Spanner sets typically consist of a selection of different spanner sizes, bought together as a single kit that offers users a full range of options and on-hand flexibility when tackling nuts and bolts of any size.
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The best spanner sets are usually supplied in a box, case or foam tray for protection and convenience, and will generally be a more cost-effective way of achieving full flexibility than buying differently sized tools individually. The number of individual pieces provided in any complete spanner set can range from two or three pieces up to fifty or more, including numerous types of spanner sockets and other accessories.
Individual spanner sets most often tend to contain the same type of spanner (e.g. ratchet or combination spanner) offered in a range of varying sizes. They’re one of the most common tool types found in work kits and DIY collections, and are used daily in a wide range of applications by professionals and odd-jobbers the world over.
Ratchet spanner sets are often among the more expensive types of spanner kits, but their handy added functionality makes them easily one of the most popular designs found in both professional and enthusiast tool kits the world over.
The main advantage of a ratchet spanner over a non-ratchet or regular type spanner is that, where space for a full rotational arc is limited, they don’t need to be removed from the nut and realigned in between turns. The ratcheting mechanism allows for free rotation of the spanner in one direction but not in the other - this means you can tighten a nut clockwise, for example, and then pull the spanner back in an anticlockwise direction to begin another clockwise rotation without ever lifting it off the fitting.
Nearly all ratchet-type spanner sets will allow this feature to be deployed in both directions, either by flipping the spanner over or by adjusting a small lever on the handle or head of the unit. Spanner ratchet sets are usually sold in open-ended, flare or ring head configurations, depending on the types of fixtures you need to tighten or loosen.
A box spanner set - sometimes called a tubular spanner set - is easily identifiable due to the elongated cylindrical shape of the tools. These kits are essentially designed as a variety of rounded metal tubes, usually with a hexagonal opening at each end to be placed over a nut. As a result, they contact all sides of the nut, providing a stronger grip than most jaw-type spanners.
By passing a metal rod (a ‘T-bar’ or ‘Tommy bar’) through two holes positioned across the diameter of a box spanner, users can rotate the tube in a one- or two-handed motion, similar to opening a tap. Most box spanner sets are sold with a suitable T-bar already included, although it is possible to buy replacements separately (you’ll need to check the correct gauge for your spanner set first).
The elongated shape of box spanners makes them very handy for accessing nuts that are deeply recessed or otherwise in difficult-to-reach places, and the sliding design of most Tommy bars lets users make best use of any available space for achieving sufficient torque.
A ring spanner set functions much like the box spanner sets described above, except that ring spanners are designed in a more standard spanner layout; that is, they’re generally constructed as a single-piece metal bar that turns side-on to a nut, rather than from above. The ring spanner’s connection with a fastener is very similar to that of a box spanner. The heads on a ring spanner set - each piece usually has a head at each end - are formed as a single closed loop containing a machined profile, which contacts the nut on all sides simultaneously. This offers a very strong grabbing force and makes it less likely to slip.
The potential downside of ring spanner sets is that the tools must be lifted and replaced on the fastener once the full turning arc has been exhausted. However, they can often be manoeuvred into smaller spaces than box or socket spanners, particularly if the design features a ‘cranked’ or offset head design.
A socket spanner set essentially offers the same functionality as a box spanner, except the kits tend to come as a single spanner shaft with multiple interchangeable heads or sockets. These too contact the fastener on all sides, but the torque is applied via the shaft, as opposed to a Tommy bar.
The shaft or ‘key’ will feature a small recess (or sometimes protrusion) known as a drive socket at the head end - usually square or hexagonal - into which the various differently sized sockets are affixed. Socket and spanner sets very often feature a ratchet system, meaning they don’t have to be lifted off the nut between turns. Socket and ratchet spanner sets are available for almost any type of nut or fastener, so it’s important to check you’ve got the right setup for your needs when purchasing a kit of this kind.
Spanner combination sets, as the name implies, tend to offer a wider range of head types for tackling various sorts and sizes of nut and fastener with a single tool kit. The parameters of any given combination kit will vary widely among different manufacturers and product lines.
