Longer Combination Wrenches (who wouldn’t want one?)

[Snagglefoot]

Had some fun changing out sway bar links in my Ford Taurus this weekend. I used PB Blaster and after 3 hours of soaking with a spray every hr I was able to get the nuts loose.I has wished I had a longer 18 mm wrench to apply more torque. These nuts were not within reach of my impact wrench. Enter Canadian Tire with their 50%off sale on longer wrenches. I picked them up and here is a photo of my 1981craftsman 18 mm wrench with the longer 18 mm wrench from Mastercraft, Canadian Tires’s house brand (with lifetime warranty). Enjoy.

 

[A_Harman]

For old, rusted sway bar end links, I just get out the Sawzall.
New links from Energy Suspension aren't that expensive.

 

[JC1]

Couldn't fit a cheater pipe over the wrench?

I've also cut off the old parts too. What about using a nut splitter on the old nut?

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted By: JC1
Couldn't fit a cheater pipe over the wrench?

I've also cut off the old parts too. What about using a nut splitter on the old nut?

Couldn’t fit a cheater pipe. (But I do have to get one, thanks). Not sure if I could have split the nut as it has an integral washer.
Next time, old Scarface comes out. Say Hello to my little friend:

 

[JC1]

Not sure what your setup looks like.

Scarface would work too! I have the same sawzall.

 

[George7941]

You need to get this wrench cheater


http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=67696&cat=51&ap=1

It is a very useful tool and I use it frequently, living in the rust belt. Especially useful with six point wrenches. The magnets are strong and keep the cheater attached to the wrench.

It is a bit of a mystery to me as to why this tool is not more popular. Snap On, Mac, Matco should all be carrying it.

 

[03cvpi]

Why sell one cheater adapter, when you can sell a whole new longer wrench set.

 

[Trav]

Short and long pattern wrenches are an industry standard. There are places neither works and you need a stubby.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: George7941
You need to get this wrench cheater


http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=67696&cat=51&ap=1

It is a very useful tool and I use it frequently, living in the rust belt. Especially useful with six point wrenches. The magnets are strong and keep the cheater attached to the wrench.

It is a bit of a mystery to me as to why this tool is not more popular. Snap On, Mac, Matco should all be carrying it.


I'll be ordering one of those. It looks like it beats a pipe or using the two wrench extension method.

 

[Ducked]

Sometimes you can put a bottle jack under the end of the spanner (that's English for "wrench")

Not very often, but it can be a life saver.

It can also, of course, be a life threatener, if anything suddenly gives, or if the axle stands are a wee bit unstable.

 

[E150GT]

I have a set of long zero offset no end ratcheting wrenches. I love those.

 

[George7941]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: George7941
You need to get this wrench cheater


http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=67696&cat=51&ap=1

It is a very useful tool and I use it frequently, living in the rust belt. Especially useful with six point wrenches. The magnets are strong and keep the cheater attached to the wrench.

It is a bit of a mystery to me as to why this tool is not more popular. Snap On, Mac, Matco should all be carrying it.


I'll be ordering one of those. It looks like it beats a pipe or using the two wrench extension method.


One of the advantages of this tool is that the strong magnets make the wrench plus cheater into one unit without any floppiness. This comes in useful in tight access situations with limited swing room where the loose fit of a pipe over a wrench and the consequent lost motion makes it tiresome to fit the wrench on to the nut while ensuring enough swing. Also the large OD of a cheater pipe cuts down on the amount of swing available, a factor when access is limited.

 

[Dave9]

I have no use for longer 12 point wrenches, just asking to round off your rusty fastener.

Whenever possible I'll reach for a breaker bar and 6 point impact socket. Cheater pipes fit over breaker bar, then ratchet handles easier. 9 times out of ten I'll be able to shear the end link bolt in two if it's rust enough that the nut wasn't coming off on the first try. Then again with the longer length of the breaker bar I seldom (ever?) need a cheaper pipe for swaybar links.

Reciprocating saw is certainly an option but when I can get one in there I'll tend to use a 4" angle grinder instead. Depends on the vehicle, on some once the wheel is off you can just about get at it with bolt cutters.

Longer 6 point wrenches would be my last choice, but a choice. 12 point wrenches are no choice and don't give me that few degrees benefit carp, you only need a few to get the nut started or shear the bolt off. Suspensions are not that tight unlike some engine bay work.

 

[Kawiguy454]

Am i the only one that has ever used a second box end as a cheater bar? You put the first box end on the fastener and the second box end goes on the open end of the first wrench making it roughly twice as long. Cmon Bitog guys tell me you all know this old trick? Recommend you use craftsman for this as the cheaper ones the open end can snap

 

[Dadillac]

I like the cheater handle. But when I need more leverage I just put two wrenches together. Using the box end to turn the bolt/nut I put another wrench, box end, onto the open end of the turning wrench. This gives incredible torque

Don

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
Am i the only one that has ever used a second box end as a cheater bar? You put the first box end on the fastener and the second box end goes on the open end of the first wrench making it roughly twice as long. Cmon Bitog guys tell me you all know this old trick? Recommend you use craftsman for this as the cheaper ones the open end can snap


The keep the bolt from turning I used an 8 mm socket to fit the machined end of the bolt and held the socket in place with.a 3/8 inch rachet. I then used a combo wrench as a cheater bar. That little Craftsman rachet survived and the rachet function still worked. Forged in USA!

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
Am i the only one that has ever used a second box end as a cheater bar? You put the first box end on the fastener and the second box end goes on the open end of the first wrench making it roughly twice as long. Cmon Bitog guys tell me you all know this old trick? Recommend you use craftsman for this as the cheaper ones the open end can snap

I do it all the time. Although I like the looks of the tool that was linked to in this thread.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I use the long wrenches more than the standards. So easy to give a quick tug and break the fastener loose.
Of course I inherited my Snap-On tools from my older brother...

 

[Dadillac]

So I went and ordered the Maxx Leverage versiions of the wrench extender. Ordered the 9" and the 16". Those seemed like the highest quality ones I saw.

Don

 

[George7941]

I checked out the Maax Leverage website. The video they have demonstrating the tool is totally useless.