Flare wrenches

[MackMan]

Ok folks... Time has come to replace the hard brake lines on my Jeep and I'm thinking this is an opportunity to invest in some quality flare wrenches for the job. I've pretty much decided that I want to go with Snap-On, but am open to suggestions if anyone thinks that some other brand is going to be better for the application.

My main question is... I see a lot of flare sets that are "crows foot" type, and these generally are much cheaper than actual wrenches. For something that at best gets used once every few years, is there any disadvantage to the crows foot design? Only thing I can think of is that you apply force that's not perfectly aligned with the hex so there might be a slight moment about the head, but that's probably thinking too far into it.

Any reason i shouldn't go for the crows foot and take advantage of the smaller footprint (toolbox space) and lower price?

Thanks!

 

[Grigg]

I have a lot of flare nut wrenches...
Started with the standard snap-on ones with two different sizes on each wrench, they're good and quite useful. A good purchase for sure
Later assembled a set of flare nut combination wrenches; flare nut on one end and extra thick open end on the other. These are my favorite kind, I can't help but buy more when I see them at good prices, any good quality brand...
And I have a set of Snap-on crow foot flare nut wrenches, they're only useful when you need the crow foot function to reach in a tight spot. I would never reach for the crow feet before I would one of the other wrenches, assuming a regular wrench fits and they do most of the time..

Grigg

 

[MackMan]

Thanks. I was also liking the double ended ones.

out of curiosity, why do you prefer the "combination" version? I have been a bit mystified by these, as I don't know when I would reach for this if I have a standard open end in the correct size.

Thanks!

 

[mdnelson86]

I only have the double ended version in snap-on. they're great wrenches and would be a very good investment. I've never used the combination style, but I could see where they would be really handy to get the fitting broken loose with the flare nut end, then use the open end to get it the rest of the way off.

I've had my share of difficult fasteners on brake and fuel lines that are rusted up enough that they fight you the whole way after you have it broken loose and the rust on the fitting makes it difficult to get the flare nut end on and off.

 

[Grigg]

The combination flare nut wrenches have a much thicker open end than your standard combination wrench. The thicker end is stronger and still does a decent job of not rounding or slipping. Handy for stuff other than flare nuts when you need an extra heavy open end wrench.

Also because of the thickness of the open end you can still grip a tube nut at an angle. You'll find that the flare nut end only fits the nut at the given about 15* angle (or flipped over), same as a normal box end on a combination wrench fits a nut. When that won't fit you simply switch to the thick open end and continue.

The flex head flare nut wrench is a solution to the fixed angle flare nut wrenches but I haven't tried any yet. They look real handy and are on my list shopping list.. It's a running joke with my snap-on guy, every time he ask "Do you need anything else?" I say "Do you have any of those flex head flare nut wrenches yet" It's been going on for years now, and when they do I'll get some but doesn't look promising yet.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V5CZXY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Grigg

 

[Grigg]

Here's a great tool for loosening the most stubborn/rusted and even rusted undersized tube nuts.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SBBD/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Sometimes better than a good line wrench although won't replace a set.

 

[bcradio]

I would say get the regular flare wrenches from snap-on AND get the crowfoot flares from sunex online. They sunex are cheap enough to not worry about the cost and they work well. This is what I did as a DIY.

Definitely worth getting the snappy's for flare wrenches though because they are that much better. My Craftsman wrenches would spread and round off nuts regularly.

 

[Snapped-off]

I just ordered these off my dealer last week RXS605B. I tried out a co-workers before I bought the set, and I thought it was pretty damned nice.

I got these over the double flare end mainly because you can use the thick open-end at more of an angle.

 

[otis66]

You should get the Snap On flare nut wrenches if you can.

 

[Skin]

Thanks. I was also liking the double ended ones.

out of curiosity, why do you prefer the "combination" version? I have been a bit mystified by these, as I don't know when I would reach for this if I have a standard open end in the correct size.

Thanks!

the combo versions are very fat. Its nice to have both ends at your disposal, the flare for initially breaking the fitting loose and the open end for actual loosening and tightening. Otherwise you have to keep droping the flare wrench down to re-seat. Plus if you do enough tasks you cant always fit the actual flare opening, if you absolutely have to use an open end the fatter the better.

 

[glenmore]

Never cheap but keep checking the classifieds as they do pop up regularly. If you are able to snag some at around $15 each, your cost of ownership will be nil as they will always be worth $15 each.

