Flare Nut Wrench Advice Needed

[Madjik Man]

I currently have a set of Gearwrench flare nut wrenches (9-21mm) that have served me well but I am looking to upgrade considering I have a decent amount of flare nut work coming up.

I’ve narrowed my options down to two:

1. Purchase the Proto set (J3700M) that covers 7-17mm with double flare ends.

2. Purchase two Snap On wrenches 10mm and 14mm (RXSM10B, RXSM14B) that have a flare end and regular open end.


My truck only has 10mm and 14mm flare fittings so the additional sizes are a rare or never “just in case.”

But I have a 20% coupon for Zoro and get the Proto set for $93 delivered.

I have a buddy who owns a shop and I can get on to the Snap On truck and buy the two specified wrenches. Assuming I get no break on price it looks like both will cost $105 total.

The $12 difference is nothing for me.

I want high quality flare nut wrenches. I’ve always known/read that Snap On is king.

And I love the idea of breaking the fitting with the flare end, then flipping the wrench around and backing it out with the open end. Versus semi-struggling to continue to back it out with a flare end.

So…I believe I’m going to just buy the two Snap On wrenches and keep the Gearwrenches for the other “just in case” sizes.

In your opinion is this a sound plan or should I go with the Proto set?

Thank you.

 

[Madjik Man]

btw - this would be my first time on a Snap On truck and first time buying Snap On tools (other than an extractor kit I scored at a garage/moving sale).

My buddy is going to have to strap me to a hand dolly with arm/leg restraints and a muzzle like Hannibal Lector.

 

[Dave455]

I own the Snap On - those exact wrenches with the flare one end and the open end the other, and I think they’re about the best.

I think the open end is primarily for pipe unions that just have two flats, but it’s thicker than normal open ends, so gives you another option.

Can’t fault this option. I’d rather have two really decent tools in the sizes I need than something lesser in sizes I don’t. Having said that, I doubt Proto are bad.

If you wanted another option, it would be to buy just the sizes you need from another manufacturer, but the Snap On are the best I think.

 

[Kurt4440]

btw - this would be my first time on a Snap On truck and first time buying Snap On tools (other than an extractor kit I scored at a garage/moving sale).

My buddy is going to have to strap me to a hand dolly with arm/leg restraints and a muzzle like Hannibal Lector.

Just limit the amount of cash in your pocket when you walk on the truck.
The Snap-on flare nut wrenches are excellent.

 

[bonneyman]

I'm not a Snap-On guru but their flare wrenches look nice.

 

[Rinspeed]

I really like the Proto wrenches I own but for flare nut wrenches I would go SO.

 

[L.Cheapo]

I'd go with the Snap Ons. They're what I use.

There is only a 50 cent savings buying the entire set vs each wrench piecemeal, if you need to add more sizes later.

 

[spyerx]

I have regular flare in my most used size (11mm) from SK (full USA set from about 10 years ago), Snap On, Proto, and Gear wrench. Summary:
Snap on - stiffest/strongest, good length, good head size, good machining
SK- strong, short, fat head size, good fit/machining
Proto - good length, satin finish, probably the best machining of the bunch, very good fitment, small head, strong
Gear wrench - fatter head than SK, medium length, ok fitment

They all work. I like using the snap-on and proto the best.

 

[WWheeler]

I have a set of the Snap-on flare nuts, and they are worth the hype, but Proto did really well in torquetestchannel's testing. If I were choosing again today and could get a good deal on a set of the Protos that's probably what I'd go with.

 

[joel63]

Just limit the amount of cash in your pocket when you walk on the truck.
The Snap-on flare nut wrenches are excellent.

The tool displays will be overwhelming. Make sure to wear dark glasses.

 

[Kurt4440]

The tool displays will be overwhelming. Make sure to wear dark glasses.

I almost wrote that he should wear sunglasses to cut the glare from the chrome overload.

 

[i7083]

DO NOT let the SO guy talk to you about credit! You will be doomed!!

 

[shoggoth80]

Snap on... Quite good. Even the old ones. All hype aside, they ARE good quality pieces. If you're ok with the price, I doubt you'd regret them. We have some of the old style beams around work.

SK if you can get American, the quality and fit are fine. Head is on the fat side. Not a big deal if not in tighter quarters. Good chrome. Newer COO is questionable, as I've warrantied one for our shop, and the new one didn't have any stamping for that.

Proto. Quality is fine. I'd put these above SK because the head seems nicer to me. All the ones I've laid hands on were satin finished.

