Crowsfeet

[rhp]

While flare nut crowfoot wrenches are designed for use on soft fittings such as brass or aluminum, can any please give me any other reason to use a flare over an open end crowsfoot in typical auto/motorcycle mechanical situations.
Thanks, RHP

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Some O2 sensors are hard to get to even with a crowfoot. In those situations a flare crowfoot can be invaluable as they don't slip off when I move to get a better grip. This even becomes more important with a wobble extension or universal joint in the mix.

 

[rhp]

Can a flare nut crowfoot be used in all situations that an open ended can be used for? Or, are there situations that a flare nut crowsfoot will not work, or work as well?
That is, if I were to purchase only one set would I be better off opting for a flare nut over an open ended? Also thinking about 3/8" (vs 1/2" vs 1/4").

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Get a good, flare nut set to start. There are cases when you will need an open ended crowfoot but until you can afford a good second set, (dare I say it ????) check out HF for an alternate that will get you by. This situation is like a thread running right now about open end/box end wrenches and do you use both. Most of us do use both. If rarely needed the HF set will work just as well. If you start using them a lot, check out some of the other offerings on the market.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

In the garage I worked at, we only had Flare nut crowsfoot wrenches. They are great in tight situations (power steering lines, etc). We never had the open end style, and the owner had some Craftsman wrenches, that he had cut down to smaller wrenches. Since I see open end crowsfoot and used wrenches at garage sales, either of those would be my recommendations.

 

[bchee]

I notice that the profile or height of flare nut style crowsfeet are usually bigger than plain open end crowsfeet. That may cause some clearance issues.

 

[ToolGlutton]

Do not worry too much about the clearance issue of crowfeet. After all, everyone has combination wrenches.

This is the time you should buy Snap on.

 

[Mezzanine]

You know, I never saw any use for crowsfeet... Until I was working on a hydraulic drive motor on a piece of heavy equipment. It was literally the ONLY tool that would do the job, and only barely at that. I only bought the one I needed. Haven't used it since, or needed another.

That said, if you can fit a flare, I would go that route... Just a bit less likely to slip and ****** your nut/bolt.

 

[vette-kid]

You know, I never saw any use for crowsfeet... Until I was working on a hydraulic drive motor on a piece of heavy equipment. It was literally the ONLY tool that would do the job, and only barely at that. I only bought the one I needed. Haven't used it since, or needed another.

That said, if you can fit a flare, I would go that route... Just a bit less likely to slip and ****** your nut/bolt.

Ive been trying to figure out the purpose of those little buggers myself.

 

[rhp]

Fighting insomnia last night, and following the great responses to the initial question, I came upon the recently introduced SO Adjustable Crowfoot 3/8" drive (ADCF8).
While pricey, but not bad, for a single head it would seem to fit the bill for a tool that would not be used much but would nevertheless be essential in a given situation. Agreed???

 

[Uncle Buck]

Can a flare nut crowfoot be used in all situations that an open ended can be used for? Or, are there situations that a flare nut crowsfoot will not work, or work as well?
That is, if I were to purchase only one set would I be better off opting for a flare nut over an open ended? Also thinking about 3/8" (vs 1/2" vs 1/4").

Personally I would start with regular 3/8 crows then later add flares. You are correct, there are applications where a standard crow will work, but a flare crow would not. I seem to recall the o2 sensor on the left bank of my 92 Lincoln Town Car being one of those places.

I still do not have metric flares even now. One of these days I will add them.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Fighting insomnia last night, and following the great responses to the initial question, I came upon the recently introduced SO Adjustable Crowfoot 3/8" drive (ADCF8).
While pricey, but not bad, for a single head it would seem to fit the bill for a tool that would not be used much but would nevertheless be essential in a given situation. Agreed???

I would think it would have too fat of head, personally.

Personally I would start with regular 3/8 crows then later add flares. You are correct, there are applications where a standard crow will work, but a flare crow would not. I seem to recall the o2 sensor on the left bank of my 92 Lincoln Town Car being one of those places.

I still do not have metric flares even now. One of these days I will add them.

