quality low profile flex head tools

[Zewnten]

I'm in need of a very specific tool that I cannot find a quality version of. I work on machines filled with very fine dirt and oil leaks. I have tried the mountain/Icon/Cornwell XL DBE ratcheting wrenches and they lock up about halfway through the job from dirt and oil working into the head. I need something well sealed or easy to clean. It's also not usually a high torque job.

I had my SO dealer order in a set of their flex head wrenches but the hinges are so thick it interferes with getting on the bolt if anything is near it. 18mm is 3/8 or more thick at the pin for example. These seem to be the only sealed ratcheting wrench I can find.

Do they make flex version of the old school laminated ratcheting wrenches? Those would be easy to clean but I'm coming up empty with my searches.

 

[rust in the eye]

Sounds like filthy work. The laminated type are at least easy to clean. Anything "sealed" won't be as easy to clean.
Never seen a flex head laminated wrench, maybe offset ones will do the job.
You mention low torque. Would any of the gimmick "ratcheting" open end, I.E. Craftsman "speed wrench" wrenches work?

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

Long shot, no flex head, but would something like this be a solution?

Stahlwille FastRatch (The ring opens, so you can place them on the fastener like an open end wrench & they have a very slim profile = only 4 to 7mm thick.)

Ratchet wrenches - 41100808

<ul><li>particularly suitable for union joints</li><li>suitable for both metric and imperial nuts/bolts</li><li>slim ergonomic design</li><li>made from stainless, tempered steel</li></ul>

stahlwille.com

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[Jeeper99]

WD 40 flush midway through the job? My ratcheting wrenches get covered in slurry and rock dust, a quick flush with WD frees them up. I don't think what you are looking for exists though I would be interested if you do find a solution.

 

[Fedwrench]

I've never seen a flex head laminated ratcheting wrench but, I've seen some with like a 45 degree offset. Would that work?

Ratcheting Wrenches - Page 1 - Lang Tools

langtools.com

 

[Zewnten]

No straight access is why it's such a pain. I wish I could find a demo picture I had, it almost perfectly showed my issue. Basically I'm reaching through a narrow space above the bolt.

I kind of thinking of I could make something similar to the push pull T bar from the 45 wrenches fedwrench linked to.

 

[Zewnten]

WD 40 flush midway through the job? My ratcheting wrenches get covered in slurry and rock dust, a quick flush with WD frees them up. I don't think what you are looking for exists though I would be interested if you do find a solution.

I've tried penetrating oils and brake clean but nothing flushes the grit out from behind the pawl.

 

[milky2k]

What about these Blue Point /Williams style flex heads? They are easy to take apart for cleaning. The whole set is expensive so just buy the one or two sizes that need. If you need more than that, what about just getting the 19mm and pairing with the Harbor Freight pass through sockets?

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

 

[mikey03]

How about the new vim ratcheting wrench ends and you could use with a series of extensions and 90 degree angle adapters

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Have you tried experimenting with packing one of your current wrenches with grease? My theory is if it's packed full of grease, it will be trying to push grease out instead of allowing foreign debris in. Obviously, the mechanisms will only be so tolerant of being packed, but it might be worth a shot.

 

[Zewnten]

Have you tried experimenting with packing one of your current wrenches with grease? My theory is if it's packed full of grease, it will be trying to push grease out instead of allowing foreign debris in. Obviously, the mechanisms will only be so tolerant of being packed, but it might be worth a shot.

That is a good idea. Usually hydraulic oil eats through grease pretty easy but it might last long enough for me to get the job done and clean it.

 

[KnurledNut]

@Zewnten
Snap-on still sells the laminated T-handle wrenches that articulate. Any way to make those fit?
https://shop.snapon.com/product/T-H...e-Ratcheting-Box-Wrench-Set-(8-14-mm)/RTBM605

 

[SwissMetric]

Long shot, no flex head, but would something like this be a solution?

Stahlwille FastRatch (The ring opens, so you can place them on the fastener like an open end wrench & they have a very slim profile = only 4 to 7mm thick.)

The FastRatch 240 are suprisingly useful for lower torques, though very expensive and the range per size is limited. They're made of stainless steel and quite robust. There's an invisible low-force spring which keeps the spanner closed. It's also easy to clean.
No idea if it's a 3rd party product.

I always hated the sandwich ratchet types like the Stahlwille 25 (non-reversible, metric, 12-point, 22 teeth, inner plastic plates), 25a (non-reversible, imperial, 12-point, 22 teeth, inner steel plates).
There are also the 25asp (non-reversible, 22 teeth, spline, inner steel plates) and 25B (reversible, for 1/4" and 5/16" bits, no idea about the inner plates but it feels sort of cheap, I don't like it). The 26a is reversible, only imperial sizes, 12-point, 22 teeth, possibly steel plates.
All 25 and 26 series are Made in U.S.A., not manufactured by Stahlwille.

Usually I highly regard U.S.-made tools but these I don't like nor use. The ratchet wrenches I use the most are those from Kraftwerk, I don't use the the Stahlwille OPEN-RATCH 17 (made in Taiwan as most ratcheting wrenches not made in China), I sort of cannot recommend the 17 there is also a possibility of dirt ingress where the button is located.

Ratcheting wrenches are not something I'd get from Stahlwille. OTOH I consider many other Stahlwille wrenches as top notch, especially the various OPEN-BOX and various STABIL (the MOTOR I nearly never use, it's more convenient to use several sets of OPEN-BOX), also the ratchets, sockets and accessories are great. Of course just my biased subjective opinion.

 

[Zewnten]

@Zewnten
Snap-on still sells the laminated T-handle wrenches that articulate. Any way to make those fit?
https://shop.snapon.com/product/T-Handle,-mm/5-pc-12-Point-Metric-T-Handle-Ratcheting-Box-Wrench-Set-(8-14-mm)/RTBM605

Those are what I had in mind. Figure out how to get a bit of an angle in the head