Ok, so every time I use my cheap a$$ flare nut wrenches I think, I need to get some good ones. I have been looking around at about every place that sells tools in my area and they are all cheap tiawan made crap. Since it looks as if I am going to have to order some, was curious about peoples experiences with different brands on our old trucks. This is why I have posted this here. I don't plan on being without an older truck for the rest of my life, and steel brake lines seem to rust here in Iowa over a 40 year period. SO spending money on a couple of wrenches that will save me time and broken knuckles is worth it to me.

If you are recommending a very expensive wrench, like snap on, please list a part number if you can.

After a few searches online, I am kinda liking the snap on combo flare nut wrench, open end wrench. They look to be handy since we all know it can be a pain to completely remove a line with a flare nut wrench. I will most like buy these as individual wrenches instead of a set unless I came across a deal on the bay or CL.

Thanks for your time and assistance in this matter.

 

I got a set of Craftsmans moons ago and are still in service.

Swap meets are a great place to go on the hunt. I always bring my "BOLO" list.

 

Here's my story regarding flare nut wrenches, from back in about 1985: I was replacing the brake calipers on my '79 F250 4X4, and I had a brand new set of Craftsman flare nut wrenches. I could not get the brake line off the left caliper. I could tell I was starting to round off the fitting. I took the entire caliper and brake line to an alignment and brake shop that I had just taken a company van to the day before, and showed my caliper to the mechanic that I had just gotten to know. I said, "I have a brand new set of Craftsman flare nut wrenches, but I'm afraid I'm going to round this off." He said, "Well, there's your problem, you've got Craftsman wrenches." As he was saying that, he reached for his Snap-On wrench, and cracked that fitting loose like it was nothing! I could NOT believe it! He explained to me that the Snap-On's are shaped so that they grab on the flats of a nut instead of on the corners. I still have my Craftsman wrenches, but I did eventually buy a set of Snap-On flare nut wrenches.
When it comes to hand tools, do not, repeat, DO NOT buy cheap Harbor Freight tools! I learned that when I bought a set of Taiwan-made nut drivers at a swap meet when I was a teenager. The first time I used one, the plastic handle shattered in my hand! I threw them in the trash!
Nowadays I have a mixture of Craftsman and Snap-On tools.

 

If you don't want to spend the extra money for Snap On wrenches, take a look at SK. They make both a straight on and 15 degree angled flare nut wrench. Like Snap On, they grab the sides of the nut, not the corners. US made and lifetime warranty.

 

I have a set of HF's ratcheting combination wrenches. They come in real handy for applications where significant torque is not required (loosening or tightening). It usually beats using a socket and ratchet when running hardware in or out..You'll usually come behind them with a torque wrench anyways, especially on engine and suspension components. They're what I use extensively on body bolts where snug is good - not gorilla tight.

On the flare nuts, I was given a set of TrueCraft wrenches from Ace Hardware. The arms flexed when significant force was applied and tended to round the fittings so they were recycled.

 

I have SK flare wrenches, work perfect . look around and maybe you can find some old USA made craftsman pros, they were made by SK (will have a tiny k stamped in them). the later pros before they went to china were made by Danaher (matco)

 

I'll second the SK wrenches. Mine are great too. High-quality, US-made, etc., and the handles are far more comfortable than the Snap-On wrenches I've used (why they thought sharp corners where you grab it were a good idea, I'll never understand).

 

What part of Iowa are you in.? My dads the snapon man in the Ottumwa Bloomfield Centerville area.

 

Adder to Northwest's story - what he is describing used to be called flank drive (because they bear down on the flank of the nut instead of at the point, like a typical 12-point socket does. A six point opening is better than a 12, and a flank drive is better than a 6-point. The flank drive impact socket set I have has small rounded channels down where the point of the nut would fit, so when you fit them over thoroughly goobered up nuts they slide on. If you google something like "who makes Kobalt tools" there are multiple posts telling what tools are made by which manufacturer.

 

Ottumwa Bloomfield Centerville area.

Actually in Chillicothe, Powerplant area between Ottumwa and Eddyville.

 

i was 3 shades of pissed off when i broke a 3rd crapsman ratchet went back to replace it and its all made in china. left it sitting on the counter. now i buy cornwells or snap-on and macs. only made in america in my tool box.

 

Cool man I'm just across a couple fields in Fremont.