Quote:
|
Originally Posted by jrkauffman28
...#2 The Bentley Porsche manual recommends the use of an 11 mm "line wrench" to prevent rounding the corners of the brake bleeder valves. I actually found that it was easier to round the corners with this specialty wrench than it was with a straight open end wrench...
|
Hi,
Good write-up. Just FYI, the correct name, and the correct tool to use for opening/closing bleeder valves on brakes and clutch slave cylinders is a
Flare Nut Wrench.
These wrenches resemble an ordinary closed-end wrench except that instead of being 12-sided (or sometimes 6-sided), it has one of the facets removed making it 10-sided (or sometimes 5-sided). This allows the wrench to be passed over a hydraulic line (brake line, clutch line) and still get a better grip on the fastening nut (Flare Nut). It gives you more of a mechanical advantage than a 2-faceted open-face wrench has, often necessary to loosen Flare Nuts and Bleeder valves which can be stubborn.
If you use an open-faced wrench, you will (eventually anyway) round off the Flare Nut, or, without the ability to apply sufficient torque to the nut, you won't get a tight, leak-proof, seal when tightening it.
Flare Nut wrenches are commonly sold in sets (usually 3 w/ 6 size combos) and every well-equipped toolbox should have a set. The cost is usually considerably less than the cost (
and aggravation) of replacing a hydraulic line with a rounded Flare Nut...
Happy Motoring!... Jim'99