Largest Wrench needed
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Largest Wrench needed
I'll be resuming my C3 restoration after quite a long hiatus. I had my wrenches stolen and need to replace them. How large a wrench should I end my set at? Keep in mind if the largest fastener on the car is 1 1/2 or thereabouts and the largest needed aside from that is 15/16 please tell me I won't need the in between sizes.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,333
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
Also, I'd recommend buying several sets of the popular sizes. You don't want to have just one 3/8 inch socket, etc. I'd recommend redundant numbers of the popular sizes of sockets, wrenches, etc.
My advice is to just wait until you need one of the larger sizes. But my advice is qualified by the fact that I live about a mile from a Sears store, Tool City franchise, etc and can easily drive and buy what I want. Many times, I've bought stuff from Snap-On and have had to wait many days. Before starting a new project, I try to scope out the tools I need and go collect them to discover if I'm missing something. For instance, to replace my hot water heater, I thought I'd have reason to need a 1 1/4 inch crow's foot wrench. No one locally had one. I ordered from Snap-On and when I had all the tools needed, I replaced the water heater quickly without incident.
My advice is to just wait until you need one of the larger sizes. But my advice is qualified by the fact that I live about a mile from a Sears store, Tool City franchise, etc and can easily drive and buy what I want. Many times, I've bought stuff from Snap-On and have had to wait many days. Before starting a new project, I try to scope out the tools I need and go collect them to discover if I'm missing something. For instance, to replace my hot water heater, I thought I'd have reason to need a 1 1/4 inch crow's foot wrench. No one locally had one. I ordered from Snap-On and when I had all the tools needed, I replaced the water heater quickly without incident.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
I believe the largest wrench I have ever used on my 'vette was a Vise-Grip.......seriously, though, you may find that you end up using your wrenches on other things besides your 'vette, in MHO, it's worth it to purchase a complete set.
Scott
Scott
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Thanks for all the responses. Scotty, I agree that wrenches can come in handy but I should have been more specific from the outset. I have a cheap gearwrench non-ratcheting set that I have for general purpose stuff. I had a snapon wrench set. It didn't round over or fail to remove a single bolt in the entire assembly (short of a single body mount bolt that eventually twisted to failure). I don't trust the same to the gearwrench set. I'm going to replace the snappies but at $135 retail for a 1 1/2 wrench I'm going to make sure that I need the size before I buy it. Thanks again people.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Thanks for all the responses. Scotty, I agree that wrenches can come in handy but I should have been more specific from the outset. I have a cheap gearwrench non-ratcheting set that I have for general purpose stuff. I had a snapon wrench set. It didn't round over or fail to remove a single bolt in the entire assembly (short of a single body mount bolt that eventually twisted to failure). I don't trust the same to the gearwrench set. I'm going to replace the snappies but at $135 retail for a 1 1/2 wrench I'm going to make sure that I need the size before I buy it. Thanks again people.
I left my toolbox out overnight a few months ago, and it was gone the next day. I don't spend the money on the snappies, but still, it sucks. There's a lot of scumbags out there.
Scott
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 45
From: Cameron Park CA
Slightly off topic, but I hope you all won't mind. Several years ago I met a gent from the northeast while on a CBX motorcycle run. He had been co-owner of a forge company that made Craftsman sockets. During our conversation I asked him what was the difference between Craftsman and Snap-on sockets. He told me that it was mainly tolerances and how long a tool to make sockets was used. Snap-on sockets were made to tighter tolerances and the tooling used was used to make far fewer sockets. Snap-on tolerances were much tighter, to the point that a Snap-on socket would be out of range when a Craftsman wouldn't notice. As far as the tools used to manufacture them, they might make 1,000 Snap-ons and discard the tool, while for a Craftsman they might make 150,000 sockets.
A professional mechanic, or technician as they are now called, surely needs Snap-on quality, but us guys working at home can get by on Craftsman, especially when we can return them for new whenever we want to.
A professional mechanic, or technician as they are now called, surely needs Snap-on quality, but us guys working at home can get by on Craftsman, especially when we can return them for new whenever we want to.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 3
From: Lehigh county Pennsylvania
Pitman arm nut is 1 5/16". But I wouldn't invest in a wrench set up to that size; too big and not used often enough to warrant the expense. A set up to 1" is plenty. Anyway, I'd use a socket and air impact wrench to remove that pitman nut.
It would be more useful to get short and long pattern combination wrenches. The short in 12 point and the long in 6 point.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 5
From: South Dakota
I remember back when starting out wrenching, the other guys had brand new tool boxes they were making payments on, while I had an old crappy toolbox. I was buying sockets and wrenches that I needed instead of complete sets and toolboxes.
The other mechanics sure borrowed my tools a lot because I spent the money on what I needed.
But some of the customers noticed the tool boxes. The ones who said anything didn't necessarily think that the toolbox made the mechanic.
After I retired from wrenching, I bought myself a real nice, big, shiny toolbox. It was slightly used too.
I still have my old toolboxes. They still come in handy for tools not used as often, and do-dad storage.
Last edited by builder; Jan 26, 2012 at 03:18 PM.