Sunex. Newer ones made in India. Got a full spread for about $56 a set for guys at work. Disappointed that the manufacturing moved, but the chrome is nice. Nobody has complained about them yet.

Astro. I own these personally (all the others are hands on at work). Slim beams, flex heads. Quality is great for a budget set (price probably gone up since I bought mine).

KD. American made. Old stock. Rougher satin finish. Price was like $6 a wrench. First I've ever bought. Basic, but passable.

I know, more options than asked for. Snappy isn't the only game in line wrenches, but they do make a good one. I've thought about picking up my most used sizes from them more than once.

 

[dscheidt]

The craftsman professional models were made by SK and are very good. Ebay, etc know this, and they're stupidly expensive. but you might get lucky at a garage sale sometime.

 

[Schurkey]

 

[sparky 1971]

I don't drink the Snap On Kool-Aid, but do believe that their flare nut wrenches are second to none. What I don't have in Snap On, I have in 10ish year old SK. The SK's fit is probably as good as Snap On, but they are comically short. I think all of them came from ebay.

 

[micromind]

I have a bunch of Wright line wrenches, they seem to be pretty good though I use them more for industrial stuff than automotive.

 

[pfbz]

i have a full set of Snap On double end flares... But in SAE, and I haven't needed them in at least a decade.
My metric set is a truly inexpensive ($13) set of SEDY branded flares. While I would sure like to upgrade those to snappy as well, but i gag on the ~$340 price tag. The sales tax alone on the Snap On set is more than 3X what the SEDY set cost...

Honestly, the (presumably Chinese) SEDY set isn't half bad. Nice chrome. I put them to the test the past week or so loosening up some 40 year old brake line fittings on a 1985 911. All fittings eventually came loose, all required PB-Blaster, some required a bit of heat heat, but none stripped out. Heads are a bit fat, but even with some of the tight clearances I had, I was able to position them without too much drama.

But to answer the OP's question, I really like the look of those open end/flare combos. Presumably would save having to grab two wrenches, one to break the fitting loose and another to back it off more quickly. 11mm, 15mm, and 17mm would do it for me, maybe I should do that at more like $190 vs. $340...

 

[f121]

It’s really nice having this open end on the SO, saves carrying two wrenches.

 

[Ohio Andy]

After watching the videos from torq test channel and I think project farm (I think 3 videos because torq test had 2)... I bought wright tools. Snap on did well. I don't remember how proto did.

 

[d42jeep]

The Snap-on open end/flare end are my favorites and I’ve been using mine since the late ‘60s. I may have bought the 7/16” off the truck back then but have found the rest used at sales.
-Don

 

[nadogail]

Snap On, Proto, Armstrong, Wright & Williams are all good brands and should work fine.

Twenty five years ago, I was asked how I liked my new Volvo, I told the young man who asked "It's as nice as any Hudson or Packard that i have driven" That got the response "What's a Hudson?, What's a Packard"

Some People like Fords and others like Chevrolet's, they too are considered acceptable and reliable.

 

[WWheeler]

I have a set of the Snap-on flare nuts, and they are worth the hype, but Proto did really well in torquetestchannel's testing. If I were choosing again today and could get a good deal on a set of the Protos that's probably what I'd go with.

Ooof, I guess if I'm going to comment about how well Proto did on the TTC's testing, I might ought to post the video showing it. I had forgotten that TTC had done two rounds of testing flare nut wrenches, and the Protos were in the second round.

As far as their rankings go across both rounds of testing, these were the top 6 (and the MAC on top has an asterisk as they were doing really well until the wrench broke).

 

[F-22]

Ooof, I guess if I'm going to comment about how well Proto did on the TTC's testing, I might ought to post the video showing it. I had forgotten that TTC had done two rounds of testing flare nut wrenches, and the Protos were in the second round.

As far as their rankings go across both rounds of testing, these were the top 6 (and the MAC on top has an asterisk as they were doing really well until the wrench broke).

90ft-lb on a 1/2".... I think in most cases I don't mind that it snapped as that is some really intense torque for it.

 

[KnurledNut]

I have Snap-on and bits-n-pieces of many of the other brands mentioned here.
My preference? Cornwell.
They don't get much love, probably due to limited distribution. I don't think TTC even reviewed them.

Here’s a peek at the metric set they currently offer:


Gotta love the variety of options out there.

 

[threewood]

Snap-On. Find them on epay for way less than off the truck.

 

[Madjik Man]

Snap-On. Find them on epay for way less than off the truck.

Maybe I just **** at searching on Ebay but they seem to be the same price for new.

And maybe I'm just paranoid but I'm also worried of receiving a counterfeit and not really knowing.