In yesterday’s post about the wrench and socket recommendations for homeowners, I used a couple of terms that need to be better defined.
What is a crowfoot wrench? What does a ratcheting wrench’s Cap Stop feature do? What does an elbow ratcheting wrench look like? What does zero offset mean? Hopefully this post answers these and any other questions you might have had after reading that post and the many excellent reader comments. Plus, there are intros to a few more tools that you might find helpful.
If I left anything out, or you’d like to see other types of wrenches and sockets discussed, please help out or let me know with a comment!
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Pass-Thru Sockets
Pass-thru sockets allow for long bolts and threaded rod to pass completely through them. This allows access in some places where even deep sockets aren’t long enough, but there’s a downside. Pass-thru sockets must be used with compatible ratchets and accessories, and while there are adapters that allow them to be used with traditional drive tools and accessories, that’s not always easy.
Craftsman’s Max Axess socket set is a good place to look if this kind of setup piques your interest.
Crowfoot Wrench
Crowfoot wrenches are open-end sockets that come in handy when reaching around obstacles. They work where common 6pt and 12pt sockets and wrenches simply cannot fit.
I have had good experiences with my set of Craftsman inch crowfoot wrenches, but would probably buy a Tekton set ($15/set via Amazon) if I ever need metric.
These are specialty sockets that you will either use all the time, or very rarely. They often come out when there’s no other way to access a fastener.
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The crowfoot wrench above is shown attached to a ratchet with a short extension for extra reach.
Zero Offset Wrenches
Reversible ratcheting wrenches, like regular combination wrenches, often have 15° offsets. That is, if a wrench is resting flat on a table, the box end will point up at a slight angle of 15°. Flip the wrench over, and the box end will point downwards at an angle of 15°. A zero-offset wrench, which must usually be flipped to switch box end ratcheting directions, is completely flat with zero offset.
Combination wrenches and reversible ratcheting wrenches have offset box ends to help users reach over or around obstacles and obstructions. It also helps you keep a firmer grip on a wrench when the socket is in the middle of a large flat surface. With zero offset wrenches, you would not be able to grip the wrench and turn the fastener at the same time, at least not without a high risk of skinned knuckles.
Engraved vs. Etched Markings
Engraved = socket sizes are pressed or cut out the socket’s side.
Etched = laser etching is used to create a colored (often gold) marking on the surface of the socket.
Good etched markings are easier to read than bad engraved markings, but good engraved markings can be clearer to read and more durable than etched markings. It comes down to preference.
Cap-Stop Box Ends
Regular wrench box ends allow a nut or bolt head to go completely through. This can lead to slippage, where the wrench can move past the fastener. Gearwrench’s cap-stop feature has a thin metal lip on the top of the box end that does not allow nuts and bolts to pass through. If you have a nut on threaded rod, the cap-stop box end will not go past the fastener. This can be good, or bad, depending on the situation and user preferences.
In the photo shown here, the reversible ratcheting wrenches on the left are built with Gearwrench’s Cap Stop feature, and the zero offset wrenches on the right have ordinary ratcheting box end geometries. It is not possible for zero offset or other non-reversible ratcheting wrenches to have the Cap Stop feature, as this would prevent the wrenches from working in both directions.
Specialty Ratcheting Wrenches
There are a number of specialty ratcheting wrench styles. Here’s a brief rundown of the most common.
Flex-Head
There are locking and non-locking flex-head wrenches that help to reach fasteners in tight or difficult positions. Shown above are Gearwrench non-locking and non-reversible flex-head ratcheting wrench.
Flex-head ratcheting wrenches often have ordinary open ends.
Ratcheting Open End
Some ratcheting wrenches have ratcheting mechanisms built into their open ends as well.
Indexing/Elbow
Indexing, or ratcheting elbow wrenches, help to reach around obstacles. The pivot can be locked or unlocked, depending on how you want to use the wrench. In the locked position it can be swung like other ratcheting wrenches, and in the unlocked position it can work fasteners with a push-pull type of motion.
I reviewed Craftsman’s elbow ratcheting wrenches, and while they were neat, I haven’t missed them at all in the years since I gave them away.
Ratcheting Flare Nut Wrench
Flare nuts and fittings require special care to avoid damage. Ratcheting flare nut wrenches, like this Proto wrench, speed up tightening and loosening applications but are specially designed to provide a strong grip without marring softer metals or damaging corners.
Gearwrench came out with ratcheting flare/line wrenches a few years ago, but user reviews that I’ve seen have been mixed and lukewarm at best.
Deep Offset Wrench
Deep offset wrenches are double box end wrenches with angled and offset ends. Each end will often be a different size. Deep offset wrenches are typically used for reaching over or around obstructions to reach fasteners.
I bought sets of fractional and metric deep offset wrenches a few years ago, and they’ve come in handy. A few times they were the only tools I could easily use to reach a fastener. Other times, different tools or approaches could have been used, but a deep offset wrench saved time.
Read More: A Deep Offset Wrench Saved the Day!
Angled Socket Wrench
Angled socket wrenches are short double socket-end wrenches with a right angle bend at one end. Sometimes one end will be 6pt and the other 12pt, sometimes both will be 6pt.
The Facom fractional angled wrenches I own and love using have an opening in the bend that allows long bolts and threaded rod to pass right through. You can buy your own through Amazon, the Ultimate Garage, or other Facom dealers.