Would a 12 point have worked? That is one area, that I prefer a 12 point crowsfoot. OVER a flare nut style. (and I have bought several for people off of ebay)

 

[vjquan]

Why don't you wait until you have an absolute need for them before you spend unnecessary $$$? Unless it's it's an absolute steal, I'd wait or get the HF when the time comes. I don't have any crowsfeet, but have contemplated getting some. I then came to realize that if I've gone so long without them, that I probably won't ever need them. If I do, I'll worry it about then.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Why don't you wait until you have an absolute need for them before you spend unnecessary $$$? Unless it's it's an absolute steal, I'd wait or get the HF when the time comes. I don't have any crowsfeet, but have contemplated getting some. I then came to realize that if I've gone so long without them, that I probably won't ever need them. If I do, I'll worry it about then.

This breaks my first rule in tool buying, always buy your tools before you ever need them and as you encounter them used. This is the way you save money buying tools since you generally have all the time you need to find the perfect combination of good price and great quality which is not what you will find if you must run out and hurridly buy a tool to complete a job.

Make this rule number one and you should do just fine. I bet wrenchr, Rickster, and a few others that buy a lot of used tools will quickly agree with this thought.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I notice that the profile or height of flare nut style crowsfeet are usually bigger than plain open end crowsfeet. That may cause some clearance issues.

I would think it would have too fat of head, personally.



Would a 12 point have worked? That is one area, that I prefer a 12 point crowsfoot. OVER a flare nut style. (and I have bought several for people off of ebay)

I think as bchee's post above illustrated thickness was part of the issue, so due to the fact that any flare must fit over the fastener from the top as opposed to simply sliding in on the side as a regular open end would was also a part of the issue as I remember it.

 

[vjquan]

This breaks my first rule in tool buying, always buy your tools before you ever need them and as you encounter them used. This is the way you save money buying tools since you generally have all the time you need to find the perfect combination of good price and great quality which is not what you will find if you must run out and hurridly buy a tool to complete a job.

Make this rule number one and you should do just fine. I bet wrenchr, Rickster, and a few others that buy a lot of used tools will quickly agree with this thought.

By following your rule, you'd own every possible tool ever produced. The more common tools I can see having on hand, but for the specialty tools? Crowsfeet may or may not be considered specialty, but I've gotten by just fine with regular wrenches/sockets.

As far as wrenchr and Rickster - yeah, that's why their stuff is always up for sale in the Classifieds.

 

[Uncle Buck]

By following your rule, you'd own every possible tool ever produced. The more common tools I can see having on hand, but for the specialty tools? Crowsfeet may or may not be considered specialty, but I've gotten by just fine with regular wrenches/sockets.

As far as wrenchr and Rickster - yeah, that's why I see regular postings in the Classifieds up for sale from them.

I guess you get it, or you don't

That might explain this VVVVVVVV

]

]

 

[vjquan]

I guess you get it, or you don't

That might explain this VVVVVVVV

I guess I don't. If you have a burning hole in your pocket, that's your business I guess. Just don't have buyers remorse.

 

[Scooterfish]

Uncle Buck, the third rule I use is Could I sell the used tool for aleast the price I`m buying it at today.

 

[Mike83]

UB, in the eighth pic down there is a double box end wrench with a round shank that looks like it was modified to work on line fittings. One box end has a notch cut out. Did you do that? How does it work?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Uncle Buck, the third rule I use is Could I sell the used tool for aleast the price I`m buying it at today.

Totally agree, the tools guys like Rickster and wrenchr sell are not because they have buyers remorse, it is because they buy used at great prices then keep what they want and sell the remainder for a little profit to help them offset the cost of the tools they kept.

Simple concept really, and one that you cannot lose with. Your rule is just as important as the one I mentioned in actuality. I use this as a yardstick as well.

 

[Uncle Buck]

By following your rule, you'd own every possible tool ever produced. The more common tools I can see having on hand, but for the specialty tools? Crowsfeet may or may not be considered specialty, but I've gotten by just fine with regular wrenches/sockets.

As far as wrenchr and Rickster - yeah, that's why their stuff is always up for sale in the Classifieds.

Another point that might actually make more sense is the extent to which you actually mechanic at. I mean if all a guy does is a bit of tune-up, brakes every once in a while, shocks, and a few odds and ends work my thoughts would almost never be a savings for a guy like that. If however you handle just about everything and turn few jobs over to a shop then my way is truely the way for a home wrench to fly!

With that said, I have no idea how far you go with your wrenching activities, I was just trying to understand how you might see things that way.

 

[Uncle Buck]

UB, in the eighth pic down there is a double box end wrench with a round shank that looks like it was modified to work on line fittings. One box end has a notch cut out. Did you do that? How does it work?

