School Me about Crowfoots (Crowfeet?)

[Bolster]

What type of situation is a crowfoot wrench specifically designed for? Do you consider them a must-have tool? I'm looking at a set in my box that are brand new and never used, and wondering why I bought them 10 years ago...

 

[Uncle Buck]

I definetly consider crows a must have item. I do not use mine that often, but when I do they are usually the only tool I have that will do the job or I would not be using them to begin with.

I recall using a crowfoot + a U joint + a long ratchet to get to an O2 sensor on a 1992 Lincoln Town Car and it worked great, my comination wrench of the correct size could not reach it for me, and nothing else I had could either.

 

[janarvae]

O2 sensors, transmission line fittings, brake line fittings, serpentine belt tensioner bolt, LONG water pump studs. You can use them with a torque wrench some quick measurements and calculations. I like the flare-style ones.

 

[krusty the clown]

power streering lines is where i use them most

 

[kartracer55]

MAC tools crowfeet ****.

Anyway, I don't really use mine, But I'd say get the line wrech style. first thing that comes to mind is power steering lines when doing a steering rack on a ford taur-***, and maybe putting them on a 3/8 breaker bar for extra leverage over a line wrench.

 

[paramudduck]

Stuck on the end of a breaker bar they give you awesome leverage. Can be really nice on hydraulic lines. Or to get into spots without tearing the machine halfway down.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

MAC tools crowfeet ****.

Depends on their age, IMHO. I have used them on a few things (brakes, transmission lines, O2 sensor), but the MUST have times I NEEDED them, has been on Power steering setups. At the shop (pre the good old Ebay days and good deals due to money orders only (fewer bidders) where I acquired my Snap-on's), I used the shops, OLDER (early to mid 70's Mac tools ones.
They seem comparable to the SK ones I have seen (not up close). I almost bought some Husky ones a few years back, before they discontinued them, they still seem better then the more current Mac ones I have seen.

The reason I have them at home? I bought them at bargain prices, that I could come anywhere NEAR, when the emergency need comes up and I have to have them.

Edit: I should have said, my preference is Flare nut style, except for a 12pt for O2 sensors.

 

[rsanter]

I used to use them all the time
I prefer the fitting type ones over the open end ones, however I have both sets
use them on power steering lines
transmission lines
oil lines on racecars

I also have some LARGE ones that I use with a breaker bar instead of having that size of wrench. I like this because it will act like a regular wrench. or a wrench with the head offset to get around an obsticle, and can also be set up as an offset wrench. and it will also take up less space in the toolbox

bob

 

[hossmwp]

I work on farm equipment and they are a must have item. Many of my friends always ask why they are in the top of my tool cart..hydraulic fittings! Many times I need to remove a few of them to perform simple tasks to clear space.

I would say having a basic set in your box is worth it. If you do your own repairs they will get used at some point and it will most likely be a tool that is the only thing thats going to work. I have a few close friends that work on there own cars and they have all borrowed them for things like O2 sensors. Its alwasy an evening or a sunday and driving to sears to get a set isnt in the works.. They borrow them and always get there own set I dont think anyone has borrowed them twice. You can get a set for a reasonable price.

 

[Adrian1281]

When used on a torque wrench, make sure they are at a 90 degree to the handle. Otherwise you need to figure out some math in order to get the "new" torque value depending on what angle it is at.

 

[gibbon_guy]

I use them for fuel lines for the fuel filter on Toyotas and today a VW Passat TDI "1Z." Very handy to have.

 

[Skyline]

Header bolts and sidedraft carb bolts; on some cars crowfeet can save a huge amount of time vs. box wrenches (where clearance prevents socket use).

I don't know about the O2 sensor use though. So many I've taken out have been virtually welded in. The chrome deep sockets with the slits just bend and strip them. So I've settled on the impact style special crowfoot (designed just for O2 sensors). Very often this takes some hammering before the breaker bar gets hooked. Heating the sensor red hot does not hurt either, but this may not be the best thing to do if you're not planning on replacing it.

 

[Crank1]

Where I work, Crowsfeet are a must. I dont know of any other way to torque a hydraulic line, and some bolts on aircraft are rediculously out of reach of any normal tool. (I've definately cut and rewelded a 3/8" spline dogbone to make it shorter, because of clearances) All we use are the open ended ones, not the 12 point line style, but my aircraft utilizes titanium hydraulic lines that the material is so hard, you dont need to worry about the fitting rounding out.
Obviously if you were maybe using one on a really tight brass fitting say on a 700R4, it may not pay to use the open end style.
Also, note that all crowsfeet are not created equal, we use Snap On brand crowsfeet, once again, slick sided, not 12 point, but I've also used some cheap ones out in Yuma, AZ, and you couldnt get torque on them for fear you were going to break the crowsfoot in half. The most I think we really torque our lines to, with our S-O crowsfeet is 840"lbs. with an 1 1/8" crowsfoot.

But there have been so many times working on cars, where it either would've made a job possible, or alot quicker, to use a crowsfoot. Get them, you may not use them often, but when you do, you'll thank yourself.

 

[autoace]

The crows foot I use the most is a 7/8(22mm). They are great on an extension to break free tie rod end jam nuts, where a wrench doesn't always have swing room. Otherwise other sizes are handy, when you least expect it. I like the "6-point" variety, under torque load, they work better.

 

[Crank1]

Yea, they're also great for like he said, where when you dont have room to even swing a Stubbie wrench, throw like 2 feet of extension and then throw a ratchet/breaker bar, then some weight, and POP, its loose.

 

[eschoendorff]

MAC tools ****.

Fixed.

 

[Kevin54]

I've had a set and never used them. Then when working on my '93 truck they became invaluable. I couldn't find my distributor wrench, so I used a crowfoot wrench. And when I was bolting and unbolting the exhaust pipes from the shortie headers, one bolt one each side was a must with a crowsfoot. The angle of the exhaust pipe and the angle of the header made it impossible to tighten or loosen with anything else. Other than that, they mainly just lay in the box unused.

 

[bomber]

Motorcycle wrench spinners use them fairly often -- often the only way to get a torque wrench on chassis fasteners and the like . . . . . .

I agree with those that write they spend most of their lives taking up space in roll cab, but when I need them, little else will do.

 

[om-nc]

Crows feet are great for valve adjustments on an OHC Datsun!

 

[Thumper]

My first wife had crows feet........or maybe she was just pidgeon toed...