In between wrench size

300jk

Well-known Member
Did some brake work on my truck over a month ago. There is a fitting that goes from the steel line to a fitting on a rubber line. When I took it apart and replaced the rubber line the male fitting on the steel line had some rust. When the rust came off neither standard nor metric would fit right. I took it apart with vice grips. The fitting did not get damaged or rounded off. I tightened it to what I thought was good by the closest fitting wrench. Apparently not tight enough as it is weeping. So now what ? I’m using line wrenches standard and metric and none are quite right ! Back to vise grips ?
 
Maybe an English size part. The English use a system that is neither SAE or metric. So yes vise grips is probably your best bet
 
Possibly a combination of rust eroded fitting and a spread wrench.

What I have done, if there is room, put the wrench on and clamp vise grips over the wrench very tightly.

It will help keep the wrench from spreading, will even close it up some if it's a cheap wrench.
 
Its pretty tight work area. I’m using the old USA craftsman wrenches and snap ons. If I had more room that would maybe work. Just a small area.
 
It’s on a 2012 dodge 3/4 ton. I’m sure the fitting started out a normal size, but once it rusted and the rust fell off it’s some crazy size. Your probably right ! Vice grips it is. The steel line is in good condition, and I’m not looking into replacing more than I need to.
 
Run into that a lot on battery terminals . The acid eats the heads away enough that no wrench will fit anymore
 
I needed an 18 MM line wrench years ago on a Sunday and none to be found. Took some thin galvanized tin, trimmed it to fit inside of a 3/4" line wrench, folded it over to hold in place and managed to make it work.
 
(quoted from post at 14:45:16 01/29/21) Maybe an English size part. The English use a system that is neither SAE or metric. So yes vise grips is probably your best bet

And that probably explains why the Englanders use spanners. Just need to find a spanner to fit.
 
(quoted from post at 18:51:53 01/29/21) Don't know where you are size wise but remember Ford used 19/32 and 25/32 years ago & possibly other specials maybe one of them will fit

I've still got a few of those odd sized fractionals.
 

Are you trying to use a standard open end wrench or are you using a flare nut wrench? The flare nut wrench is the proper one and works a lot better in cases like this. I don't personally own any, but I'm agonna get me some!
 
(quoted from post at 14:40:06 01/30/21)
The flare nut wrench is the proper one and works a lot better in cases like this.

6 Pt flare nut wrench is the ticket in most cases. But......if the nut is too badly rusted, even that ain't gonna work. It loosened with Vise-Grips so tighten it the same way.

BTW, SV mentioned "battery pliers" for rusted terminal nuts. Great tool and I have even used them on brake line nuts a time or too but some of the nuts are too small.

I hate working on rusty brake fittings and rusty exhaust systems!!
 

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