Advice for new flare nut wrenches

[Boots97]

Hi everyone,

I was looking for some tool advice regarding flare nut wrenches.

This is my setup so far:

Yellow Jacket 60440 flare tool
PowerTorque Flare Nut Wrenches that I bought at O'Reilly's years ago
NiCopp brake lines in 3/16 and 1/4 inch (50ft each)
AGS BLFA-5 Not a cheap set of fittings, but it has everything you'll need and is a HUGE time saver over fooling around at the auto parts store and figuring out which fittings you need
Cheap pipe cutter I bought at Menards years ago

My question is that my Flare Nut Wrenches are't very good and are slightly rounding off the edges of my fittings. They still work, but I it just looks bad and I know that rounding isn't good over time. I was wondering if there were better wrenches out there that had tighter tolerances that would prevent that from happening

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[Komet]

Tolerances are part of the equation with flare nut wrenches, the other part is an alloy that won't spread under load, which is probably what's happening with your rounding issue.

Snap-on is the most reliable choice in this category, and it's one of the few tools I'd recommend getting Snap-on quality to everyone because of the job they need to perform. I got mine used on ebay, the SAE set was about $100 and the metric was about $200 although I've now seen slightly better deals for used metric sets. I've had zero failures or damaged fasteners since using them.

 

[Boots97]

Tolerances are part of the equation with flare nut wrenches, the other part is an alloy that won't spread under load, which is probably what's happening with your rounding issue.

Snap-on is the most reliable choice in this category, and it's one of the few tools I'd recommend getting Snap-on quality to everyone because of the job they need to perform. I got mine used on ebay, the SAE set was about $100 and the metric was about $200 although I've now seen slightly better deals for used metric sets. I've had zero failures or damaged fasteners since using them.

I haven't had experiences with their wrenches, but their impact sockets are AMAZING. I bought a set of metric shallow and deep 3/8in drive metric impact sockets and I swear that they're magic. I paid $200 for all of them off eBay like yourself. eBay is the way to go to get Snap-On tools. They're just WAY too expensive new. I'll start looking around!

EDIT: I'm also using AGS brake line fittings. This is the same company that sells NiCopp brake lines which I LOVE. I've had great luck with AGS and they've been very high quality as far as I can tell. Not cheap, but well worth the expense.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I've got a set of SK line wrenches. Not sure they make them anymore but you may be able to find them used on evilbay. You also need a double flaring tool set for brake,fuel and oil lines.

 

[Hipster]

I have standard Snap-on and metric S-K. Both are nice. Both are over 30 years old and never an issue. Cheap flare nut wrenches can really make a mess. Not so much going together but later down the road on old stuff getting it apart.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I have standard Snap-on and metric S-K. Both are nice. Both are over 30 years old and never an issue. Cheap flare nut wrenches can really make a mess. Not so much going together but later down the road on old stuff getting it apart.

Yeah man,when you get those old crusty fittings the only cure is a good pair of vise grips. Clamp them across the flats and it'll come bust,blister or(and)bleed.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Oh yeah,I almost forgot. If you ever intend to take inverted flare nuts out again smear a thin film of anti seize on the tube behind the flare and on the threads of the nut. You'll love yourself later!!!

 

[454cid]

I've got craftsman (sae) and harbor freight (metric).

 

[Hipster]

Yeah man,when you get those old crusty fittings the only cure is a good pair of vise grips. Clamp them across the flats and it'll come bust,blister or(and)bleed.

I find that there a bit of technique involved. I always try to support the other end of the wrench /fitting with my other hand if possible so as to twist the fitting/connection as opposed to just pulling on the fitting in a lateral motion. Cuts down on the broken pieces/adaptors you have to fish out of engine cases or other parts.

 

[Schurkey]

Yeah man,when you get those old crusty fittings the only cure is a good pair of vise grips. Clamp them across the flats and it'll come bust,blister or(and)bleed.

Flare nuts are soft. Clamp 'em hard with a Vice-Grip, and they're so distorted they won't spin on the tubing any more. Or they outright crush, and crush the tubing, too.

God bless the Oxy-Acetylene torch, and Snap-On flare nut wrenches.

I bought the normal double-end wrenches way back in the mid-1980s. Still have 'em. Bought the speed-open-end/flare nut end combo wrenches later, in SAE and Metric. Even the regular open-end/flare nut end combos are nicer than the double-ended flare nut wrenches. Once the flare nut is broken-loose, the open end or speed end turns it out faster than having to use the flare-nut end of the tool on it.

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