Large size wrench set

[BarrelRoll]

This is the best way to deal with seized fittings, using the air hammer. Saves so much time and effort.

Learning the air hammer is your friend early in your career will save your body big time. My snapon guy will warranty air chisel bits so I gladly buy them from him, use them on super hard parts that mangle them pretty good, and exchange as necessary.

 

[N8sToolz]

I've had a large size sunex set for quite a while. I'm no heavy equipment tech but I got them because I needed them enough. I like most of sunex offerings and the pricing at the time wasn't too bad. I can't remember anymore What I paid. My only complaint is they are skinny on the edge so gloves are a must if your on them hard.

 

[RedneckWelder]

This is the best way to deal with seized fittings, using the air hammer. Saves so much time and effort.

speaking of air hammers, you can walk out siezed and/or stripped out final drive or axle drain and fill plugs with a good sharp chisel bit. also works for some stripped out allen/torx depending on access. They LOVE to put pointless torx/Allen fasteners especially in tight areas that are prone to corrosion,

 

[sk farmer]

Thanks for all the comparison pictures. It definitely helps to see actual pictures as opposed to generic stock website images.

Anyway... I will report back when I have the funds and make a decision.

But I know for sure that I will definitely be avoiding the HF set at this point unless I need something immediately at the time. The fit and finish looks absolutely terrible in comparison, even for the price.

no problem, i should take a few more comparison pics.

let the record be known. as can be seen, i have used the generic raised panel wrenches, they do work but my point was and has been that for a few dollars more, you really do get a better product.

any crappy wrench can be a drawer queen but in actual use even small improvements on a cheap wrench can be a big deal.

 

[Wakefield]

Just for reference sake here’s a 2-1/8 comparison.
Generic raised panel (branded Tactix) vs. Urrea.
Its all in what you do and how you use them, but there is a huge difference in professional jumbo wrenches. The industry I was involved with didnt buy cheap tools. Downtime cost too much.

GET ER' DONE !

 

[dchawk81]

Just for reference sake here’s a 2-1/8 comparison.
Generic raised panel (branded Tactix) vs. Urrea.
Its all in what you do and how you use them, but there is a huge difference in professional jumbo wrenches. The industry I was involved with didnt buy cheap tools. Downtime cost too much.

I can see that being a worthwhile investment if you use them a lot, or the smaller ones simply fail.

That's a $200 wrench compared to about $15 though.

 

[KnurledNut]

GET ER' DONE !

GOT ER' DID!

 

[KomatsuTech]

speaking of air hammers, you can walk out siezed and/or stripped out final drive or axle drain and fill plugs with a good sharp chisel bit. also works for some stripped out allen/torx depending on access. They LOVE to put pointless torx/Allen fasteners especially in tight areas that are prone to corrosion,

Yep, I have done that too. They are definitely life savers!

 

[KomatsuTech]

Learning the air hammer is your friend early in your career will save your body big time. My snapon guy will warranty air chisel bits so I gladly buy them from him, use them on super hard parts that mangle them pretty good, and exchange as necessary.

Yes definitely a friend to have! I am lucky and have an awesome Snap-On driver that will warranty anything I hand him. I do keep a cheap set of chisels from Harbor Freight for when I need a softer chisel to remove large seals from wheel hubs on heavy equipment. They don't damage the hub as bad if it slips.

 

[American Locomotive]

Seriously take a look at Wright Tool's Wright Grip wrenches. They aren't Harbor Frieght cheap, but they're 1/2 the price of Snap-On and honestly even better.

 

[Bucko]

I have the 3 sets of jumbo wrenches from Harbor Freight with the exception of a few that were replaced by the previous owner with other brands like Napa.
He was a machine shop owner and while his workers would spend all their money on the tool trucks he would be more conservative. He said the main reason he bought the cheaper stuff was because he wouldn't think twice if he had to modify a tool to get the job done and that is why a few were replaced. One if the HF wrenches was bent 90 degrees for a job but he also had a replacement to make the set complete again.
I paid $100 for the lot of tools he sold me and the wrenches was just a small portion of the tools.

 

[sk farmer]

Seriously take a look at Wright Tool's Wright Grip wrenches. They aren't Harbor Frieght cheap, but they're 1/2 the price of Snap-On and honestly even better.

that would be a great choice. i couldn't find a price on a large set but i did find prices on wright 715 (5/16-1 1/4) @ 260 and the 726 (1/4- 2) at @1184. that works to around 924 (1184- 260) for the larger wrenches or about 90 bucks each on average.

if the op doesn't want to spend much more than 100 the wright's for sure does not fit his price range. i would sure like them though.......

