Flared nut wrench set

[ARB1977]

Without spending top dollar, what set would you recommend? Going to be changing out my rubber lines with stainless lines on my Tacoma. Don't want to mess up the fittings and will be using liquid wrench also.

Thanks.

 

[Donald]

I would get a set at HF if there is a store close. Otherwise Sears, maybe a set will be on sale.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I would get a set at HF if there is a store close. Otherwise Sears, maybe a set will be on sale.

Thanks.

 

[yonyon]

If you're only going to need one or two wrenches it might be a good choice to pay the premium for the best line wrench you can get. If, instead, you opt for some soft Craftsman junk you may well find yourself paying for a flaring tool and spending the time learning to use it.

Then again, considering that you're in Texas where the locals haven't yet invented rust, maybe you could do well enough with a pair of Vise-Grips.

Look at your lines and make a judgment call. Are they going to come loose easily or will they fight?

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
If you're only going to need one or two wrenches it might be a good choice to pay the premium for the best line wrench you can get. If, instead, you opt for some soft Craftsman junk you may well find yourself paying for a flaring tool and spending the time learning to use it.

Then again, considering that you're in Texas where the locals haven't yet invented rust, maybe you could do well enough with a pair of Vise-Grips.

Look at your lines and make a judgment call. Are they going to come loose easily or will they fight?


Will do. Thanks.

 

[67lemans]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
If you're only going to need one or two wrenches it might be a good choice to pay the premium for the best line wrench you can get. If, instead, you opt for some soft Craftsman junk you may well find yourself paying for a flaring tool and spending the time learning to use it.

Then again, considering that you're in Texas where the locals haven't yet invented rust, maybe you could do well enough with a pair of Vise-Grips.

Look at your lines and make a judgment call. Are they going to come loose easily or will they fight?



I couldn't agree more. Here's my 2 cents since you asked. About 12 years ago I was doing a brake job and Picked up a set of AM Pro flare nut wrenches. They sucked. They spread and started rounding the fitting. Ended up using the open end of a Craftsman combo wrench. Decided there and then that flare nut wrenches are not a tool you want to cheap out on.

About two years ago I picked up a set of used Snap On for a little under 100.00
With that said, I would consider a set from SK, Proto, or Wright. I'd pass on the cheap ones. For the record, I am in no way, shape, or form a Harbor Freight hater.

wright wrenches

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
If you're only going to need one or two wrenches it might be a good choice to pay the premium for the best line wrench you can get. If, instead, you opt for some soft Craftsman junk you may well find yourself paying for a flaring tool and spending the time learning to use it.

Then again, considering that you're in Texas where the locals haven't yet invented rust, maybe you could do well enough with a pair of Vise-Grips.

Look at your lines and make a judgment call. Are they going to come loose easily or will they fight?


+1
I picked up the 3 most common sizes that I'd use…from Snap-On. Total cost was under $60 from ebay.

 

[johnachak]

Good move. You won't be sorry.

 

[KB2008X]

A flare nut wrench set is exactly the kind of tool that you should spend top dollar on. Cheaper wrenches are cheaper because they are designed to look like a real tool, but the reality is they aren't real tools and they can't do real jobs. Flare nut wrenches need mass around the business end and/or high strength metal to function properly. It costs more for the better materials or for the better design. To get good results some jobs simply require the right tool, not an imitation.

Cutting corners where we can is the reality for most of us, but my advice is to find somewhere else to cut.
Penny wise, pound foolish and all that.

 

[ronbo]

Read a thread on flare nut wrenches and it seemed that Snap-on is the best for getting the nuts off without damage. Find what sizes you'll need. As others mentioned E-bay for the best price.

 

[stephen9666]

So, since this is a Toyota, I'm assuming the OP will be needing metric wrenches?


Originally Posted By: 67lemans

About two years ago I picked up a set of used Snap On for a little under 100.00
With that said, I would consider a set from SK, Proto, or Wright. I'd pass on the cheap ones. For the record, I am in no way, shape, or form a Harbor Freight hater.

wright wrenches


The SAE set you listed appears to be made in-house by Wright, but it looks like the metrics are outsourced.

