Ratcheting and pivoting box end Wrench

[Snagglefoot]

I picked up a tool to quicken the job of taking off and reinstalling the nut on GM truck front shock absorbers. The normal way of removing the nut is to hold the threaded rod with vise grips while wrenching off the nut with an open end 15 mm wrench. With this ratcheting box end you place the wrench over the nut, put the vise grips on the end of the rod and quickly spin the nut off. The box end also pivots so you and reach under the plastic splash guard and work away. From Tekton on Amazon.

 

[Astro14]

Flex head box ratchets are very useful. I've got a complete metric set. I use them often. They get in where a ratchet and socket couldn't.

 

[doitmyself]

Nice. Tekton markets decent mid level tools and has a great warranty service.

I bought a set of the Gear wrench version years back, thinking that the flex part would cover things that regular combo wrenches didn't. I used the adapters below to turn the wrench into a low profile socket ratchet to reach a limited clearance fastener several times.

 

[JTK]

Nice! and 6pt too.

I so could have used one in 17mm flavor the rear caliper bracket bolts on my 2019 Nissan Pathfinder!

You can't fit a socket on the lower bolt because of suspension in the way.

 

[Trav]

Not a bad brand but the 6pt is a deal breaker.

 

[fsdork]

Not a bad brand but the 6pt is a deal breaker.

Even though it has a ratchet function? I would think the number of teeth on the internal ratcheting mechanism would be a bigger issue.

 

[Trav]

Imagine a bolt or nut in a difficult spot eg the rear of an intake manifold and go are trying to get the wrench on, with a 12pt you have a good chance of getting on the fastener first go or with very little movement but with a 6pt it may be off enough that you need to remove it and turn the ratcheting part by hand a bit then try again.

6pt wrenches are for the birds in most situations, I have thrown more away then I kept out of frustration.

 

[ollie]

Imagine a bolt or nut in a difficult spot eg the rear of an intake manifold and go are trying to get the wrench on, with a 12pt you have a good chance of getting on the fastener first go or with very little movement but with a 6pt it may be off enough that you need to remove it and turn the ratcheting part by hand a bit then try again.

6pt wrenches are for the birds in most situations, I have thrown more away then I kept out of frustration.

I'm just the opposite. I very rarely use 12 point tools. I don't wrench for a living so a little extra time to index the wrench is worth it to me. IMHO 12 points are unusable for getting stubborn fasteners loose. Years ago I worked on generators for a living and learned to work around the disadvantages of 6 point tools.

I really like my Tekton 6 point ratcheting wrenches. I have a few of them for specialized applications. For the price the quality is really good.

 

[Trav]

It depends on the quality of the 12pt wrench doesn't it. I use 12pt 99% of the time and never rounded off a bolt or rounded a wrench out yet if it fit the fastener properly.
Some wrenches are broached better than others and fit better. I do use 6pt sockets but there is always a need for 12 point especially in tight places.
Just my opinion.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Flex head box ratchets are very useful. I've got a complete metric set. I use them often. They get in where a ratchet and socket couldn't.

What brand? I’ve got Gearwrench standard and metric but it skips a lot of sizes like mine go from 14 straight to 18 skipping 15,16 and 17. I am not sure if they make those sizes for fill ins or not.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I guess this quickly morphed into a 6 point vs 12 point discussion. Anyway, I like the tool.

 

[Astro14]

What brand? I’ve got Gearwrench standard and metric but it skips a lot of sizes like mine go from 14 straight to 18 skipping 15,16 and 17. I am not sure if they make those sizes for fill ins or not.

Titan. Not the best quality. Don’t know if I can recommend the brand. I got them at a parts store when I was stuck on a job. Love the utility of the design, for certain. That set of Titan wrenches is on my “due for upgrade” list. They’ve held up pretty well, but I’m looking for a better set. They do have a compete set of sizes, though.

SAE on the left, Metric on the right. You can see the Titan pretty well.

 

[Astro14]

I'm just the opposite. I very rarely use 12 point tools. I don't wrench for a living so a little extra time to index the wrench is worth it to me. IMHO 12 points are unusable for getting stubborn fasteners loose. Years ago I worked on generators for a living and learned to work around the disadvantages of 6 point tools.

I really like my Tekton 6 point ratcheting wrenches. I have a few of them for specialized applications. For the price the quality is really good.

A well made 12 point won’t slip. Snap-On. Williams. Etc. I’ve got both 6 and 12. I reach for the 6 if it’s going to be a challenging fastener.

But I’ve put crazy torque on some 12 points, with rusted fasteners, using a 3’ cheater pipe and the good ones don’t slip or round out the fastener.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Titan. Not the best quality. Don’t know if I can recommend the brand. I got them at a parts store when I was stuck on a job. Love the utility of the design, for certain. That set of Titan wrenches is on my “due for upgrade” list. They’ve held up pretty well, but I’m looking for a better set. They do have a compete set of sizes, though.

SAE on the left, Metric on the right. You can see the Titan pretty well.

