Cutting end off 12 point wrench

[Rounder]

Anyone ever turn a 12 point box end wrench into open end wrench?
I got hydraulic fitting on my tractor the the arc is so small I can't even flip the angled wrench to do a turn. I have to reach around the axle, every flat. Took a long time to remove.
I did grind the wrench to make it thinner and will do some more of that. I can use a regular wrench to break or tighten, this is just for loose tighening.
I was also thinking of lubing the threads, with the hopes I an turn by hand a bit.

Do they make any open end wrenches that are like a sucker?

Thanks.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Take a look at these, ratcheting flare nut wrench. Interesting design.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMY54P5R/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[cpm0487]

I've done it in a pinch. It usually weakens it to the point of being useless if you have to apply any kind of beans to it at all.

 

[Rounder]

Now those are cool. I can get about one flat turned then I have to reach to other side and do the same. So I think this would do the trick.
Seems harder to find SAE. I need 3/4, but 19mm would fit.
Thanks.

Not 100% sure those will get over hose and union to get to the fitting I need to turn though

 

[Rounder]

I've done it in a pinch. It usually weakens it to the point of being useless if you have to apply any kind of beans to it at all.

I was thinking of just doing it for the 20 some turns until it needs to be tightened. So in theory little force. Other idea was keep grinding body down, hoping to get enough arc to be able to flip wrench and turn again. Which I realize will weaken too.

 

[Zewnten]

I have an open end 12 point wrench by bonney. The outside ring is about twice as thick as a normal box end wrench. A normal box end with a piece cut out will just spread if the fitting is tight enough. If it already loose then sure go for it.

 

[cpm0487]

I was thinking of just doing it for the 20 some turns until it needs to be tightened. So in theory little force. Other idea was keep grinding body down, hoping to get enough arc to be able to flip wrench and turn again. Which I realize will weaken too.

I cut one down and when i got to the point of final tightening, i was able to sneak needle nose vise grips in and "clamp" the improvised line wrench onto the flare nut. This kept the wrench from spreading and rounding my fitting. It actually worked pretty good.

 

[Rounder]

I was also wondering if a stubby would help. It is not with me to look. Maybe cut a wrench down.

This is two hydraullic hose next to each other, so diamter is also an issue. Plus not easy to get at. I am hoping I can thread it on by hand ok.

I may keep grinding the head of the wrench and shaft to make smaller.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I have a 5/8 x 3/4 Snap-on line wrench that comes in handy, especially on injector lines. It's 12 point instead of 6. It should work fine on steel hydraulic lines but maybe not rubber hoses. I would search Ebay and see if you can find one. My great uncle gave me his old set of Snap-on line wrenches and they work great. He probably bought them in the 70s.

 

[Citation]

If the forces in question really are low I would just go to HF or Walmart, buy a cheap set of wrenches and find out.

Robot or human?

(In case the link doesn't work: Hyper-Tough-11-Piece-Combination-Wrench-Set-SAE )
For $10 it seems like a really cheap thing to try.

 

[Bad Eye Bill]

If you spend a lot of time working on machinery of any kind you will have a bunch of modded/butchered tools.

 

[dnschmidt]

Buy a Pliers Wrench. They work for me in this application.

 

[Rounder]

Not sure there is room for channel locks. Two lines next each other.

 

[bcschief]

Got a few cut-up wrenches some are for EGR tubes on Fords from back in my wrenching days.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have, typically the wrench spreads/flexes very easily once you cut a section out. Mostly it's just for spinning things, not breaking them free.

 

[whateg01]

Would a crows foot help at all? Or is all of the space constraint at the fitting itself? You mentioned a stubby, which makes me think maybe a crows foot and extension might give you more room

 

[bob15]

Why not just buy 12 point flare wrenches? Bonny, Proto, Martin all make them. Or go with 12 point flare crowfoot's.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Would a crows foot help at all? Or is all of the space constraint at the fitting itself? You mentioned a stubby, which makes me think maybe a crows foot and extension might give you more room

Or a 12pt crowfoot.

 

[cgrutt]

Or a 12pt crowfoot.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Proto makes them too.

 

[larry_g]

I consider any tool to be raw material for making something that will get the job done. I also do not buy into the thinking to get some cheap tool to modify. If a cheap tool is not good enough to use regularly they why is it suitable for modification to do a critical job? Start with good steel...

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Citation]

I consider any tool to be raw material for making something that will get the job done. I also do not buy into the thinking to get some cheap tool to modify. If a cheap tool is not good enough to use regularly they why is it suitable for modification to do a critical job? Start with good steel...

lg
no neat sig line

While I can see your point with "get a good tool to cut up" I would amend it to say case dependent. If I'm creating a specialty wrench to access the Inconel bolts inside of a jet engine turbine section, yeah, I'm going to use top quality tools. The cost of cross threading one of those fasteners might be some poor guy spending two days with a rat tail file removing the cross threaded nut. However, if we are talking about a case where the loads on the wrench are light and where we aren't really sure if this tool is the right tool for the job (and if this is my personal money on the table) then starting with a cheap wrench makes things less painful if it doesn't work out. That and honestly, even a lot of the cheap wrenches are very serviceable for 95% of the jobs we do.