 

[mixerfixer]

Yes, I will be using these wrenches in a professional environment working at a CAT shop (heavy equipment).

That said, I'm going to hold off buying anything for now. If I end up needing a set immediately, there is a HF store only a few miles down the road from both my home and the shop.

But I would really like to wait and buy a larger more complete set that also includes */16th sizes. However I have no plans to buy anything more than a Taiwan set at best in this size range unless a set for a good price pop's up on OfferUp or Craigslist.

I was in same boat as you. I came from the heavy truck world to heavy equipment after a few year break working in management. I am also in a Cat dealer shop and have been now for almost 3 years.

The main sizes you will need for hydraulic work on Cat is 1-3/8", 1-5/8", 1-7/8" and 2-1/4". I use the first 3 sizes regularly and the 2-1/4" is only for pump suction lines 4 or 5 times a year. I wouldn't hesitate to buy these sizes singularly used off of eBay for decent brands and decent price.

I have SK brand up to 1-1/2" but I also have HF angle set to 2" and the HF combination set to 2-1/2". The HF big wrenches are OK is about all I can say about them. They haven't let me down, but I always have my eye out for used better stuff on eBay and such. I buy a fair amount of my stuff used if the price with shipping makes sense. The angle wrenches in the sizes above a needed regularly.

One type of wrench no one has mentioned is engineer/ machinist wrenches. They are single end open wrenches with a straight short-ish handle about a foot long. Most of the time the heads are pretty thick width wise so they don't spread or damage fittings. Those and a 4 lb rubber dead blow work good in places a long wrench wont fit. I used this method just as much as the regular wrenches. The ones I have were bought off eBay singularly. Shipping kills these deals if more than a couple are bought at a time. I pay $20 to $30 total for each. I like the Fairmount brand in these

Also grab the hydraulic service wrenches from HF for like $60. Use the big full size wrenches to break loose and tighten only. Then use these small wrenches for the in-between of taking off and putting on. I bought an 1-7/8" and 2" Wright wrenches off eBay to complete my needs. I have the SAE and metric sets. I haven't used the metric set yet.

I have the big crowfoot wrench set up to 2". I rarely use these except for skid steer travel motor lines reaching around behind rubber tracks. Usually 1-3/8" is the size used there and only needed if the track won't slide out horizontally easily.

I have an 1-5/8" combination wrench Evercraft (cheap) NAPA brand wrench that I cut a slot in the box end to make a big flare nut wrench out of it. It works well, doesn't spread and it gives way more options for angles than an open end wrench when it will fit over the fitting. I'm going to cut an 1-3/8" and an 1-7/8" wrench the first time I need them without a second thought.

I hope this helps.

 

[AJHD]

Thanks mixerfixer for the advice.

 

[lardy1]

Here's a budget set with a few more pieces. Most of those raised panel sets look pretty much the same in pictures.

10 pc Jumbo SAE Combination Wrench Set Sizes: 1 5/16" to 2" 17288

www.kittstools.com

Maybe the additional sizes will let you cover more bases initially and help you avoid a rushed single size purchase?
Good luck on your quest.

 

[dchawk81]

Here's a budget set with a few more pieces. Most of those raised panel sets look pretty much the same in pictures.

10 pc Jumbo SAE Combination Wrench Set Sizes: 1 5/16" to 2" 17288

www.kittstools.com

Maybe the additional sizes will let you cover more bases initially and help you avoid a rushed single size purchase?
Good luck on your quest.

That's actually not bad if they're made better than HF.

I never advocate HF as the best decision ever, just a cheap way to get started and sometimes all you need.

 

[Russtred]

I made my own set by buying individual Masterforce wrenches at Menards. Taiwan made. Excellent chrome. Pretty sure they are same manufacturer as Tekton. The only downside is they have kinda thin beams that can hurt your hands if you're pulling hard without gloves. I got 1-5/16" to 2", 10 wrenches in total. The only Skips were the 1-9/16" and 1-15/16", which I needed to satisfy my OCD. I know I'll never use them, but I ordered those two from Tekton. They are identical other than the name. All-in was less than $400 with the 11% rebate. The Masterforce Wrenches average about $25 each. I know it isn't exactly what the OP asked for, but I haven't found a better deal out there for the quality. Just my $0.02..

