Long combo wrenches with a thin head

[SoDoodoo]

I have a set of Matco wrenches, but whenever i would take off calipers or anything needing a thin wrench head, my Matco ones would never fit. I would usually have to borrow my co workers Harbor Freight wrenches.

So, i'm looking for a good quality long wrench set with thin heads to replace these. I've looked at Carlyle, but it seems the thickness is about the same as my Matco's. Any suggestions?

 

[wild cowboy]

the long Carlyles are about as thin as any combos, until you get to tappet wrenches - which are super thin open end wrenches.

I use the super crazy long double box wrenches from both Snap-On (High Performance series) and MAC - depending on what I find a deal on.

 

[n8n]

For metric, look to the German brands. I have a set of no-name German (actually "West Germany" made) DOEs that I use for just that purpose. A new Heyco is identical - one was missing out of the set that I bought at the Goodwill, and other than the stamping, it's identical.

Like these:

http://www.kctoolco.com/heyco-open-...yHzXXd9EN11MYS41G70KYIObT1UnQj8vkAaAiG-8P8HAQ

actually I'm pretty sure that I sourced the one that I had to buy from that company.

They are only slightly thicker than my Craftsman SAE tappet wrenches, but not as long.

It's handy to have both my regular combo wrenches (old SKs; were I buying new I'd probably get WrightGrips) and the Heyco DOEs in my toolbox - I use the former far more than the latter but there's times when the German wrenches are just the ticket. Especially so if you work on German cars; I had to shave down a 13mm combo on a bench grinder to adjust the sunroof motor clutch tension on my old 944, I still have the modified wrench, if I'd had my set of German DOEs back then they would have worked fine.

 

[rider9195]

I have the same exact problem, and it has bothered very much. I planned on getting a set of HF wrenches when on sale and grind them down so they'll fit.

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[SoDoodoo]

the long Carlyles are about as thin as any combos, until you get to tappet wrenches - which are super thin open end wrenches.

I use the super crazy long double box wrenches from both Snap-On (High Performance series) and MAC - depending on what I find a deal on.

I'm talking about the head thickness, because on some caliper pin bolts you would have to stick the open end part in to stop the guide pin from spinning. A lot of the time, they don't give you that much clearance.

 

[bob15]

How thick are the Matco's?

The Snappy's have a pretty thin open end to them.

 

[bob15]

I'm talking about the head thickness, because on some caliper pin bolts you would have to stick the open end part in to stop the guide pin from spinning. A lot of the time, they don't give you that much clearance.

Can you use a tappet wrench?

 

[Skin]

Snap-On sells double open end "slimline" wrenches. I purchased them for the same reason. They aren't made to take torque though. You could accomplish the same thing by grinding a wrench down or using cheap stamped tappet wrenches. There are other brands that forge them out there as well, most seem to be imported.

How thick are the Matco's?

The Snappy's have a pretty thin open end to them.

The application requires a specialty wrench. No combo is thin enough without grinding. Its for the hex on the slide pin when putting the bolt back in. Certain calipers don't have a cut-out in the bracket to hold the pin in place.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I use a small adjustable wrench with the jaws narrowed by a grinder.

 

[n8n]

I'm talking about the head thickness, because on some caliper pin bolts you would have to stick the open end part in to stop the guide pin from spinning. A lot of the time, they don't give you that much clearance.

I'm tracking you, as I said, I use Heyco DOEs for that specific job and they're perfect.

I'm assuming that the Heyco combos would be similar in thickness, but I don't see the real problem with keeping your current combos and buying DOEs for special applications like this.

 

[cotjocky]

I have a set of Matco wrenches, but whenever i would take off calipers or anything needing a thin wrench head, my Matco ones would never fit. I would usually have to borrow my co workers Harbor Freight wrenches.

So, i'm looking for a good quality long wrench set with thin heads to replace these. I've looked at Carlyle, but it seems the thickness is about the same as my Matco's. Any suggestions?

I have ran into the same problem with rear calipers on a vw. Snap-on will fit where as Mac or a craftsman would not. I've never held a Matco wrench, so I can't compare. To my knowledge, Snap-on is the thinnest of the 4 truck brands.

As another poster stated, might look at some non-usa brands such as Facom. I believe the "performance" wrenches from Mac are Facom. I have no idea how thick or thin they are.

I figure you already realize and some others may not, the slim type wrenches are "low torque" applications. Slim line wrenches are really thin, but can't take much torque before they will spread or break. If a caliper bolt is really rust or stuck, may destroy a slim line type wrench.

 

[n8n]

If a caliper bolt is really rust or stuck, may destroy a slim line type wrench.

