As a mechanic or someone who enjoys doing household chores, you know that owning and using the right tools is the key to achieving perfect results.
Since there are different types of wrenches available in the market, it can be a bit confusing to pick the ideal tool. Which is why we would like to talk about the two most popular wrenches – regular wrench and flare nut wrench to help you make the right choice!
So, let’s get started with our flare nut wrench vs regular wrench comparison article.
What is Regular Wrench?
The regular wrench has a variety of definitions and types. That being said, the most common one out there is the U-shaped wrench that can be used for gripping two opposite faces of a bolt or nut.
Furthermore, as the wrench has oriented ends with an angle of 15 degrees, it supports a greater scope of movement – including enclosed spaces!
Advantages & Disadvantages of Using a Regular Wrench
While there may be different features that appeal to a different set of consumers, we are here to give you a general idea of the benefits and drawbacks that comes with using a regular wrench.
As regular wrenches don’t have a form-fitted design, it is considered to be a more powerful wrench. Moreover, the design of regular wrenches reduces the chance of the wrench or bolt breaking.
Most importantly, a regular wrench will come in handy for a lot of different tasks as it is not bound to any specific shape or design.
That being said, a regular wrench will provide you with a weak grip around a nut, which increases the chances of accidents to take place.
What is a Flare Nut Wrench?
A flare nut wrench, also known as a brake wrench, is definitely one of the most basic and common tools available. It is an open-ended wrench designed for hexagonal nuts and fittings. These wrenches are often double-sided that will allow you to quickly tighten or loosen tight fastenings without having to readjust them between each pull. This is why despite having more specialized tools currently available in the market, flare nut wrenches are still considered to be a must-have tool.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Using Flare Nut Wrench
The biggest advantage of using a flare nut wrench is that it offers a strong grip over the five sides of the nut. Additionally, while a flare nut wrench is mostly used while working on different parts of a car, it is designed for a wide range of applications.
Now, flare nut wrenches are mostly used on materials that are made of soft metal, and this helps to decrease the chances of stripping the nuts and chances of injuries. It is also considerably cheaper than other wrenches, especially regular wrenches.
However, the shape of the flare nut wrench limits its application for shapes that aren’t similar to its form-fitted design.
Flare Nut Wrench Vs Regular Wrench
Here are some of the main differences between the two types of wrench:
Characterization & Application
A regular wrench is the most common type of wrench that features a U-shaped opening on both sides, which can be used for gripping two opposed faces of nuts and bolts. While a flare nut wrench is an open-ended wrench that is designed for fastening or loosening hexagonal nuts and fittings.
Regular wrenches are mostly used for turning rotatory fasteners such as nuts and bolts or to keep them tight.
A flare nut wrench, conversely, is typically used for machine work or for plumbing. The design of the wrench allows it to be used for a variety of purposes. However, the shape of the wrench limits its application to bolts and nuts that have a hexagonal shape.
Materials & Price Comparison
A regular wrench like basin wrench is mostly used on harder metals as it is prone to slippage or may even strip the metal if it’s soft.
On the other hand, flare nut wrench is ideal for softer metals. It helps to decrease the odds of stripping the bolts or nuts and also helps to decrease the chances of accidents from occurring.
The pricing of these two are very similar; however, a flare nut wrench is a lot cheaper than the regular wrench.
Efficiency
While both of the wrenches are commonly used by most users. The regular wrench is considered to be more powerful than the flare nut wrench with its form-fitted design.
Regular wrench will also come in handy in most of the applications you may have, whereas the flare nut wrench has particularly specific jobs, which may not be as common.
However, the flare nut wrench is deemed to be more reliable as it isn’t as prone to accidents compared to the regular wrench.
Line Wrench vs Flare Nut Wrench: Are They The Same?
A line wrench is ideal for any form of fitting that is in-line – such as brake line or any type of cables. It complements the works of small torque wrenches.
Like the flare nut wrench, it also has a hexagonal shape that allows it to have a good grip, which helps to reduce the chances of the metal from stripping.
Although both of them are very similar in their shape and size, there is one difference between them, which is that the flare nut wrench has more applications than the line wrench.
Get The Right Tools Today!
Making the right choice when it comes to choosing the perfect tool can seem like a daunting job. Luckily, we hope that we have cut down the process and effort you would have to put by providing you with the right information.
Our advice to you will be to make sure that you pick the correct sized wrench that will meet most of your demands, or buy a set with different sizes, so you are always prepared.
Good luck with your purchase!
