Flare nut wrenches

[fkerekes]

Hello All,

I was working on rebuilding a front wheel cylinder in my SIII today, and I couldn't help but expend a lot of energy hating my flare nut wrenches. There are two flare nuts (7/16") that enter the backing plate side of the wheel cylinders. For the top, one goes to the supply, one to the bottom cylinder. For the bottom, one is from the top, and the other is the bleed screw. In both cases, the nuts/screws are canted away from each other, but are placed just close enough to each other and the nuts securing the cylinders to the backing plate so that my flare wrench was useless for all but filing the nut smooth. So, granted all these nuts were frozen/corroded (and really soft!), and I used all manner of pentrating lubricants along with copious hammering to move them, but the damage is done (vise grip+sledge), and I'm ordering new flex lines and fittings.

My question is, are the flare fitting wrenches whose heads are small enough to fit in between the two fittings and the mounting nuts, or do most people use a different tool?

[greenmeanie]

I have always just used an 11mm spanner. Never had a problem. A quick squirt of PB blaster has helped a few.

Cheers
Gregor

[daveb]

probably sufficient in dry arizona. but here out east where things corrode, I use heat followed by PB blaster and they almost always come out ok.

I have always just used an 11mm spanner. Never had a problem. A quick squirt of PB blaster has helped a few.

Cheers
Gregor

[fkerekes]

probably sufficient in dry arizona. but here out east where things corrode, I use heat followed by PB blaster and they almost always come out ok.

What kind of torch do you use for heating up your parts, propane? Acetylene?

[daveb]

MAPP gas, with pushbutton start.

What kind of torch do you use for heating up your parts, propane? Acetylene?

[greenmeanie]

probably sufficient in dry arizona.

It also worked on an ex MOD truck that had spent its life in the mud in Germany and then sat in a dealer's yard for ten years ... and an '83 110, a RR and a few SII/III in the UK. I have not always been a desert rat in the US. I can't argue with the heat as a final resort but I've found that patience and soaking in PB always gets me there in the end. For whatever reason I've found my 11mm tends to round off less than the flare wrench but that might just be the tolerances on that spanner.

When you rebuild the fitting make sure to use plenty of anti sieze to prevent a repeat performance the next time.

Cheers
Gregor

[Donnie]

Hello All,

I was working on rebuilding a front wheel cylinder in my SIII today, and I couldn't help but expend a lot of energy hating my flare nut wrenches. There are two flare nuts (7/16") that enter the backing plate side of the wheel cylinders. For the top, one goes to the supply, one to the bottom cylinder. For the bottom, one is from the top, and the other is the bleed screw. In both cases, the nuts/screws are canted away from each other, but are placed just close enough to each other and the nuts securing the cylinders to the backing plate so that my flare wrench was useless for all but filing the nut smooth. So, granted all these nuts were frozen/corroded (and really soft!), and I used all manner of pentrating lubricants along with copious hammering to move them, but the damage is done (vise grip+sledge), and I'm ordering new flex lines and fittings.

My question is, are the flare fitting wrenches whose heads are small enough to fit in between the two fittings and the mounting nuts, or do most people use a different tool?

There are tools for this available at your fav. NAPA store or from Snappy, or Mac
they look like sockets, except they have a closed end where you would connect your ratchet. They are used with a common wrench,,err spanner, here to turn them while striking the closed end with a hammer, mallet????
tell your tool guy that you are snapping off your bleeders, he will fix you up....Don't forget to cap the bleeders when you are done, then they will not be frozen th next time.........

[Donnie]

There are tools for this available at your fav. NAPA store or from Snappy, or Mac
they look like sockets, except they have a closed end where you would connect your ratchet. They are used with a common wrench,,err spanner, here to turn them while striking the closed end with a hammer, mallet????
tell your tool guy that you are snapping off your bleeders, he will fix you up....Don't forget to cap the bleeders when you are done, then they will not be frozen th next time.........

Snao-on makes the thinnest wall tools for most applications.. The less expensive tools are thicker to compensate for the material used...They cost more , but the quality matters...........donnie

[daveb]

oh yeah, patience. I guess that would work too, if you don't have any MAPP gas.

I've found that patience and soaking in PB always gets me there in the end.