 

[otis66]

the combo versions are very fat. Its nice to have both ends at your disposal, the flare for initially breaking the fitting loose and the open end for actual loosening and tightening. Otherwise you have to keep droping the flare wrench down to re-seat. Plus if you do enough tasks you cant always fit the actual flare opening, if you absolutely have to use an open end the fatter the better.

I agree with skin. If i were going to buy flare nut wrenches today, I woud get the combo flare nut/ open end, for the reasons stated above.

 

[crewchief888]

most of the flare nut wrenches i have are SO,
i do have a couple older MAC and sk's too.

i dont have a preference on double ended or combo types, i've bought both types new and used.

the only flare nut crowsfeet, and line sockets i have were bought for specific tasks, that being HP fuel inj lines on diesels.

 

[monster1]

I would say get the regular flare wrenches from snap-on AND get the crowfoot flares from sunex online. They sunex are cheap enough to not worry about the cost and they work well. This is what I did as a DIY.

Definitely worth getting the snappy's for flare wrenches though because they are that much better. My Craftsman wrenches would spread and round off nuts regularly.

Out of curiousity was it the rp, older sk made, or newer Chinese made polished wrenches that gave you problems?

 

[FlyBy]

I needed flare nut wrenches in a hurry years ago. I just went to sears and they happened to have the fully polished professional wrenches on sale in a nice plastic tray, got a metric set for 30 I think. They're the ones with a different size on each end, and I've never had a problem with then before. Just used them to replace some lines about a week ago.

Granted I don't work on cars for a living, but the pro wrenches were made in the USA and I couldn't pass up the deal, especially for something I don't use all the time.

 

[genevabuck]

I like my MAC flares a lot. Those gearwrench flex ones look real nice. The vise-grip locking wrench that someone posted is great for those stubborn jobs too.

 

[mercman86]

I have the Craftsman RP wrenches in standard and the older sk made craftsman's in metric. Used them for years and never had problems rounding them off. You just have to be careful. If there rusty beyond belief, i just use a vice grip and break em off.

 

[mdnelson86]

I had the newer polished craftsman flare nut wrenches and got along ok with them for several years. I did notice them spreading sometimes, and the second time that happened is when the snap on set was ordered to replace them.

I may only use flare nut wrenches every couple months or so, but the snap-on's have been great for 3 years now. Never had any issue with them and they feel a lot better on the fitting when I'm using them than the craftsman's did. very much worth the extra money to step up and get snap-on's in my opinion.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Out of curiousity was it the rp, older sk made, or newer Chinese made polished wrenches that gave you problems?

Can't speak for whom you are asking but,

I have snappy, crafty pro (usa) crafty rp and gearwrench flex flare line wrenches and have done dozens and dozens of disk brake conversions, master cylinder replacements, brake jobs, and replacement of entire brake brake lines of a vehicle and have never ever experienced the "spreading and flexing" that gets reported here on this forum with any of the above mentioned brand of wrenches.

 

[jetmech09]

Snap-on by far.

 

[otis66]

I needed flare nut wrenches in a hurry years ago. I just went to sears and they happened to have the fully polished professional wrenches on sale in a nice plastic tray, got a metric set for 30 I think. They're the ones with a different size on each end, and I've never had a problem with then before. Just used them to replace some lines about a week ago.

Granted I don't work on cars for a living, but the pro wrenches were made in the USA and I couldn't pass up the deal, especially for something I don't use all the time.

Years ago Craftsman full polished chrome flare nut wrenches were made by SK in the USA, these are great flare nut wrenches. The new Craftsman full polished flare nut wrenchs are made in china...Not so good.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Years ago Craftsman full polished chrome flare nut wrenches were made by SK in the USA, these are great flare nut wrenches. The new Craftsman full polished flare nut wrenchs are made in china...Not so good.

Have the chineese made crafty wrenches been extensively tested so an accurate assessment be made?

 

[plinker]

I have a set of inch Snap-on and an Allen 10x12. No issue's with either, but If I'm doing brake lines for myself, I'll just cut the line off and replace the whole line with the new copper nickle alloy line. It wont rust, best thing next to stainless. Flare's easy too.

This isnt really somthing you could do in a repair shop all the time, but for personal vehicles it's the way to go, IMO.

 

[FlyBy]

Years ago Craftsman full polished chrome flare nut wrenches were made by SK in the USA, these are great flare nut wrenches. The new Craftsman full polished flare nut wrenchs are made in china...Not so good.

Gotcha, I have the USA ones. Haven't looked at them in the store recently to see where they are made now.