 

[KnurledNut]

I've had the cheap raised panel wrenches in the large sizes and while they did work when I used them, I was able to get a set of Taiwan made Williams wrenches in 1-5/16-2" and they are nicer made. Trouble is they were still kind of expensive and I'm not sure if they are even offered anymore.

Your comment kinda flew under the radar but didnt go unnoticed.
Those Williams Taiwan wrenches are very nice!
Unfortunately, I do believe they have discontinued them, even though some vendors still appear to have NOS.

 

[Zewnten]

Here's a budget set with a few more pieces. Most of those raised panel sets look pretty much the same in pictures.

10 pc Jumbo SAE Combination Wrench Set Sizes: 1 5/16" to 2" 17288

www.kittstools.com

Maybe the additional sizes will let you cover more bases initially and help you avoid a rushed single size purchase?
Good luck on your quest.

That's a good deal. OP is going to need 1-5/16 and 1-7/16 all the time with CAT.

 

[NakeDiesel]

@AJHD my son is a mobile tech for cat around here, he was a diesel tech at a small performance shop before this with a stint at a concrete plant between them. He's in the same boat in having to build up his large wrench collection and other large tools. He had a good snap on general wrench collection from previous jobs that he's built up. Sold his large snapon tool box and using smaller carts in my shop for side projects as he has time. Just moved up to an f550 truck as he was initially hired on to do skids and minis, but ended up working on much larger equipment more and more and needed a bigger truck and crane.

I know he has the cat large wrenches but also has a set of snapon now as well. There is a huge size difference between the 2, the cat's wrenches are much beefier than the snapon ones.

Me here the at farm, if it's larger than 1 5/16, I break out the 30" rigid crescent and cheeter pipe. crescent was 109.00 at the local oilfield supply store and the cheeter pipe was a left over piece of dom tubing I used to make a roll cage.

 

[AJHD]

So I used the 25% off coupon today and picked up the large SAE wrench set at HF. I wanted to see for myself their quality, or lack there of.

Which brings me to the point of making this post... I am debating on returning them. Yes they will get beat up and used hard in an heavy equipment shop, but these are rough fit and finish wise.

No sharp edges. But the satin finish is terrible, it's uneven and missing in some spots. Very uneven grinding as well, including obviously visible grind marks.

I haven't measured their tolerances yet. Overall, for about $50, I wasn't expecting much. It's too bad the Sunex alternative on Amazon is double the price at $100, but I may return these and give those a shot. Maybe I will take some pictures tomorrow.

 

[Ton ton]

Not cheap but Carlyle has some pretty decent quality wrenches. Not sure how large they go.

 

[dchawk81]

The bigger stuff I'm less concerned with finish than the ability to romp whatever I need to romp.

 

[WWheeler]

We've had a set of 'Klutch' jumbo wrenches from Northern in one of our work trucks for about 20 years now. When I bought them they were about 1/2 what they are going for now. I bought these instead after checking out and comparing them to Harbor Freight's somewhat comparable set.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612514_200612514

 

[AJHD]

The bigger stuff I'm less concerned with finish than the ability to romp whatever I need to romp.

Honestly, in this case neither am I. They will be upgraded at some point anyway based on the amount of use each wrench sees.

If I keep them, I will probably be hitting them with a little CAT Yellow spray paint.
Tomorrow I will measure their tolerance and see how close they are to spec. That's honestly going to be the deciding factor for me. I'm sure they are strong enough to hold up.

We've had a set of 'Klutch' jumbo wrenches from Northern in one of our work trucks for about 20 years now. When I bought them they were about 1/2 what they are going for now. I bought these instead after checking out and comparing them to Harbor Freight's somewhat comparable set.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612514_200612514

Yep, that set has been discussed and remains an option. The only reason I bought was the HF set was the 25% coupon brought the price down to $50. You get what you pay for I'm sure will is the appropriate response.

I need to pick up some individual sizes not in this set. This will also give me a chance to see in my hands how they compare to other brands.

 

[82355]

Standard combination wrenches don't matter as much as angle wrenches. Only buy Snap On, or I believe there are now two companies making similar wrenches. An angle wrench that has a 15 degree angle on one end, the same as you already have on your combination wrench is junk.

I have Snap On from 1/4" - 1-5/8" with no skips in my box. If I was still a paid mechanic, I would be buying more of the larger sizes from time to time. Especially the 16's. I hate skips. That being said I have a mixture of cheaper wrenches up to 2-1/2", and they get the job done.