I'm trying to remember what vehicles I've run into this on (maybe rear calipers on GM trucks?) but the thin wrench is needed to hold the slider pin on a floating caliper from turning when you loosen the bolt... Most cars have a tab or big square or something that hits part of the casting to keep it from turning, but some don't. It *shouldn't* be a high torque application. I know, shouldn't...

The thinner German wrenches are beefier in the head area e.g. China Craftsman "lobster claws" presumably to allow them to withstand more torque than a traditionally shaped wrench ground down to fit.

 

[Skin]

I have ran into the same problem with rear calipers on a vw. Snap-on will fit where as Mac or a craftsman would not. I've never held a Matco wrench, so I can't compare. To my knowledge, Snap-on is the thinnest of the 4 truck brands.

As another poster stated, might look at some non-usa brands such as Facom. I believe the "performance" wrenches from Mac are Facom. I have no idea how thick or thin they are.

I figure you already realize and some others may not, the slim type wrenches are "low torque" applications. Slim line wrenches are really thin, but can't take much torque before they will spread or break. If a caliper bolt is really rust or stuck, may destroy a slim line type wrench.

Just to reiterate the OP is talking about the slide PIN, not the bolt. You don't need to put much torque on it at all, just hold it in place while you thread the bolt in or out, and if its rusted in place then you don't have the problem of it free-spinning.

 

[rednotch]

how thin? those cheap max axess craftsman that sears is selling for 15 bucks for the 9 pc set might work, there not that bad for what they are and the price. There the same length as the old usa craftsman pro's which where just rebranded armstong wrenches, a bit thinner and have the anti slip open end. A side from people's dislike for craftsman going the china route I've found them pretty useful where the older pro's won't fit due to the thickness of the head and they might work well for what your looking for.

the metric set only goes to 18 though.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-9-pi...a=00939000000P&kpid=00939000000&mktRedirect=y

 

[rtole]

I run into this as well.........I have been looking for a cheap set of tappet wrenches myself for this very purpose. I have gotten by with needle nose pliers, but its kinda sketchy. I have snap on, gearwrench, some SK, and the thinnest open ends are my gearwrench flex ratcheting wrenches. Often enough they are still to thick. I always torque brake parts, so the tappet wrenches seem like a better way. Or a cheap set to grind down.

 

[Skin]

how thin?

4-5mm

 

[kctyphoon]

if the HF's work why not just get those? i have them also and i can almost hang off the 1" wrench when tightening bolts in my basement ceiling's beams.. (using the open end on square nuts)

 

[SoDoodoo]

if the HF's work why not just get those? i have them also and i can almost hang off the 1" wrench when tightening bolts in my basement ceiling's beams.. (using the open end on square nuts)

We don't have a Harbor Freight in Hawaii. And i want a long pattern wrench set to replace my Matco ones. I was looking at Carlyle at another Napa store, and since there is a Napa right next door to my shop, they could just bring tools in. But I couldn't get an accurate measurement on the thickness of the head is. It seems close to the Matco's but i wouldn't know exactly unless i place them side by side.

 

[Skin]

We don't have a Harbor Freight in Hawaii. And i want a long pattern wrench set to replace my Matco ones. I was looking at Carlyle at another Napa store, and since there is a Napa right next door to my shop, they could just bring tools in. But I couldn't get an accurate measurement on the thickness of the head is. It seems close to the Matco's but i wouldn't know exactly unless i place them side by side.

You wont find a standard combo that's thin enough to fit all those slide pins. You shouldn't want one either, the jaws would need to be so thin it would make them worthless in normal applications.

 

[BFHtime]

I have not read the whole thread.

I have had this same problem where, my Snap-on wrenches do not fit doing brakes. I usually use my craftsman wrenches which fit fine. They are a little thinner, giving clearance to fit. These are reversible ratcheting wrenches, with the professional chrome thin beam. These have worked fine, in the tight spots for me.

 

[T45]

4-5mm

What size wrench exactly?

Try looking at these facom's and see if one works. If not, look for an LTAM snap on, which is 3-4mm depending on size. If the facom works you can likely substitute any of the similar european wrenches.

Snap ons are all over the place in width depending on what size wrench you are using. The smaller ones are about equal to the euro ones, but once above 14mm or so the snappy is alot thicker.

Thinner than the facom, but more affordable that snap on LTAM is the proxxon slimline series. They are about 1mm thinner than the facom in each size.

