How to Choose the Right Wrench
There are so many different kinds of wrenches on the market. It can be tricky and overwhelming to find the right one. But you don’t have to worry about it anymore after reading this guide. We are here to help you learn how to choose the right wrench for the job.
Open-Ended Wrenches
An open-ended wrench is probably the most useful tool in your tool kit. It is usually the quickest and easiest to use. It has a U-shaped opening that grips two opposite faces of the bolt or nut and also has flat jaws that slide around the heads of nuts and bolts and are levered for loosening or tightening. Open-ended wrenches are often double-ended, with a different sized opening at each end. The ends are generally oriented at an angle of around 15 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the handle. This allows a greater range of movement in enclosed spaces by flipping the wrench over. Open-ended wrenches grip the bolt from the side. This is useful for working under the hood of a car or to hold a nut in place while ratcheting a bolt.
Combination Wrenches
A combination wrench is a double-ended tool which has an open-ended jaw at one end and a boxed end or ring spanner of the same size on the other end. Both ends generally fit the same size of bolt.
Adjustable Wrenches
Also known as crescent wrenches. It is the most common type of wrench. An adjustable wrench accommodates nuts and bolts of various sizes. It’s designed to move in only one direction, which prevents putting too much stress on the screw that sits just below the head of the wrench. An adjustable wrench’s head is offset a little, which helps when loosening or tightening. The gripping faces of the jaw are displaced to a 15-degree angle that is relative to the tool’s handle. This helps the wrench’s ability to be used in tight spaces.
Socket Wrenches
A socket wrench is good for working on automobiles and other machinery. These wrenches come in two types: those with deep sockets for bigger bolts and those with shallow sockets for smaller bolts. Both can tighten nuts in tight spaces. Socket wrenches work just like the ring end of a wrench, but the ratchet handle makes the operation much faster.
Ratcheting Box Wrenches
Ratcheting can be reversed by flipping the wrench over, or by activating a reversing lever. This type combines the compact design of a box wrench, with the utility and quickness of use of a ratchet wrench.
