[redwrench60]

Like many I started with craftsman line wrenches and they were nearly useless spreading every chance they got so I “upgraded” to S•K which were better but still spread and rounded stubborn flare nuts. Finally another mechanic handed me a Snap On with the extra thick open end on one side and the perfectly offset line wrench on the other. These are the only way to go. Basically if these won’t get it nothing will. Vise grips won’t always fit in tight spots. Ive gotten some really siezed and crusty flare nuts loose with these over the years saving me countless hours of headache and frustration. Even if you skip buying the set and only get the sizes you need do it. But try the open end flare nut style in Snap On instead of the double end

 

[tslater1989]

Curious: do you have the ratcheting flare nut wrenches? I've never met anyone with a set and I'm wondering if they're worth buying as they're on sale currently.

No, but I have used them. They work, if things arent seized together. Like I said, being in michigan, everything rusts after two winters. I have a brake hose on my beater thats leaking, not blown, just a slight leak. I'm avoiding changing it like going to the dentists. Its a 99 ford expedition with 311k miles on it. Original brake hoses.. So I'm sure its going to turn into an all day affair. I would only recommend those racheting one's if you were a mechanic at a dealer. New cars, little corrosion.

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[Al Borland]

I have a set of ChiCom Husky line wrenches that I bought a few years back as a quick, cheap, disposable set.
Pretty much used them as slug wrenches and they are still working fine. Breaking hydraulic lines on rusty old junk.
They definitely look like they have been abused, but that's because they have been abused.
They are holding up much better than the set of Craftsman wrenches they replaced, and better than the SK (Slip/Kill) set THOSE replaced.

 

[bimmer630]

So after one of your pointed out that the 11mm wrench looked spread out on the end, I whacked it on the vise with a heavy hammer and she fits nice and snug, now! Haha


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[Moose Legs]

Has anyone here used Williams line wrenches(USA or Taiwan) and if so how do hold up?

 

[victor252]

Good question. Williams USA is made by Snap-on...

But if I was known to produce the best line wrenches in the business, I sure as hell wouldn't make an equally good "industrial" version for half the price.

 

[Al Borland]

if you "pull" on your line wrenches, they tend to stretch. Smack them to shock the nut, and they seem to work better and last better.
Or, maybe I just like abusing wrenches....