That is an old Snap-on, or Blue Point wrench that I bought that way. That was simply an old 12 pt box end that someone cut a window in to use as a line wrench. That is one of my oldest wrenches and was marked something like 1929 or so.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I guess I don't. If you have a burning hole in your pocket, that's your business I guess. Just don't have buyers remorse.

Rest assured, I have no buyers remorse whatsoever. The tools pictured are most of my collection and have been amassed mainly used a tool or two here and there over thirty years. I bet machines, tools and the whole works I have not spent more than $3-5 thousand for every last tool I own in all those years. I am sure I could do at least that good if I sold it all piecing it out.

Nope, no remorse at all, I sleep very well thanks.

 

[vjquan]

Another point that might actually make more sense is the extent to which you actually mechanic at. I mean if all a guy does is a bit of tune-up, brakes every once in a while, shocks, and a few odds and ends work my thoughts would almost never be a savings for a guy like that. If however you handle just about everything and turn few jobs over to a shop then my way is truely the way for a home wrench to fly!

With that said, I have no idea how far you go with your wrenching activities, I was just trying to understand how you might see things that way.

Gotcha... and I totally agree! My comments on waiting on the purchase was to address the OP in what seemed like excuses to justify the purchase. Some people on this board just collect designer tool brands for bragging rights and don't really use them.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Gotcha... and I totally agree! My comments on waiting on the purchase was to address the OP in what seemed like excuses to justify the purchase. Some people on this board just collect designer tool brands for bragging rights and don't really use them.

I will hold my thoughts on that.

 

[rhp]

Hey UB, nice set up, but I didn't see the crowsfeet, ('member the inital point of this thread?). How 'bout some pictures of them.

 

[rhp]

Re: Crowsfeet - NEXT QUESTION

Learnin' alot,; thank you.
Next questions: How about a Ratcheting Boxed Crowfoot vs a Flare nut Crowfoot?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Hey UB, nice set up, but I didn't see the crowsfeet, ('member the inital point of this thread?). How 'bout some pictures of them.

HERE THEY ARE.

1/2" standards laying flat go to 1 & 1/2"

3/8" standard crows and 3/8" flares (hard to identify, stored on a square piece of keystock. Look hard, you will find them in the lower left corner.

3/8" metric standards on the bar lower rt corner of the page

old time 3/8" ratcheting crows on right side

 

[Moose-LandTran]

11mm ones are great for brake lines on brake bias adjusters (slack adjusters/brake compensators) as you often have 4 lines very close together and can only get a flare nut wrech on two of them.

 

[rhp]

Thanks UB.

Hate to be repetitive but: How about a Ratcheting Boxed Crowfoot vs a Flare Nut Crowfoot?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Thanks UB.

Hate to be repetitive but: How about a Ratcheting Boxed Crowfoot vs a Flare Nut Crowfoot?

I would pick the flared crowfoot over the ratcheting box, but that is just me I am sure others would say different. All I have that ratchets in flare are those big mothers in the last picture, but I have not used them more than once or twice and I have owned them since I was about 14yrs old so I would not call them a real go to, even in smaller sizes myself.

 

[JohnK007]

Hey UB, I like how you subdivided that drawer in the last picture above. What did you use? Looks like aluminum channel of some kind.
Also, like the old Milwaukee drill. Reminds me of an old Thor my Dad used to have.

 

[Sweet Old Bill]

UB,

Nice road box; now, show us your garage set. jk

 

[Uncle Buck]

Hey UB, I like how you subdivided that drawer in the last picture above. What did you use? Looks like aluminum channel of some kind.
Also, like the old Milwaukee drill. Reminds me of an old Thor my Dad used to have.

The dividers were bought at Sears around 1992 about the same time as the box. I doubt they sell them any more. As for the old drill I think I gave 10-15 for it from an old man at a garage sale a few years back.

 

[Uncle Buck]

UB,

Nice road box; now, show us your garage set. jk

Look at the page before this one, you should find it easily, same thread just page one.

 

[wrenchr]

I do not sell my own tools for the record!! I buy tool lots and sell them out single or by set and make money like that to fund the things I need!!

 

[nate379]

I have been turning wrenches for about 15 years and I have never used them.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I have been turning wrenches for about 15 years and I have never used them.

Crows? what the heck have you been working on to never find a need for one, heavy equipment or something like that? I just cannot imagine never ever needing them. Heck just working on my stuff I find at least a couple of times or so a year to put them to use, with a few of those times being lifesavers for me.

 

[nate379]

Anything from small 2/4 stroke engines to big diesels.