 

[afazz]

I use thin open-end wrenches when I need something thinner than regular Snap-on or Craftsman combination wrenches. I have a Facom metric set that ranges from 3-4mm thick depending on size and a Craftsman tappet wrench set that ranges from 1/8" to 1/4" thick depending on size. Snap-on also makes thin sets, they're called 'Low Torque Slim Line' and they're about as expensive as you would expect.

 

[cotjocky]

I'm trying to remember what vehicles I've run into this on (maybe rear calipers on GM trucks?) but the thin wrench is needed to hold the slider pin on a floating caliper from turning when you loosen the bolt... Most cars have a tab or big square or something that hits part of the casting to keep it from turning, but some don't. It *shouldn't* be a high torque application. I know, shouldn't...

The thinner German wrenches are beefier in the head area e.g. China Craftsman "lobster claws" presumably to allow them to withstand more torque than a traditionally shaped wrench ground down to fit.

On the VW's I'm referring to, their is no tab. It is meant to be free spinning. You are correct it is not a high torque setting, but rusted, frozen bolts become "high torque" applications.

Just to reiterate the OP is talking about the slide PIN, not the bolt. You don't need to put much torque on it at all, just hold it in place while you thread the bolt in or out, and if its rusted in place then you don't have the problem of it free-spinning.

I understood the OP was talking about the pins that the caliper slides on. What I mentioned should be a good example of that.

I'm guessing you are not familiar with the types of calipers I was referring to.

Caliper I am referring to:

Better look at the bolts:

When those bolts freeze up inside the pin, it all just spins around and around. Using a "slim line" type wrench, AKA Tappet wrench can result in the wrench spreading or breaking.

I have had occurrences where the pin would spin freely, but the bolt be frozen inside the pin. In most cases, the bolt will break off inside the pin and both will have to be replaced, but not before ruining a "slim line" wrench.

My snap on standard type wrench fits in their nicely and is thick enough not to spread before the bolt breaks off in the pin.

Luckily I don't live in the rust belt as I'm sure it is a much more common occurrence there. I have no idea where the OP is located.

 

[Toymeister]

We don't have a Harbor Freight in Hawaii. And i want a long pattern wrench set to replace my Matco ones. I was looking at Carlyle at another Napa store, and since there is a Napa right next door to my shop, they could just bring tools in. But I couldn't get an accurate measurement on the thickness of the head is. It seems close to the Matco's but i wouldn't know exactly unless i place them side by side.

Is there a problem with ordering from HF and having them shipped to you?

It seems very obvious. Am I missing something like they do not ship to the 50th state?

 

[SoDoodoo]

Is there a problem with ordering from HF and having them shipped to you?

It seems very obvious. Am I missing something like they do not ship to the 50th state?

They do, but I would want something that would be good enough to replace my Matco's and would be able to warranty easily.

 

[jptbay]

For VW rear calipers I use this MetalNerd specially designed caliper wrench. PN MN15BT. Made in USA and a whopping $3. Great source for quality VW tools.

http://www.metalnerd.com/cat08.htm

 

[n8n]

Coming back to this, I was just helping my girlfriend organize her tools and also dumped a load of my extras, pawn shop finds, etc. on her to fill some of the gaps. In there was a Hazet DOE wrench that I must have picked up somewhere and it is very similar to the Heycos that I mentioned above, so either would probably work well for this application. I don't really have enough experience with Hazet tools to make a comment about their durability/strength vs. Heyco, but I do remember abusing the snot out of a set of Heyco service wrenches back in the day when I worked as a machine setup/repair guy, so I do like those. However I've seen the Hazet name mentioned positively enough that I guess the decision probably comes down to which you can get more easily and inexpensively.

There was a Gedore combo wrench in that stack as well, made in India however, that one didn't seem appreciably thinner than the Williams Supercombo sitting next to it, just FYI.

I'm guessing that is a VW caliper that someone posted a pic of, it makes sense that "standard" German wrenches would work. (now why GM uses the same setup - and I'm pretty sure it was a GM truck that I'm remembering having to use them on - makes no sense, but since when did what manufacturers do ever really make sense?)

18mm end of 18/19mm Hazet DOE vs. 11/16" Williams Supercombo

 

[skylinegtr20]

Knipex Plier wrenches have thin heads. I usually just use a air ratchet and the nut never moves. If it does I just put my fingers on it, once everything tightens up it doesnt spin.

 

[nexum1919]

You may want to look into the Craftman Pro Beakjaw adjustables, I use my 6" alot, pretty much the only adjustable I use daily. The 6" is nice and thin and works wonderful for holding the mentioned sliding pins on brakes.

 

[sam.coll]

Not sure on the actual thickness but Stahlwille 13 or 14 series combos are fairly thin.


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