This has come up on Garage Journal before. The metric Wright flare nut wrenches appear to be made by Apex Tools for Wright. That means they're the same as the USA made Craftsman, Allen and K-D flare nut wrenches. The K-D and Craftsman ones are now likely discontinued, but you can find new Allen versions and the Masterforce flare nut wrenches at Menards are USA made and are made by Apex. The ones that aren't branded Wright will also be cheaper.


Wright SAE line wrenches that are actually made by Wright:
http://www.hardwaresales.com/wright-tool...CFUcaOgodrX0Abg

Wright metric line wrenches that appear to be made by Apex:
http://www.hardwaresales.com/wright-tool-744-metric-standard-flare-nut-wrench-set-5-pieces.html

Allen metric line wrench for comparison:

I have the Apex versions branded Allen, K-D and Craftsman and they're all worked fine for me.

Another affordable, USA made option are the Blackhawk lines wrenches.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd skip HF and Sears and go for the better tools. Flare nuts are very easy to ruin with a cheap wrench, and turn an easy project into a major PITA.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: 67lemans
Originally Posted By: yonyon
If you're only going to need one or two wrenches it might be a good choice to pay the premium for the best line wrench you can get. If, instead, you opt for some soft Craftsman junk you may well find yourself paying for a flaring tool and spending the time learning to use it.

Then again, considering that you're in Texas where the locals haven't yet invented rust, maybe you could do well enough with a pair of Vise-Grips.

Look at your lines and make a judgment call. Are they going to come loose easily or will they fight?



I couldn't agree more. Here's my 2 cents since you asked. About 12 years ago I was doing a brake job and Picked up a set of AM Pro flare nut wrenches. They sucked. They spread and started rounding the fitting. Ended up using the open end of a Craftsman combo wrench. Decided there and then that flare nut wrenches are not a tool you want to cheap out on.

About two years ago I picked up a set of used Snap On for a little under 100.00
With that said, I would consider a set from SK, Proto, or Wright. I'd pass on the cheap ones. For the record, I am in no way, shape, or form a Harbor Freight hater.

wright wrenches

Are most fittings and I'm assuming since mine is import are metric?

 

[Vikas]

I have HF metric flare wrench set and they are not even worth the $10 that I spent for it. Trying them on regular fastener immediately lets me know that I don't want to use them when it really matters.

 

[Trav]

Don't go cheap on these wrenches they can make a real costly mess when they ruin nuts.
The price of a good set will easily be exceeded by the cost of damaged fittings and damaged lines.

These will work for a lifetime.

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J3700M-Metric-Double-5-Piece/dp/B00018AHCC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_5

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Don't go cheap on these wrenches they can make a real costly mess when they ruin nuts.
The price of a good set will easily be exceeded by the cost of damaged fittings and damaged lines.

These will work for a lifetime.

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J3700M-Metric-Double-5-Piece/dp/B00018AHCC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_5


Thank you. I was about to spend coin on a snap on set. How do these compare to snap on, other that almost triple the price?

 

[cjcride]

All the Asian cars I've worked on are Metric.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
All the Asian cars I've worked on are Metric.

That's what I thought. Thank you.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Originally Posted By: Trav
Don't go cheap on these wrenches they can make a real costly mess when they ruin nuts.
The price of a good set will easily be exceeded by the cost of damaged fittings and damaged lines.

These will work for a lifetime.

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J3700M-Metric-Double-5-Piece/dp/B00018AHCC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_5


Thank you. I was about to spend coin on a snap on set. How do these compare to snap on, other that almost triple the price?


IMHO Proto is every bit as good as Snap-On. The finish on the Snap-On may be a better with its highly polished chrome (if you like that sort of thing, I don't).
The quality of the steel and the fit is what does the job and Proto is among the best.

 

[spackard]

You should check out the meat on the Mac Tools flare wrench. A used set of four is going for $70 on EBay.

A Knipex Raptor pliers can be good for when these want to slip, but you're going to need to really hold onto the stationary part.