THIN wrenches - recommendations?

[TopFuel]

I'm looking for recommendations and a source for thin open-end wrenches? Wrenches to use in situations where there isn't enough space for a regular thickness wrench or when there are two nuts stacked together to form a lock and one wrench must be used against another. I'm tired of makeshift tools that don't allow for proper torque or slip and round off the nut. Tappet wrenches come to mind too but most available are specialty wrenches with odd angles and handles.

 

[Rickster]

I believe Craftsman calls them Tappet Wrenches. I have a mix of brands I've picked up over the years, they come in handy every now and then.

 

[jimvannoy]

There is a set or single straight handle Craftsman Tappet wrenches. I have them and use them from time to time where a normal thickness wrench won't work.

 

[C. M. Allen]

Yea craftsman tappet wrench set is made just for that purpose. I have the set. I use them all the time.

 

[Elroy]

Martin also manufactures "pump" and "hydraulic" service wrenches that are thinner than standard combination wrenches. Martin's hat is manufaucturing roller chain sprockets. Somehow they picked up a tool forging line over the years and market these wrenches as well a auto body tools. Nice stuff that Elroy believes is made in Texas.

 

[devinchi]

And if you need wicked thin ones... Goto the cycling world, and get some Park tool cone wrenches. We use these to disassemble the locknuts on the axles on the wheelhubs, and other narrow tolerance places.

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=18&item=SCW-SET

 

[toolfreak]

Snap on also has them and they call them slim line, low torque. I ordered a set last week, a whopping $175 with the SO man giving me a little bit of a break on them. I have watched ebay and they usually go pretty high on there.

 

[M3Pilot]

I was looking at Eastwood's website earlier & I think I remember seeing a couple of sets of thin wrenches.

 

[TopFuel]

There is a set or single straight handle Craftsman Tappet wrenches. I have them and use them from time to time where a normal thickness wrench won't work.

I've seen these but still think they are too thick for the times I need a thin wrench. I might get a set and grind the heads down thinner just to see if that will help.

 

[TopFuel]

And if you need wicked thin ones... Goto the cycling world, and get some Park tool cone wrenches. We use these to disassemble the locknuts on the axles on the wheelhubs, and other narrow tolerance places.

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=18&item=SCW-SET

I'm familiar with Park Tool. In fact I was on their website yesterday. They seem to only have metric though but I need fractional/SAE. Right idea and what I was thinking of regarding bicycle (cone wrenches).

 

[TopFuel]

Martin also manufactures "pump" and "hydraulic" service wrenches that are thinner than standard combination wrenches. Martin's hat is manufaucturing roller chain sprockets. Somehow they picked up a tool forging line over the years and market these wrenches as well a auto body tools. Nice stuff that Elroy believes is made in Texas.

Thanks, I'm checking them out now to see what they have.

Just checked them out and their "Thin Head" wrenches seem to have a similar head thickness as the other makers (Snappy, Craftsman, MAC, etc) at about 0.25" on the 9/16 wrench as an example.

 

[ba614]

Wiha Tools sells Heyco made in Germany open end wrenches that are thin and high quality ... just checked head thickness .224 on the 9/16" .... just a little under 1/4" ... I guess that may be to thick as they are almost as thick as the ones listed above ... I have a set of these and I like them very much ... Eastwood does sell a line of thin wrenches ... I don't have any of them ... they are advertised as low torque though ... I do have some Park tool thin bicycle wrenches ... they are only good for low torque applications to

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I use a MATCO spw143 00.172" thickness , on rochester carb fuel filters

 

[rsanter]

if I recall, the Cman thin wrenches are discontinued. you will have a problem getting warranty if they are gone. I picked a couple up cheal a few months ago when they were on clearance

bob