"flank drive" type wrenches.

[greasegorilla]

So I recently decided I should upgrade my wrenches, and decided I wanted a "flank drive" type wrench. I picked up a gearwrench "surface drive plus" metric set a month ago, I was pretty impressed with them. This week I ordered a sk "suregrip" sae set from Amazon. I got them in today and was a little disappointed. The open end of them is just a regular open end with no "flankdrive"

So I went back on amazon to re-read it and make sure I didnt get sent a wrong set. Apparently the "suregrip" design only applies to the box end, and not the open end. Disappointing. Then I went back and read the description of the gearwrench set, "surface drive plus" is only on the open end. I compared the box end of the sk to the box end of the gearwrench, cant tell much difference, but It might be too subtle for me to notice until its on a bolt. Im seriously considering sending the SK set back, or selling them on the forum, because I dont see any use in an overpriced plain open end combo wrench.

Can anybody confirm that the "surface drive plus" on the gearwrench is only on the open end, or is it on the box end as well?

Also, the main reason Im writing this, Does anyone know of a non-tooltruck, Industrial line branded wrench, that has a "flankdrive" on both the open and box ends of a wrench set?

 

[dudutzu905]

williams, wright, proto and I'm sure there's few more

 

[Snapped-off]

The Wright have "Wright Grip", which has small teeth on the open end similar to Snap-ons FD+.

 

[CWP1616L]

I like the hexagonal shape of the Cornwell open end.

 

[bob15]

First I would keep the SK's just the same. Never know when you will need more wrenches.

As stated above, Wright, Proto & Williams have have "plus" drive wrenches. I cannot say anything about Wright, but wasn't impressed with Proto or Williams in the 1/2" and smaller sizes. I feel they spread too much.

i would look for a good used set of Snappy Flank Plus or the Wright set.

bob

 

[purplezr2]

Flank driver refers to the box end I believe. Flank drive +, Surface Drive, Opti Torque, and Wright grip refer to the extra broaching on the open end.

 

[sk farmer]

same set as for sale in the classifieds? if so, that is a great set of wrenches. identical or so very close to the old craftsamn pro full polish that you could not tell the differance. not sure what you want for a wrench but they don't get much better than those. the flank drive on the open end is not that big of a deal in most situations. i have mac knucklesavers i never use and a set of wright grips that are used more often but not my primary wrench. i would keep them.

 

[kythri]

For the GearWrench stuff, they have "Surface Drive" on the box end, likely on anything they offer.

I'd imagine that most every modern wrench has the equivalent of "Flank Drive" or "Surface Drive" on the box end.

On GearWrench models that advertise it, "Surface Drive Plus" is, as mentioned above, on the open end.

 

[CWP1616L]

I've got one 18mm Flank Drive + wrench and it made hamburger out of the ball joint nut on my car. Those wrenches are flat out ruthless.

 

[Roland-5.0]

Are the surface drive as damaging as the flank+?

 

[Toolhorder]

If you wanted "Flank Drive" why didn't you just buy it? Only Snap-on's wrenches are flank drive. That's like saying I wanted a BMW but I bought a Hyundai Genesis to try it out.

 

[franzdom]

Yes but OP wants flank drive plus but thinks it's just flank drive.

 

[oldtools]

In old wrench, the box end flat surface meet at a sharp corner. Snap On put a bigger radius there and call it flank drive. SO patent expired long time ago, so almost everybody is using flank drive in the box end. It is so common now, some companies don't mention it, but some still do. Everybody have their own version for the open end like flank drive plus for so, suregrip for wright, etc....

 

[greasegorilla]

same set as for sale in the classifieds? if so, that is a great set of wrenches. identical or so very close to the old craftsamn pro full polish that you could not tell the differance. not sure what you want for a wrench but they don't get much better than those. the flank drive on the open end is not that big of a deal in most situations. i have mac knucklesavers i never use and a set of wright grips that are used more often but not my primary wrench. i would keep them.

Yes, I put them up on the classifieds. If theyre as nice as you say they are, Im sure someone will like them more than I do.


And I guess its my own fault for not reading the details enough before I bought something and making an ignorant purchase. Now at least I'll know better next time.

 

[CWP1616L]

Flank Drive is on the box end of the wrench. It means a radius corner on the 12 point so that it contacts the flat side of the nut adjacent to the corner. "Adjacent" is a fancy word meaning, immediately next to. Flank Drive Plus is a Flank Drive wrench with teeth added on the open end.

 

[Skin]

Are the surface drive as damaging as the flank+?

The only companies that use teeth are Wright and some of the new Matco 90 tooth ratcheting wrenches which basically ripped off FD+. The rest function off the same principle as a socket so there wont be any damage at all. In my tests designs like the Matco/GW, MAC/Proto etc.. actually are less prone to damaging than a regular wrench because they don't load the corner. The only odd man out is cornwell which has its 4 surface contact shape (which is basically just the old V-groove) for superior grip, or so they say.

 

[CWP1616L]

The only odd man out is cornwell which has its 4 surface contact shape (which is basically just the old V-groove) for superior grip, or so they say.

It's not really a V-groove. It's actually part of a hexagon.