Crowfoot vs Flare Nut Wrench: 3 Tools for Line Fittings and When to Use Each
- Gray Tools Official Blog
- 09 Oct, 2026
A crowfoot wrench has no handle of its own. It fits a ratchet, extension bar or torque wrench and reaches fasteners in confined or obstructed spaces where a standard wrench or socket cannot fit. A flare nut wrench, also called a line wrench, is a standalone hand wrench with a slotted box end, made for hydraulic, fuel, air and brake line fittings. The two meet in the flare nut crowfoot, which pairs crowfoot access with a profile that protects soft metal fittings from rounding.
That makes three tools, not two. Two questions decide between them: how much access you have to the fitting, and what the fitting is made of.