Very nice nothing wrong if they work. We had a lot of Titan in high school automotive class it was fine but you could tell the difference in that and a higher quality one. I like the Willams ones you got as well I have a few of those I have got at the pawn shop in sizes I didn’t have like 7/8. I got my Gearwrench at Sears before they closed my dad bought them for me all four sets actually the fixed head and flex head in standard and metric. I just wish they had more sizes because they work fine I might see if Advance Auto had any of the individual ones left they seemed to be doing away with Gearwrench if not I will check online to see if I can find them in those sizes or might go for the Tekton since my Rural King sells those.

 

[Trav]

I guess this quickly morphed into a 6 point vs 12 point discussion. Anyway, I like the tool.

Sorry about that. The tool quality is okay with Tekton, if its doing the job then you got a good tool at a good price.

 

[JHZR2]

I picked up a tool to quicken the job of taking off and reinstalling the nut on GM truck front shock absorbers. The normal way of removing the nut is to hold the threaded rod with vise grips while wrenching off the nut with an open end 15 mm wrench. With this ratcheting box end you place the wrench over the nut, put the vise grips on the end of the rod and quickly spin the nut off. The box end also pivots so you and reach under the plastic splash guard and work away. From Tekton on Amazon.

OP, thanks for this. I just did shocks on my 96 Ram, had to cut the old ones out because I could t get any of my ratcheting wrenches on it with enough bite, enough turn, and then be able to hold the shaft. Install was less painful, be a use there wasn’t many years and hundreds of thousands of miles of salt... But it was still a chore. This, or preferably a stubby version of this would have been much better. Maybe I should have even just cut down a 3/4 wrench to do it... but I think the hinge in there is key.

Imagine a bolt or nut in a difficult spot eg the rear of an intake manifold and go are trying to get the wrench on, with a 12pt you have a good chance of getting on the fastener first go or with very little movement but with a 6pt it may be off enough that you need to remove it and turn the ratcheting part by hand a bit then try again.

6pt wrenches are for the birds in most situations, I have thrown more away then I kept out of frustration.

Interesting comment... Ive always avoided 12pt unless absolutely necessary, because of fear of rounding a fastener in high torque scenarios.

I’ve hand-sheared the 1/2“ bolts holding shocks on my Ram, using 6pt sockets and a breaker bar. I can’t imagine 12pt would do the same, but I might be wrong.

so... what’s a good US source of pivoting, ratcheting wrenches?

My favorite non-flex head ones are my Stahlwille ones, but even they were somewhat of a pain in recent shock Jobs. I think I need s set of decent us made flex head and at least angled head stubby ratcheting wrenches.

Edit: I have a stubby 13mm Armstrong ratcheting wrench. So I went to check them out. Looks like Armstrong us made wrenches are no more? They try to push you to Apex gearwrench parts instead.

 

[ollie]

Interesting comment... Ive always avoided 12pt unless absolutely necessary, because of fear of rounding a fastener in high torque scenarios.

so... what’s a good US source of pivoting, ratcheting wrenches?

My favorite non-flex head ones are my Stahlwille ones, but even they were somewhat of a pain in recent shock Jobs. I think I need s set of decent us made flex head and at least angled head stubby ratcheting wrenches.

I recommend Amazon for getting exactly what you are looking for. You are going to be hard pressed to find any decent USA made tool produced today. I have been going in the direction of Hazet or Wera when it comes to quality tools that last.

Here is a set of Williams/Snap On. I'm not sure about the quality. I have not used Snap on tools for over 20 years.

Amazon.com

 

[clinebarger]

I recommend Amazon for getting exactly what you are looking for. You are going to be hard pressed to find any decent USA made tool produced today. I have been going in the direction of Hazet or Wera when it comes to quality tools that last.

Here is a set of Williams/Snap On. I'm not sure about the quality. I have not used Snap on tools for over 20 years.

Amazon.com

I have a set of those ratcheting stubbys...But in Metric 8mm-19mm (No skips) that are Blue Point branded & made in Taiwan, The wrenches on either side of the stubby's are also Blue Point branded also made in Taiwan......I've beat the crap out of them for @ 8 years & retired my Gearwrench because these Blue Points don't intermittently lock-up like the Gearwrench ones did.

The metric set Blue Points on the left is exactly the same as the Williams set HERE

I have some US made Snap-on ratcheting wrenches that are really nice & STUPID expensive!

 

[Job]

Very versatile tool. I bought these recently and a Tekton sae set from Home Depot on clearance for $23. I carefully looked at the sets side by side, they are made by the same supplier in Taiwan I am sure. The Capri has more teeth in the ratchet end and a very nice open end design that grips on the flats of the hex head.

100-Tooth Flex-Head Ratcheting Combination Wrench Set, Metric - Capri Tools

Building on top of our popular 100-tooth ratcheting wrenches, the flex-head tilts up to 180 degrees for further access to fasteners. With just 3.6 degrees of swing arc, they will make your job a whole lot easier. Our true single-pawl 100-tooth ratchet gear is achievable only through expert...

capritools.com

 

[demarpaint]

Not a bad brand but the 6pt is a deal breaker.

That is precisely why I passed on them. If they made them in 12 point I would have bought them. Tekton makes some nice tools for the money, and their CS is great.