Flare nut / line wrench questions

[red73mustang]

I'm looking for some opinions on what brand to buy for removing brake lines. I have used Craftsman, but it seams that more often than not the nuts get rounded off and I end up using Vice Grips to remove them. Is this just the nature of the rusted brake fittings, possible metric/SAE size confusion or do some wrenches like Snap-on or Matco "flex" less when removing flare nuts

 

[genevabuck]

I like those new gearwrench ratcheting ones.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

I have sets of snappys, craftys, a set of crafty pros, gearwrench flex, a set of mac flare/open combo, and carlyle.

On extremely rusted old fittings, doesn't matter. They all will round

Some here swear by snappy. Yea likely the better of the choices, but sometimes the vise grips still need to come out

 

[RECox286]

There is definitely a difference in the SO and C'man wrenches that

I have in my box. SO, by far is the tighter fit. FWIW

Uncle Bob

 

[Professur]

What I've been told recently is that the biggest reason for ruining flare nuts is that the flare was crushed by the tool when it was made, and they had to over tighten the flare nut to get it to seal. A proper double flare shouldn't need to be gorilla tight to seal, and shouldn't take anything special to remove. That fits well with my experience .. factory originals came off easy ... replaced lines took vicegrips to break loose.

 

[Jme128]

I like my flex gearwrenches. Purchased from eBay over a year ago for 25.00 for three of them.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

I have SKs. Flare nuts are always a **** shoot though. One trick that may be possible on some fittings that I've used is to put the wrench on, then clamp some vice grips over them. I've done that with some crappy wrenches, and it helped.

 

[ndoran]

What I've been told recently is that the biggest reason for ruining flare nuts is that the flare was crushed by the tool when it was made, and they had to over tighten the flare nut to get it to seal. A proper double flare shouldn't need to be gorilla tight to seal, and shouldn't take anything special to remove. That fits well with my experience .. factory originals came off easy ... replaced lines took vicegrips to break loose.

I have found old factory installed fittings round off regardless and I use snap on line wrenches - you still have to reach for the torch and visegrips

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Snappies is the way to go.....

 

[91bronc300]

I've found that a good soak in penetrating oil will let me take off old, rusty flare nuts with just an open end wrench. I've moved on to atf/acetone as a penetrant now as it seems to work the best and is cheap.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

There is definitely a difference in the SO and C'man wrenches that

I have in my box. SO, by far is the tighter fit. FWIW

Uncle Bob

I feel the same way. And the last time I needed to add to my line wrench selection, it was for a home project...so I went to Sears thinking I'd save a few bucks. I saw their price on the pro's (all the had) and decided to just get more off the SO truck......

 

[zkling]

Another vote for the SK's. Just use them only for line fittings and they should last a life time. Now mine are the older ones, so not sure how the quality is these days, but I have been happy with them.

 

[MikeF2316]

I have SKs. Flare nuts are always a **** shoot though. One trick that may be possible on some fittings that I've used is to put the wrench on, then clamp some vice grips over them. I've done that with some crappy wrenches, and it helped.

I've done this too. If there's enough room, vice grips over the flare nut wrench adds the strength needed to get the job done, without damaging anything!

 

[wafrederick]

There are vice grips that fit over rounded off bolts and works on flare nut fittings too.Then there are the know it alls that use an open end wrench on the flare nut fitting rounding it off.Weather gets to them too.I had to replaced a couple brake lines in a Dodge Durango last week,two of the fittings both bubble flares that were rounded off due to road grime and salt getting to them.Ended up getting my twist socket set out for rounded off nuts and bolts removing these fittings.Everytime I replace a wheel cylinder,I cut the brake line and put in a new brake line.Better off not fighting with the fitting getting it loose and is going to leak one day requiring replacement later on the road.

 

[skulldrinker]

I have SKs. Flare nuts are always a **** shoot though. One trick that may be possible on some fittings that I've used is to put the wrench on, then clamp some vice grips over them. I've done that with some crappy wrenches, and it helped.

I will remember the vise grip over flare tip. Thanks

 

[crewchief888]

i have SO, mac and (older) SK in my boxes.
never really had much need for them until 4 or 5 years ago, working on my trail truck, a friends jeep, and scrapping several jeeps and trucks.
tried to salvage as much as possible,
never know who might need what, to make something work that shouldnt


i've bought more of them used in the past couple years, simply because i find them cheap ($5-$8) as singles at the flea mkt and pawn shops.

 

[volaredon]

there is definitely a difference in the so and c'man wrenches that

i have in my box. So, by far is the tighter fit. Fwiw

uncle bob

^^yup!

 

[regguy1]

Snap-On

 

[Mustangmike]

I have MAC and Snappys...sometimes one brand will be angled "just right" to remove the fitting,and the same wrench size from the other will be a PITA to use...look around the shop and see what the other guys are using

 

[sberry]

Pair of straight jaw vise grips is usually in the picture no matter what wrenches you. I pretty much use a couple small ones in a flare nut set, the rest ride the box.

 

[egnorant]

I have a mixed bag of Snap-On, Craftsman,Husky and Matco for my standard set.
For metric sizes I found a set of "GM performance parts" wrenches a few years back.

Only time I recall having problems was a mid 80s Mustang with an aluminum master cylinder, but it was buggered up when I bought the car. Might be because we don't do bad rust around here!

Bruce