 

[AdAstra]

While I can see your point with "get a good tool to cut up" I would amend it to say case dependent. If I'm creating a specialty wrench to access the Inconel bolts inside of a jet engine turbine section, yeah, I'm going to use top quality tools. The cost of cross threading one of those fasteners might be some poor guy spending two days with a rat tail file removing the cross threaded nut. However, if we are talking about a case where the loads on the wrench are light and where we aren't really sure if this tool is the right tool for the job (and if this is my personal money on the table) then starting with a cheap wrench makes things less painful if it doesn't work out. That and honestly, even a lot of the cheap wrenches are very serviceable for 95% of the jobs we do.

One might even be better off with a cheaper box end in this case, since it will likely be thicker, and thus stiffer. Good steel is not any stiffer than cheap steel.

 

[KnurledNut]

Can anything else be removed/adjusted/raised/lowered/turned to give better access?

 

[bwringer]

To break the fitting loose, sometimes you can manage to sneak a hose clamp over the cut up wrench and line and get it tight enough to keep the wrench from spreading and tighten it down on the fitting (it's not ideal; it'll be sort of sideways and at an angle). Once the fitting cracks loose, then remove the hose clamp and proceed 1/12 turn at a time, uttering your most depraved maledictions toward the idiot who designed the machine this way...

 

[Zewnten]

To break the fitting loose, sometimes you can manage to sneak a hose clamp over the cut up wrench and line and get it tight enough to keep the wrench from spreading and tighten it down on the fitting (it's not ideal; it'll be sort of sideways and at an angle). Once the fitting cracks loose, then remove the hose clamp and proceed 1/12 turn at a time, uttering your most depraved maledictions toward the idiot who designed the machine this way...

More than likely OP could remove one or two other hoses and have plenty of room for a regular wrench.

 

[Ricky Joe]

More than likely, a picture would help advice be more specifically helpful.

 

[nadogail]

I was I Home Depot today and saw a lot of open stock for sale individually.

 

[inphx]

Or if replacing the hose cut the stem and just socket over it,

 

[Etchase]

Proto Flare Ratchet Wrench Set, 7 Pieces, 12 Pts J3800A | Zoro

Order Proto Flare Ratchet Wrench Set, 7 Pieces, 12 Pts, J3800A at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

 

[Mr_B]

12 point flare nut could be useful as could 12pt crows foot posibly but if purely for low torque turns then modding a ring wrench will work, just don't use cheapest junky ring wrench you got, find a decent one and preferably fairly chunky ring wall dimensions as it likely serve better in use .

 

[whateg01]

Ring wrench?

 

[GaryM909]

Are you able to add some weld to the outside of the wrench to thicken it up before cutting it up

 

[BarrelRoll]

By angled wrench do you mean 4 way/ angle wrench or just the open end of a combo wrench?

A snapon/ tekton 30/60 degree angle wrench is made for that situation. After having 15/60 degree angle wrenches there's a dead zone that doesn't exist with the 30/60's.

 

[Pinemarten]

In the OP, he stated he can tighten and loosen with an open-end. He wants to cut a 12pt box-end to speed removal and reinstallation. I's say go for it! Easing into the required slit dimensions would preserve the most strength of the box-end.

 

[cmandp]

I stole this picture from somewhere on the internet. It may have been from a member here, I don't recall. But I kept it as a trick in the back of my mind. Of course you have to have access.

 

[whateg01]

I stole this picture from somewhere on the internet. It may have been from a member here, I don't recall. But I kept it as a trick in the back of my mind. Of course you have to have access.

I couldn't tell if the limitation was space for the end of the wrench, the swing, or both, but he mentioned that he has to remove a fitting next to another fitting, so probably not enough room for a wrench and a set of vise grips.

 

[Rounder]

More than likely OP could remove one or two other hoses and have plenty of room for a regular wrench.

One end I drop an arm. Other end it goes through frame of tractor. Maybe removing radiator. Maybe removing bucket. I thought abouyt crows foot, but I don't think it would help.

Laing on floor reaching up swinging short arc, than reach around axle, move short distance and then move back to the other side of axle.

 

[charbar]

Just cut up a wrench and be done with it, it will be fine.

I have lots of **** like this made up specifically for hydraulic lines on tractors.


In tight spots it is hard sometimes to tell if you are cross threading the nut/fitting or if you are just fighting a line/hose that isn't lined up dead nuts with the fitting-----so you want to make sure your threads are CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN and try to manipulate your line/hose so its lined up perfectly with the fitting so the nut will spin freely/wobble when you are putting it back together.

 

[Rounder]

Ya I think lay some clean cardboard down, get a light. Clean threads. Some kind of light lube, so hopefully can turn by hand, and just eat it.

Dumb question, metric or SAE? I thought it was metric, 19mm, but end up using 3/4. I was going to mic it. Sometimes bigger sizes you can get away with from wrong size.