These wrenches are great for low-torque applications, and are a cross between box end wrenches and sockets. They’re not a must-have, but are nice to use for certain applications. I started off with one size and now have three (3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″).
fred
Crowfoot wrenches may also be used with a torque wrench and they can come in open-end pattern and split-box (sometimes called crowring – or flare-crowfoot) patterns. A different variant is also provided by EZ-Red – one they call a butterfly socket:
http://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Socket-Set-Large-EZRBSS3/dp/B005UZCLA2/
Dave MCDaniel
Regarding Cap Stop, one might also see “Stop Ring”, “Stop Cap”, or “Head Stop”.
Ryan Conner
Blue point ratcheting wrenches have the cap stop on only six of the twelve points. This lets you have the wrench drop past the fastener, or sit on the hex when you want it to.
fred
There are several other socket configurations beyond the 6,and 12 point – plus spline styles. some manufacturers still make 4 and 8 point female sockets in both hand and impact styles – the really big sizes common for railroad applications and the smaller for handling square nuts and lags,. There are any number of specialized sockets for automotive applications – included some for grease fittings, weatherhead fittings, 10-point cap screws and wing nuts. Male pipe plug sockets are available in square, double-square, triangular and hex sizes – some in both metric and imperial sizes. Screwdriving (male) sockets are available for Cutch-head, Hex socket screws (sometimes called Allen), Flat blade, Pentalobe, Phillips, Pozidriv, Torx, Torx Plus, Twin-Point, Hi-Torque, XZN, Ribe, Double-Square and perhaps other styles – some made for tamper-resistant fasteners (center pin). Specialized female sockets include E-Torx , Hi-Lok. and Penta 9often seen on meter access and water shutoff boxes.
Keith
iPhone uses pentalobe screws. I had to replace my battery in my iPhone. They use vary small pentalobe screws at the bottom of the phone.
JohnnyFbomb
I have the cap stops on a 14pc set of gearwrenchs. The nice thing about the reversibles is, if you back a nut or bolt out and get the wrench trapped, you can untrap it without cutting the fastener or the wrench.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4064077&postcount=483
harry
capstop is the root of all evil. It prevents you from using a reverse grip if you need to clear an obstruction. The fact that capstop is only found on reversible gearwenches sold at big box stores further illustrates how evil it is.
SteveR
harry–I’m not sure I would condemn them as much as you do; they have a place at the table for some uses. What they tend to do is keep a nut from falling off that is hard to start or is in an inaccessible place. I have a Blue Point 1/4″-5/16″ ratcheting wrench that holds (traps) hex-sided screwdriver bits of these two sizes so you can drive screws with it.
Sometimes the setp is that you have a long screw that you’re trying to tighten down a nut on. The capstop feature allows the “excess” thread to pass through, but captures the nut you’re trying to tighten so IT doesn’t keep passing through, forcing you to keep adjusting your height and grip on the nut. It doesn’t happen often for most of us, but it doubtless was created for someone that did it all the time (repetitive tasks, such as on an assembly line).
fred
Wera Joker ratcheting open-end wrenches have a similar “cap-stop” design.
Elbert Hartley Jr
What’s the name of the wrench with the cap stop
matt
Buy another wrench.. Jeez
They work fine for the intended purpose..
Works great in a blind situation
Ktash
Very informative post. Thanks.
Cameron
Re: the compatibility downside of pass through sockets: I have the Harbor Freight set (item#67974 ). Their sockets are six sided, and can be used with any wrench (3/4″ I think). I find the quality of the set adequate for occasional need, especially for <$20.
John
I’m trying to understand the limitations of a pass-through socket set. Is it true that they can’t be used (w/ an adaptor) in a drill/driver because there’s no where for the threaded bolt end to “go”? (I use my sockets with a drill/driver more often than I do with a ratchet). If this is one limitation, are there any others? I’m looking to upgrade from an incomplete set (with a dysfunctional case, and hard-to-read etched markings) to something better and as versatile as possible. [Stuart notes that the downside to pass-throughs is that they must be used with ‘compatible’ ratchets and accessories. But, if I’m starting from scratch, this doesn’t sound like a limitation for me.]
Stuart
It can be a limitation, but might not be. You will only run into potential issues if you outgrow the capabilities and components of a pass-thru set.
matt
Craftsman does have a cordless pass threw ratchet.. Looks like it could be handy for some applications..
For your question IMO a pass threw socket set is more of a specialty tool then a goto standard issue type of socket set.. I think their limitations will show themselves more often if that is all you have..
Joe
I realize that this is an old thread, but……..the other day, we had a hard time removing & installing a no-hub coupler on a 1-1/2” shower drain pipe. There was very little access to get to the “hose clamp” part of the coupler. We were going to cut a 1/4” drive ratchet in half , but then realized that wouldn’t help either. In the end we used a short 5/16 open end wrench. So now I’m searching for other 5/16 tools to have on hand for the next time. Any suggestions ? I’m going to buy a ‘deep offset double end box wrench’ as one contestant ?️♀️ Maybe a ratcheting box wrench would work also, but I have to check that the wall of the box isn’t too thick to fit on the hex bolt (because it tight to the pipe part of the coupler).
Diplomatic Immunity
I would suggest asking this in the forum on the right side. You might get answers that way considering how old this thread is.
Stuart
Would a nut driver bit and small bit ratchet or right angle bit holder wrench have helped here?