 

[boosteddsm92]

I'm interested too, no one has said why they don't like the crowfoot flares. Are they more prone to spreading?

 

[Wakefield]

I think there was a post in the last year or so that said that plain open end crow's foot had lower torque capacity/wasn't as strong as a regular open end of the same wrench size as found on a combination or double ended open end wrench.

--looking at my NAPA 3/8" drive crow open end and the open end of my Wrightgrip combo,both of them 13mm size- the Wright sure looks stronger,more meat in it and the NAPA crow is already a little bit spread (can see it when I put them together) maybe flares aren't the same?

 

[TwoInch]

Have the chineese made crafty wrenches been extensively tested so an accurate assessment be made?

dont need to be. they are visibly inferior. the surfaces are shaped wrong, narrow, and they lack a decent "flank drive" broaching profile. they dont fit well on fasteners. i bought a set, and took them back months later with the reciept, and ordered the USA RP 9pc set for 5 bucks less, shipped to my door. and i can already tell they are better made wrenches. the older sk made were even better still.

 

[TwoInch]

I'm interested too, no one has said why they don't like the crowfoot flares. Are they more prone to spreading?

i dont think its that people dont like them, i think its more the fact that they are different tools for different uses. a crowfoot flare is a bad choice if you can fit a flare wrench on the nut. the crowfoot is for very limited access, where they is no side to get a wrench in, so you come from the top or bottom.

 

[otis66]

I'm interested too, no one has said why they don't like the crowfoot flares. Are they more prone to spreading?

I have both crowfoot flare nut wrenches and reg flare nut wrenches. I use the regular flare nut wrenches 95% of the time. You will be better off buying the Snap On combo flare/open end wrenches first and buying the crowfoot flare wrenches later or as you need them.

 

[christodav]

I just bought a KTC 10mm/12mm combo 'brakeline' spanner here in Japan. It's made in Japan and of a very high quality. It worked a treat on my 11 year old car. If I was back in Australia, i guess I would buy Snap-On only because it would be easier to buy.




Chris

 

[Grigg]

I'm interested too, no one has said why they don't like the crowfoot flares. Are they more prone to spreading?

I did back in the second post of this thread.

...I have a set of Snap-on crow foot flare nut wrenches, they're only useful when you need the crow foot function to reach in a tight spot. I would never reach for the crow feet before I would one of the other wrenches, assuming a regular wrench fits and they do most of the time..

Grigg

Don't think anyone is saying they don't like them, they're strong and work exactly as designed but are not as useful as a combo or double ended line wrench.

Also don't confuse a common open ended crows foot for a flare nut crow foot.
This is what we're talking about. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=674851&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[boosteddsm92]

I did back in the second post of this thread.

You said you wouldn't use one, no mention as to why or if they are more prone to spreading or not, hence my question.

 

[Grigg]

Sorry,
I said I would use them when necessary in a tight spot.

I was trying to say that I use them only when a normal line wrench won't fit.
Given the choice and assume both will get the job done the line wrench is faster/easier to handle than the crow foot version.

There is nothing at all wrong with crow feet flare nut sockets, just consider it a specialty tool you'll only use on occasion. I happily use mine when necessary.

Grigg

 

[bcradio]

Out of curiousity was it the rp, older sk made, or newer Chinese made polished wrenches that gave you problems?

I have the metric set being Chinese and the SAE set USA pro full polish (not sure if these are SK or Danahar). I have had more issues with the metric set because I use it more. I have not ever used the RP's though.

The Cman are not bad wrenches and I still do use them on occasion. I have just had issues with them spreading sometimes on the tough nuts.

 

[bcradio]

dont need to be. they are visibly inferior. the surfaces are shaped wrong, narrow, and they lack a decent "flank drive" broaching profile. they dont fit well on fasteners. i bought a set, and took them back months later with the reciept, and ordered the USA RP 9pc set for 5 bucks less, shipped to my door. and i can already tell they are better made wrenches. the older sk made were even better still.

I certainly did not notice much difference in the way the US set and Chinese set looked. One just has shinier chrome. Other than that they are pretty similar in the looks department.

I have not done any strength test comparisons though so I can't comment there.

 

[5mall5nail5]

I bought SK recently for $60 from Advanced Auto using a coupon someone linked here. I used them after my HF set rounded off a fitting completely. I then took a photo showing the difference in the ends. The SK allowed me to finish the job without issue.


HF vs SK Flare Nut Wrench by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

HF on left, SK on right.