Finally Bought Crow's Foot Wrenches

[Matt M PA]

I wanted to change the shifter handle in the '96, and realized there was no way to get to it without a crow's foot wrench.

I had just said to someone that I saw no reason for these at all...and could not understand why they were even made.

Well...now I beleive. There was no other way a wrench would fit where this had to go and worked like a charm.

I got the SAE Craftsman set at Sears. I wanted to get the job done...and Sears is close. (First time I was in the Sears tool department in a looong time)

 

[DanCo]

I love my sets, they really do come in handy

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I had just said to someone that I saw no reason for these at all...and could not understand why they were even made.

How do them words taste?

 

[e-tek]

I'm loathe to admit it - but I still can't see many applications.... So go ahead and school me - what specific applications would they fit (aside from Matt's '96 something 'r other)? I've been able to do everything on any car thus far without them....

 

[Craftman]

x2 I still dont see the purpose for crow's foot, I have to admit im not wrenching all day long...

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

x2 I still dont see the purpose for crow's foot, I have to admit im not wrenching all day long...

Places where regular wrenches dont fit... like
on import master cylinders, like 2000 Toyota Camry 2.2
and racks on some GM.

 

[e-tek]

Can you get much torque on them?

 

[Tom2]

I grabbed SAE and Metric sets from Harbor Freight not long ago for less than $20. Didn't want to spend a lot on them since I can't think of too many instances where I would have needed them.

Have only found one use so far. Air suspension line on a motorcycle. Spent 10 minutes trying to get a wrench on it and finally gave up and used a crow foot. Seemed to fit and work well.

 

[Kent763]

I grabbed SAE and Metric sets from Harbor Freight not long ago for less than $20. Didn't want to spend a lot on them since I can't think of too many instances where I would have needed them.

Have only found one use so far. Air suspension line on a motorcycle. Spent 10 minutes trying to get a wrench on it and finally gave up and used a crow foot. Seemed to fit and work well.

How are those HF sets? I'm like you in that I don't want to spend a bunch for the handful of times I'll need them.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I wish I could remember all the different ones. Did three different power steering line jobs, where they paid for themselves, and one job I remember. A rack and pinion replacement on a Oldsmobile Silhouette, where they were handy.

 

[Tom2]

How are those HF sets? I'm like you in that I don't want to spend a bunch for the handful of times I'll need them.

I really haven't used or even looked at them enough to give an honest/fair review. But it seemed to be a good snug fit the time I did use it, and worked well.

The Sears sets I think were about $60-$70 each at the time. I believe theyre more like $30 now because of overseas production. Even still, the HF ones are a lot cheaper - especially with 20% off coupons. I probably spent $15 for both sets. The SAE set I have are flared. I figured they'd be a little likely to round off. They dont sell metric flared crows foot at HF that I know of.

 

[DanCo]

I use them all the time on air fittings under the floor on Mack trucks.

 

[mrholeshot]

I wanted to change the shifter handle in the '96, and realized there was no way to get to it without a crow's foot wrench.

I had just said to someone that I saw no reason for these at all...and could not understand why they were even made.

Well...now I beleive. There was no other way a wrench would fit where this had to go and worked like a charm.

I got the SAE Craftsman set at Sears. I wanted to get the job done...and Sears is close. (First time I was in the Sears tool department in a looong time)

A 1/4 drive universal socket would get in there if a crows foot will (if you are talking about the four bolts that hold the shifter down in the firebird in the photo. Ive done more than I can count. The only crows feet I find any use for are the line wrenches. The regular ones I have I won't waste the room in my tool box with.

 

[crewchief888]

hyd hoses and tubelines on construction eq.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Removing the heads on some Polaris ATVs is a heck of a lot easier with a crowsfoot...

 

[Matt M PA]

Okay...here's the deal.

I recently sold a car and bought a 1996 Viper RT/10. Without getting into all the details, '96 RTs are quite unique as early Vipers go. As with any 14 yea old car, there are some projects.

Amongst other things, I wanted to replace the factory shifter isolator with a shorter, solid shaft. I did one in my 2000 GTS and it made a tremendous improvement. Problem was, the guy that used to make these has fallen off the face of the earth.

A friend machined one for me that's really nice. (In fact, I think we're going to put these on the market. Huge improvement in shift feel, shorter throws...without an aftermarket shifter.) As you can see, the factory isolator is way down in the car, and there's no way to get a wrench on, thanks to the shape of the isolator and no clearance around it.

In the pics, the custom piece is already on, and the depth is hard to see....but a Crow's Foot was the only way. Now I'm a beleiver. Also pictured is the project car, and the original and custom part.

The real issue was that the factory part only had flats on two sides...and they were in a location that did meant the wrench had to work on the "short" clearance side. Perhaps if it had been 45 degree different I would not have needed the crowsfoot wrench.

I have never feared buying a new tool...but until this project...I never needed one. Heck, I "wanted" a recip saw forever...once a project came along that required one...the green light was on.

Oh yeah...e-tek...I took the same part off my 2000 without a crowsfoot wrench. Go figure. It must have been rotated a bit differently.

 

[Goinlow]

If you wrench for a living eventually you will run into a situation where you need one. On the older jeep Cherokees one of the power steering lines that runs into the pump pretty much requires an 18mm crowfoot.

I cant think of anymore situations but I'm sure someone else could.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

I used a flare nut crows foot a while back to loosen the PS line fitting on a chevy steering box.

 

[hoopty388]

I recently started working at an oil change place and in 3 weeks I wish I had a set about a dozen times. Some of those drain plugs are well hidden behind the cross member and it is hard to put a torque wrench on a standard wrench.

 

[Stick Figure]

Crows feet seem to be one of those things that aren't needed, but can make something way easier when the need arises. I use mine quite a bit, but then i do work in 99% aftermarket upgrades. Doing the design side i often have to do portions of the install/removal completely out of the order of what makes sense. For example last project was a supercharger kit. Normal install i would tell the customer to remove the fan shroud for clearance, but doing the design, you want as much of the car together as possible to make sure you don't make a mistake and put something in the way of another piece that will have to be re-installed later.

 

[hilld]

The crowsfoot wrench comes in really handy when doing the ICP sensor on a Ford 6.0 Diesel (2003 and early 2004).

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Why do these things cost so damn much?!

 

[d33pt]

i recently got a set of metric/sae along with 3 extensions for around $65 shipped to store. thought it was a decent deal. still haven't found a use for them yet though.

 

[DanCo]

I'm still waiting for my Snappy adjustable crowsfoot, $40 I think. I look forward to putting it to good use! And one of these days I'll find a use for my metric flare crowsfoot set.

 

[nate379]

Last time I needed one, I can't remember what for, but I cut the open end of a Harbor Freight wrench and welded an exention on the end to make a crow foot

Was old junk tools laying in the bottom of my spare toolbox so total cost was free.