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Which AN Wrench's ?

427HISS

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Aug 15, 2005
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746
There are many makes of these tools and I'm sure qualities as well. They won't be used everyday, but more like a few times per year. I won't be using large wrench's, like for radiators etc.

When I helped a friend race sprint cars, he just just regular wrenchs, which always scratched the anodizing off, but he didn't care ,
Not me,.....lol

You can get these in one sided, two sided and adjustable wrench's. To hold onto one fitting and adjusting the other, what wrench sets would you buy, without breaking the bank !

A list of sellers on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr....H0.Xan+wrenchs.TRS0&_nkw=an+wrenchs&_sacat=0
 
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jkesselr

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Summit sells some under their house brand that seem pretty decent and are relatively cheap, but I have never used them firsthand
 
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427HISS

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Just looked and they have a set for $70

What I'm concerend about is what this buyer said-

"Scratched fittings slightly on edges do to so much force needed to tighten fittings and wrench ends bending open slightly, better than steel though!"

I built a 427 Cobra replica and I painted the engine, bellhousing, trans my body color, and all my aluminum parts are polished, so I don't want the anodizing nuts scratched.
 

454ragtop

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Carver, MA
It IS possible to use regular wrenches and not mess up the anodizing, do it all the time. Just have to be careful, not thrashing like a race car in the pits.
 

454ragtop

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Another option is to line the wrench jaws with tape, maybe metric wrenches with tape to close them up to inch sizes.
 

LXCam

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Who ever wrote that review was a ***** and wasn't using them correctly. I have two sets of the summit brand that I bought years ago and never had a single problem. But I will say the adjustable wrenches are garbage. I like to suggest you pass on those but you will need them at some point so just buy the larger one. Also get yourself a inexpensive set of stubby wrenches and dedicate them to nothing but AN duty. As long as you never damage the surface they will inturn not damage the fitting. I do a **** load of AN stuff and with a little practice and good tools you won't need tape and you won't damage the finish.

Here's a couple recent ones

IMG_2278.jpg

IMG_3954.jpg

IMG_3888.jpg
 
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427HISS

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I did think of wraping the fitting with tape, and be careful like you said. But, tools are cool, so the anodizing are,....cool. lol

Aeroquip Aluminum AN Wrench Set is $177.18 ! eek ! :willy_
 

pi_guy

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It is not only damage to finish that can be created by using steel wrenches. AN wrenches are short. The standard wrenches are long and can easily over tighten the fitting there by ruining the fitting.
If I needed to use a different wrench if the AN would not fit it would always be a short wrench used or a tappet wrench, never a standard sized one.
Most of the damage I have seen with steel wrenches is the rounding of corners.
 

ToolPolisher

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Jan 21, 2017
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Go with a Knipex pliers wrench. I have a set of AN wrenches and prefer to use the smooth jawed pliers wrench instead. It'll probably end up cheaper and be a more versatile tool.
 

jdsac

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Mar 2, 2011
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old bonney stubby wrenches - an fittings seal on the taper- they don't need to be very tight
 

LXCam

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Summit has regular sales on their sets for $40. You just need to keep an eye open. BTW, I prefer the single end with the eyelet style handle. The hole makes it super easy to spin on a fitting when assembling hoses.
 
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WILD-BILL

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Dec 10, 2011
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873
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Brook Park Oh
Summit sells the AN wrenches individually. I only have those which I use on the car. Although I do have a pair of each.

Why buy the whole set if you only need 2 or 3 sizes.

Also, I have used my Craftsman Pro series stubby wrenches on the fittings without marring them.
 

mikester

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small town NY
While youre at it look into buying these if you do a lot of AN lines. They work really well !!!
 

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427HISS

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While youre at it look into buying these if you do a lot of AN lines. They work really well !!!

I watched a youtube video with the inventer showing how easy it is to use. Would save a lot of wire pricked ****** fingers ! Apx. $75

JEGS-

http://www.jegs.com/i/KOUL-tools/58...MI4f6R0Mmw2gIVSC-BCh1oVwacEAQYAyABEgJMy_D_BwE

His push-lock vise is awesome too. If you did a lot of this type hose, it would be well worth the cost, but I don't. If a couple of guys in a club etc, to share, that would be Koul Tool to have. $250 is too much for me.

Speedway Motors is a dealer that is close to me, and has a lot if my money from the last 30 years. Now maybe more. lol

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Koul...MI4f6R0Mmw2gIVSC-BCh1oVwacEAQYASABEgKlTfD_BwE


One of many vids of his tools-

 
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BFHtime

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Mar 31, 2012
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For AN fittings I strongly suggest using a pliers wrench, these work better than AN wrenches. The pliers wrench is always tight. Sometimes those AN fittings are a little different in size. I use a short adjustable AN wrench with a pliers. This is a lot faster too.

Also Kool tools for putting braided steel hoses on fittings. This saves a lot of time. Fighting with one pain in the *** fitting, one time, is about the cost of the tool set. By the time you figure time, blood, frustration, and and a good looking proper job.

AN fittings are almost a joy with just these tools, pliers wrench, short adjustable for the tight spots, and the kool tools for getting the hose on the fitting.
 
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427HISS

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How about one or two of these's ?
 

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Chuck122

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Feb 17, 2013
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Québec, Canada
I use an adjustable wrench and care. You tighten it every time to set it on the nut and you loosen it every time you take it off. And you do not tighten the fitting like a *****. It does not need to be very tight to seal
 
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