Martin

 

[AJHD]

Standard combination wrenches don't matter as much as angle wrenches. Only buy Snap On, or I believe there are now two companies making similar wrenches. An angle wrench that has a 15 degree angle on one end, the same as you already have on your combination wrench is junk.

I have Snap On from 1/4" - 1-5/8" with no skips in my box. If I was still a paid mechanic, I would be buying more of the larger sizes from time to time. Especially the 16's. I hate skips. That being said I have a mixture of cheaper wrenches up to 2-1/2", and they get the job done.

Martin

The reality is I need both combination and angle. The angle come in handy for hydraulics and tight spots. But sometimes you still need a box end to hold a nut/bolt while tightening or loosening.

Right now, I'm exploring my cheaper options. I just don't have the cash and I need to pay a few things off before I add a new monthly expense.

 

[82355]

I know. I said you can get by cheaping out on the combination wrenches, but not on the angle wrenches. I believe Tekton and maybe Carlyle(?) are making a copy of the Snap On angle wrenches now. I have Snap On angle wrenches from 1/4" - 1-1/2" with no skips, and a 1-5/8". For hydraulic work, they are a life saver.

Martin

 

[AJHD]

I know. I said you can get by cheaping out on the combination wrenches, but not on the angle wrenches. I believe Tekton and maybe Carlyle(?) are making a copy of the Snap On angle wrenches now. I have Snap On angle wrenches from 1/4" - 1-1/2" with no skips, and a 1-5/8". For hydraulic work, they are a life saver.

Martin

Martin,

Absolutely not disagreeing with you, but we probably all have a different definition of "cheaping out".
The Tekton angle wrenches set from 1/4" to 2" is $859. That's a lot of money.
Yes, the same size set from Snap On is $3,355...

But I don't have $900 to drop on a wrench set or a desire to finance that either.

 

[AJHD]

I do wonder is HF's angle wrenches are any better quality than their jumbo combination wrenches. Doubt it, but I'd like to know.

Jumbo SAE Angle Wrench Set, 6 Piece

Amazing deals on this 6Pc Sae Jumbo Angle Wrench Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I do wonder is HF's angle wrenches are any better quality than their jumbo combination wrenches. Doubt it, but I'd like to know.

They are not great, but can get the job done. Way too long for the access that angle wrenches are usually used for. Had an old coworker that had his buddy cut and weld a set of them down to normal length.

 

[Zewnten]

Great thing about cheap tools, customize them all you want and see if it works. i saw a picture on here (I think) of a guy who cut and welded his own angle wrenches from I think harbor freight maybe some other brand.

 

[AJHD]

If they were for home use, I would entertain the idea of cutting and welding them. But that's not gonna fly where I work. Improvised, modified/welded or home made tools are a no-go.

 

[82355]

I do wonder is HF's angle wrenches are any better quality than their jumbo combination wrenches. Doubt it, but I'd like to know.

Jumbo SAE Angle Wrench Set, 6 Piece

Amazing deals on this 6Pc Sae Jumbo Angle Wrench Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

The angle is the issue, not the quality of wrench.

Martin

 

[82355]

A Snap On or Tekton angle wrench has 30 and 60 degree angles. Inferior angle wrenches come with a 15 degree angle on one end (which you already have on your standard combination wrenches) and a 60 degree on the other.

Here is a handy couple illustrations that Tekton has on their web page.




Buying a 15/60 is a waste of money. Save up for better. You don’t have to buy them all at once.

Martin

 

[82355]

Improvised, modified/welded or home made tools are a no-go.

Seriously???

Martin

 

[82355]

Capri also offers a 30/60, but only in smaller sizes. I know nothing of their quality.

Angle Open End Wrenches, 30/60, SAE

The Capri Tools Angle Open End Wrenches let you access hard-to-reach areas and where clearance is limited. 30° and 60° angle head. SAE

capritools.com

Martin

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Seriously???

Martin

Yes, that's been the standard with CAT for a long time now; No modified or home made tools, no cheater pipes, etc.

 

[82355]

John Deere and Detroit had no such rule, or at least not enforced! I'll have to ask some of my old Cat buddies.

Martin

 

[KnurledNut]

I know for a fact Komatsu went through one of their facilities and collected up every company owned modified or abused tool and threw them in the dumpster. Employees were not to retrieve them. An informed friend of mine (has a relative that works there) caught wind and had a blast dumpster diving that evening.