I had the pleasure of stopping by a local E9 owner's place this weekend to smirk at him trying to loosen a thoroughly seized brake line union (he was replacing his flex lines). I need to do this someday and thought I'd watch/learn from one of the most resourceful shade-tree guys around.
When I got there, the 11mm nut on the hard-line was essentially completely rounded off. His flare-nut (brake-line) wrenches are the same as mine (older USA made Craftsman), and I've never liked how loosely they fit. Wurth flarenut wrenches are supposed to be more precisely made for a tighter fit.
Since I'd been warned about his predicament, I brought over a couple of self-adjusting self-tightening wrenches that I keep in my travel kit. These are basically small plumber's wrenches, but made for automotive applications. Mine have a super low profile 3/8 (or 1/2) ratchet drive on the opposite end so I leave my good ratchet handles at home when on tours. These are available in full length and a stubby with a female 3/8 drive receptacle (latter is more flexible as you can stick an extension or ratchet handle into them for weird clearance situations). Here is a picture of one such wrench head.
Anyway, with the 2 of us squeezed inside a wheel well we managed to get his frozen nut loose. IDK if he is going to cut off the bubble flare so he can install a new brake nut on the hard-line or not. Installing a new nut is the best way, but ...
Anyway, I highly recommend having one of these in the bottom of your toolbox for when you've already buggered up a nut or bolt head. I have a pair that cover sizes from 8mm to 21mm.
For those of you who haven't been made paupers by spending all your $ on vintage racing (well, it's the crashing not the racing that's really expensive), I recommend you get a HAZET 612N11 for about $35. German language reviews of this wrench sound more like reviews of penicillin for STD than just another tool that you use once every now and then. It's sold by numerous popular BMW/Euro parts vendors. I'll likely get one the next time I'm in Europe (I have parts shipped to the hotel I'm staying at).
BGS-1760 looks like a knockoff of the Hazet for 1/3 of the price. IDK if it’s as good as the Hazet wrench.
When I got there, the 11mm nut on the hard-line was essentially completely rounded off. His flare-nut (brake-line) wrenches are the same as mine (older USA made Craftsman), and I've never liked how loosely they fit. Wurth flarenut wrenches are supposed to be more precisely made for a tighter fit.
Since I'd been warned about his predicament, I brought over a couple of self-adjusting self-tightening wrenches that I keep in my travel kit. These are basically small plumber's wrenches, but made for automotive applications. Mine have a super low profile 3/8 (or 1/2) ratchet drive on the opposite end so I leave my good ratchet handles at home when on tours. These are available in full length and a stubby with a female 3/8 drive receptacle (latter is more flexible as you can stick an extension or ratchet handle into them for weird clearance situations). Here is a picture of one such wrench head.
Anyway, with the 2 of us squeezed inside a wheel well we managed to get his frozen nut loose. IDK if he is going to cut off the bubble flare so he can install a new brake nut on the hard-line or not. Installing a new nut is the best way, but ...
Anyway, I highly recommend having one of these in the bottom of your toolbox for when you've already buggered up a nut or bolt head. I have a pair that cover sizes from 8mm to 21mm.
For those of you who haven't been made paupers by spending all your $ on vintage racing (well, it's the crashing not the racing that's really expensive), I recommend you get a HAZET 612N11 for about $35. German language reviews of this wrench sound more like reviews of penicillin for STD than just another tool that you use once every now and then. It's sold by numerous popular BMW/Euro parts vendors. I'll likely get one the next time I'm in Europe (I have parts shipped to the hotel I'm staying at).
BGS-1760 looks like a knockoff of the Hazet for 1/3 of the price. IDK if it’s as good as the Hazet wrench.
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