decent mid range flare nut wrenches

[bowlofturtle]

I'm doing brake lines soon enough. I put a normal wrench on the lines that i need and it looks like a 10mm, maybe a 9.5mm. It didn't give, but i didn't put much force. I highly they would put a 3/8 fitting on a japanese car, but i could be wrong.

I dont see doing many brake lines in the future. Actually this isn't a repair, its just and WANTED upgrade. That being said, these wrenches have a 99% chance of sitting in the darkness of my toolbox. So obviously i dont want to spend too much.

Tons of people seem to dislike HF because they aren't exactly true size casting. I found like lowes/home depot to have some in the $20-35 range that covers like 6 sizes. Amazon has single SK wrenches for under $10. This seems like the way to go. But is there another option?

 

[BigD1]

I can vouch for the Kobalt brand. Bought the set that has six different sizes on three wrenches. Had to change a brake line junction block on my Volvo 240 that has eight lines run into it. Soaked them with Liquid Wrench the day before, and all eight came right off with a lot of force, and the flare nut wrench never slipped once. Anybody that has worked on Volvo 240 brake line junction blocks can tell you that if you mess up you can make a big giant mess. That block is about the size of a D battery.

Here is the set I bought. http://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-3-Piece-Standard-Polished-Chrome-Metric-Wrench-Set/50124445

 

[cpayne5]

I have a set of SAE and metric flare wrenches from Tekton. They have worked fine for me. They're chinese in origin, but Tekton is USA based and they have good customer service. All of their stuff comes with a lifetime warranty. I had to submit a claim on some snap ring pliers once. It was as easy as taking a pic of the broken tool, emailing it to them with my address, and then waiting a couple days for the replacement to show up in the mailbox.

https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-2655-Wrench-Metric-6-Piece/dp/B000NPUJOE/

 

[BigD1]

I skipped that Tekton set because there was no 11 mm, and that's what I needed for Volvo brake lines.

 

[eljefino]

I cut off my old brake lines and stuff a 6 pt socket on there.

New ones I drive home with an open end wrench. Between this and a vise grips I'm set for rusty old stuff.

11mm = 7/16, but make no assumption about metric/ standard based on country of origin.

BEWARE the closeness of 3/8"-24 and 10mm x1 threads. A 3/8 will thread in a 10mm hole but blow out under high pressure. Slip a 3/8 open wrench over a suspect nut, it will fit over a 3/8 but not a 10mm.

 

[JHZR2]

I have a set of US made SK. Very nice chrome. I'd recommend them.

 

[mehullica]

Buy some 6 point box end wrenches & make your own flare wrenches with a cutoff wheel or dremel

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: mehullica
Buy some 6 point box end wrenches & make your own flare wrenches with a cutoff wheel or dremel


Might work, but when the torque goes up, they flex open.

Genuine flare nut wrenches have much thicker walls in the jaws, so they don't flex under torque.

I've had a set of SK for over 30 years. Very good wrenches at a decent price.

Don't skimp on these...precision matters...

 

[bowlofturtle]

https://www.amazon.com/Sunex-980906-10-m...lare+nut+wrench

I just ordered this along with some other randoms. Right now the lines are soaking in PB blaster. Hopefully this should work but i will try a 3/8 wrench to see fitment. I'll give the kobolt a try after this.

thanks guys.

 

[dlundblad]

I had to buy a set of HF wrenches in a pinch when a simply ATF change turned into a brake line/ fluid change. AAP didn't have anything so we went to HF. I can confirm they aren't quite the correct sizes. They worked for their intended purpose and thankfully the lines weren't frozen together, but I prefer my US Craftsman set.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I have a set of US made SK. Very nice chrome. I'd recommend them.

I also have them.

I got them when I bought one man's fully loaded toolbox.

The other great thing about them is that they don't spread out and round off nuts like cheaper wrenches do.

As for not having 3/8 brake parts on Japanese cars, they do exist. Often factory wheel cylinders will have a fraction of an inch written right on it. I remember seeing 7/8" written on many OEM Nissan and Toyota truck wheel cylinders.

 

[bowlofturtle]

Got the sunex wrench. "DROP FORGED CHINA" on the back of it.

I confirmed 3/8 was too small on the brake fitting and went ahead and used the 10mm. Applied force and it loosed up nice and smoothly after using all my body force. Good thing for that flare tho.

Fitment on the wrench was a little loose but it worked and didn't slip. I'm happy with my $3 wrench. Hopefully all future brake lines i come across is a 10 or 12mm.

 

[funflyer]

All the flare nut wrenches that I've had in the past have been hit and miss so I bought a set of 6 point flare nut crows feet and love them, they'll break the line before rounding the nut.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: funflyer
All the flare nut wrenches that I've had in the past have been hit and miss so I bought a set of 6 point flare nut crows feet and love them, they'll break the line before rounding the nut.
I also have the S&K versions of those and they never let me down.

I was even able to replace the fuel filter in a 1990s Honda Accord using them.

I once used cheap flare nut crowfoot wrenches, forget it, they would spread out and round off a nut unless the nut was in ideal condition.

 

[andyd]

After dealing with rusty brake lines and fittings for yrs. I use Eljefino's method. If I can then remove the fitting with a 6 point socket, I'll clean it up and re-use on a new line. If I have to resort to vise grips the nut ovals and is not good to re-use.

 

[buck91]

I've been surprised how well my US-made Craftsman flare wrenches have worked. Of course, at least 75% of the time the line is rusted to the inside of the nut anyways living in Michigan and all...