If you have a toolbox at home or if you have ever used different types of tools in your life, you will have an idea about the flare nut wrench. Sometimes also referred to as the brake wrench, the flare nut wrench happens to be one of the most basic tools around. Amongst the different varieties of wrenches, the flare nut is one of the most common ones and is available in any toolbox that you find at stores. These wrenches are extremely simple to use and are sometimes passed over in favor of specialized and more elaborate tools. However, it will be a big mistake if you ignore the importance of the flare nut wrench. If you know how to use them, even the toughest job will seem smooth for you.
How Does the Flare Nut Wrench Look?
If you look inside a toolbox, you will notice that there is an open-ended wrench that is designed to be used with hexagonal fittings and nuts. This is the flare nut wrench and the fittings are sometimes referred to as flare fittings. If you look at the wrench closely, you will notice that it somewhat resembles ratchet or box wrenches that come with an open head as opposed to a closed loop. The heads of these wrenches are placed at an angle of 15 degrees and have ridges and grooves that are made to fit snugly over flare fittings or hex nuts of different sizes.
You will also find flare nut wrenches that are double sided. On these wrenches the heads are in opposite directions. Using this type of flare nut wrench will let you loosen or tighten fastenings in smooth motions without the need of adjusting between each pull. You will also find flare nut wrenches with hinged heads. These types of wrenches allow you to reach different connectors that are located in difficult-to-reach places.
Where Should You Use A Flare Nut Wrench?
When it comes to a flare nut wrench, these come with a basic design that is mainly intended for a wide array of uses. Nonetheless, these are mostly used to work on various types of cars. Thus, they are also named as brake wrench. The type of fastenings that these wrenches are designed to work with are normally used to secure clutch and brake lines on vehicles, along with securing the fuel pumps and temperature sensors. Outside the automobile industry, the flare nut wrench can easily be used with any flare fitting or hex nut. This means that the wrench is aptly suited for plumbing and machine work.
Flare Fittings and Hex Nuts
When you talk about flare fittings or hex nuts, these happen to be standard fittings that are seen almost everywhere. These are designed to specifically create a type of snug seal on tubes and pipes. The fastenings are generally octagonal or hexagonal in shape coupled with a ridged center that is mainly designed for use with a number of bolts. These types of fastenings are commonly seen on materials that are made from iron, copper, brass, and steel. Although the iron and steel are usually found in cars, the softer materials are used to make pipes and tubes.
Flare Nut, Line Wrenches and Crow’s Foot
There are numerous names used for the flare nut wrenches. These are normally specific to different regions. Apart from being named as brake wrenches, you will also find people referring them as line wrenches in the US. If you travel to the UK, you will find people referring to flare nut wrenches as crow’s foot spanners simply because the open headed style looks like the shape of a crow’s feet.
When you talk about the term “crow’s foot spanner”, it can easily refer to quite a similar yet distinct wrench designs. All of these are open-ended and thus, seem quite similar to the flare nut wrench. However, if you look closely at a true crow’s foot spanners, you will notice that it has a wider opening than a flare nut wrench and also lacks the ridges and grooves that are one of the primary features of a flare nut wrench.
Sometimes, the wrenches that are referred to by this name can easily be used interchangeably. However, this cannot be possible all the time and you will have to use the right type of wrench carefully. This is only possible if you have a fair amount of knowledge about wrenches and when to use which one to get the desired results faster than normal.
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