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jeepfan.com
Guide to a Jeeper's Garage
Hand Tools
Hand
Wrenches
A hand wrench is
probably the one of the most common tools used around the
home and in the garage. The simple design is about the
only thing simple about these age old tools. There are
countless varieties of hand wrenches available and many
degrees of quality too. SAE and Metric sizes are
usually available in most types.
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Types
The most
common types of hand wrenches are open, box, and flare.
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Open
end wrenches are best for locations that you
cannot get to the top of the bolt/nut. An
open end usually contacts only two of the six
surfaces on a bolt/nut.
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Box
wrenches are usually a round shape and contact
all six of the bolt/nut surface. A box
wrench also allows you to get to a bolt/nut with
less side to side clearance.
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Flare wrenches are a middle-of-the-road wrench.
Similar to a box wrench but with a slot cut out
so the wrench can slip over something, usually a
piece of tubing. Flare wrenches make
contact with five of the six bolt/nut surfaces.
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open wrench
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box wrench
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flare wrench
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Other common wrench types
include ratchet, torx, key, and pipe.
- Ratcheting wrenches
allow for close quarters access and allow for greater
speed in loosening/tightening a fastener. Often
ratcheting type wrenches are a combination of an open
end on one side and a ratchet on the other.
Ratchet wrenches are limited in the torque ability and
should be used for lighter work.
- Torx wrenches are more
of a specialty wrench. These are obviously used on
torx type fasteners.
- A key wrench is usually
small and is used on torx, hex, and other types of key
type fasteners.
- A pipe wrench is useful
on more than just pipes. A pipe wrench is usually
loosely adjusted on a bolt or other surface. The
torque applied to the wrench will cause the teeth to dig
into the surface of the object being loosened/tightened
giving the wrench greater gripping power.
ratchet/open combination wrench
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torx wrench
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key type wrenches
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pipe wrench
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Shapes, Sizes, and
Combinations
Usually hand wrenches come in
varying length and shapes. Longer wrenches will allow
more torque to be applied to the fastener but sometimes a
short stubby wrench is all that will fit. There are
also wrenches with different offsets to allow better reach
in poor clearance areas. There are curved and bent
shaped wrenches and combination wrenches, these kind have
two different type ends. The most common is the
open/box combination. These come in so may different
ways it is impossible to list them here. Rest assured
no matter how many variants you have you will usually find
yourself without the one you really need.
Shapes
Examples
curved |
stubby with flex-head |
high torque |
Other
Notables
Recommendations
- 2 sets of standard
length combination wrenches in both metric and SAE.
- A
stubby set and offset set are very handy
- A set of
flare wrenches. Working with fittings is delicate work
and standard open ends will strip an old flare fitting
almost every time.
- 1 Breaker Bar - No
garage would be complete without one.
- Saving the unusual sets for the day when
your garage is well equipped or the need for a specialized
wrench appears.
Popular Hand
Wrench
Manufacturers and Resellers
Craftsman
SnapOn
Matco
Husky
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The
breaker bar. Sometimes this tool is mistaken as a
