Do you normally need or use a filter wrench?

[ZZman]

I used to have cars with easier access to the filters and I could easily hand tighten and loosen the filters. Now the access is tight or ackward so I use end cap wrenches. How about you?

 

[53' Stude]

Not on my personal vehicles. At work, some “gorilla monsoon” types have put filters on tight that I have broken a Toyota cup socket and few strap wrenches

 

[Eddie]

I use a filter wrench to remove a filter only to save my poor arthritic hands. I use hand only to install. Ed

 

[Kira]

I use a strap wrench to crack the filter housing loose. It's greatly surrounded by the oil pan. I have to work the wrench tight then only get 10 degree nudges out of it. 5 or so do it. Back on, you ask? By hand. Anyone who employs a tool to tighten those needs to be real careful. The big O ring puts up some resistance but then slides up its bore. Then you feel the shoulder land against the engine.

 

[rustypigeon]

I tighten by hand but often use a filter wrench to loosen it. I use a Lisle 63600 oil filter wrench which works on many sizes.

 

[spasm3]

I tighten by hand as tight as i can then give it touch tighter with a wrench, wrench to remove.

 

[skyactiv]

I only use a wrench to remove canister oil filters, not install them.

 

[irv]

Originally Posted By: spasm3

I tighten by hand as tight as i can then give it touch tighter with a wrench, wrench to remove.

Maybe you are only kidding or trolling, I don't know, but tightening them any further by hand is totally unnecessary and even then, just using your hand, depending on your strength, can also end up being too tight. Hand tight for me and usually just my hand is needed to get them off.

 

[BretK]

Hand tighten, wrench to remove.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: spasm3

Hand tight for me and usually just my hand is needed to get them off.

I follow the tightening procedure that is written on the filter / box and have never had an oil leak. Filter comes off with ease by hand every time. I constantly have to bust out the wrench (or worse) to remove oil filters from first time clients of mine, who had the filter put on by what seems like a heavy duty semi truck lug remover impact gun @ 300 pounds.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Artem

Originally Posted By: spasm3

Hand tight for me and usually just my hand is needed to get them off.

I follow the tightening procedure that is written on the filter / box and have never had an oil leak. Filter comes off with ease by hand every time. I constantly have to bust out the wrench (or worse) to remove oil filters from first time clients of mine, who had the filter put on by what seems like a heavy duty semi truck lug remover impact gun @ 300 pounds.

That was not my post.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: irv

Originally Posted By: spasm3

I tighten by hand as tight as i can then give it touch tighter with a wrench, wrench to remove.

Maybe you are only kidding or trolling, I don't know, but tightening them any further by hand is totally unnecessary and even then, just using your hand, depending on your strength, can also end up being too tight. Hand tight for me and usually just my hand is needed to get them off.

It's how i do it, i have small hands so i only have so much grip on a filter. I tighten it by hand as much as i can then snug it a bit with a wrench, been doing that for over 30 years. And yes i oil the gasket.

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: spasm3

I tighten by hand as tight as i can then give it touch tighter with a wrench, wrench to remove.

It all the depends on the size of the filter and how much grip I have with my hands. Like on my Cummins that filter is like 5" in diameter so I always give it an extra 1/4 turn or so with the wrench. I think the one time i didn't do that the filter came off a little bit easier than I'd like.

 

[Kira]

I gotta throw in the fact that I go with the "3/4 turn after contact". I can count on one hand the number of times I've been able to unscrew a canister filter unaided.

 

[Chris142]

Pretty much every car that comes into the shop. The iffy lube and walmart lube guys make sure they dont fall off.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I use an end cap oil filter wrench, three inch extender and a 3/8 inch handle for my 6 liter chev. I hand tighten it but it’s almost impossible to get it hand loosened it because it’s snugged up against the curved surface of the oil pan. I use the golden rule; never tighten a oil filter with a wrench. SF

 

[demarpaint]

I use a filter wrench of some sort depending on the application always. However I know how tight is right.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Eddie

I use a filter wrench to remove a filter only to save my poor arthritic hands. I use hand only to install. Ed

Same here. I'll even use a wrench to install a filter, to save my hands.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: spasm3

Originally Posted By: Artem

Originally Posted By: irv

Hand tight for me and usually just my hand is needed to get them off.

I follow the tightening procedure that is written on the filter / box and have never had an oil leak. Filter comes off with ease by hand every time. I constantly have to bust out the wrench (or worse) to remove oil filters from first time clients of mine, who had the filter put on by what seems like a heavy duty semi truck lug remover impact gun @ 300 pounds.

That was not my post.

ooops. My bad. I edited it in this quote but can't change the original. It timed out.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I put them on by hand and take them off by hand. I don't even have an oil filter wrench. Sometimes I have to put on grippy gloves. I tighten till it stops spinning with a moderate amount of force.