A particularly common configuration for spanner or wrench combination sets is a kit that offers both ring spanner and regular jaw-type functionality, either as two separate collections within the same box or as a single set with different head types at either end.
The best combination spanner set for your needs will of course depend entirely on the application you’re intending to use it for. You may wish to consider kits that offer some additional handy features, such as ratchet combination spanner sets, if you’re likely to be working in confined or awkward spaces.
An imperial spanner set, rather than denoting a particular function or a specific type of head or shaft design, is simply a spanner set of any kind that has been constructed for fasteners defined by imperial measurements (inches and fractions of inches, rather than millimetres).
These tend to be less commonly seen in the UK now than they were pre-s (before metrication), but it’s still widely used as a standard in the US and elsewhere, and it’s not at all unusual to encounter nuts and other fasteners that are still defined by imperial measurements during routine tasks today. You can usually purchased either ring-type or jaw-type imperial spanner sets, depending on the specific application you’re likely to need them for.
Adjustable spanners typically feature a standard layout open-ended head design, but with an additional function that allows for manual opening or closing of the spanner’s jaw via a rotating cylinder driven by a screw. The familiar ‘monkey wrench’ design is essentially a type of adjustable spanner, although many tools can be found in this range that are considerably smaller and lighter than a typical heavy-duty plumbing wrench.
The adjustable mechanism enables a single spanner to tackle numerous gauges of nuts and fasteners, which can be handy for smaller portable tool kits where it’s always helpful to save on space and carry weight. For this reason, most adjustable wrench kits will feature fewer individual pieces than non-adjustable sets, with each piece being able to grip to a much wider range of fasteners. Better quality adjustable spanner sets feature sturdy self-locking mechanisms that prevent the adjustable portion of the jaw from working itself loose during rotation, which can be a fairly common complaint about less well-made versions of this type of spanner.
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In terms of functionality, flare nut spanners offer a combination of features seen on both ring spanners and standard jaw spanners. They offer almost the same tight-gripping multi-surface contact as a ring spanner, except they feature a cutout portion in the circumference of the head loop - this is usually offset by 15 degrees, making the flare spanner look similar to a jaw-type spanner from a distance.
The cutouts on a flare nut spanner set allow the head to be placed over fasteners that are permanently attached to a hose or tube - this wouldn’t be possible with a full ring head. In sacrificing contact with one of the six sides of a nut, the flare spanner gains the ability to access trickier-to-access fasteners such as brake line fittings and fuel hose nuts.
A flexible spanner, often shortened to flex-head, denotes an additional feature of some ratchet or socket tools that allows for the head of the spanner to swivel through a range of positions and angles. In practical terms, this simply means that a flexible head spanner set can be used to access fasteners in a much wider variety of tricky or confined spaces, because the user can approach the nut from a much broader array of positions.
Widely used in plumbing and automotive settings, any spanner type can have a flexible design, although flex-head ratchet spanner sets and flex-head socket spanner sets are among the more popular product types in this range. It’s also common to find combination spanner sets with flexible heads.
Open-ended spanners are perhaps the archetypal tool type we’re all familiar with - the simple, often one-piece jaw spanner that’s useful in all manner of applications. In this design, two opposing jaws are set in a fixed and open position at varying distances/gauges apart, depending on the size of spanner in question. As a cost-effective utility tool, most open-ended spanner sets will offer a wide range of sizes and gauges in a typical kit. Sizes might range from 4mm to 50mm (5/32" to 2"), and handle lengths can vary enormously, ranging from 10 cm to 50 cm or more.
An insulated spanner set might feature any of a range of head types and additional functions for various intended applications, but what they all have in common is that they’re intended specifically for use with fasteners in electrical components or circuits.
Insulation against electric shock is usually achieved through a plastic or rubber coating applied across the full length of the insulated spanner handle (and sometimes around the head itself). Open-ended spanners are the most common type found in fully insulated spanner sets, and quality tools marked with the ‘VDE’ stamp have been certified in line with European safety standards for safe use on live wires up to V (A/C).
Jesse Crosse started as a motoring hack in , was launch editor of Performance Car magazine and signed up an unheard writer called Jeremy Clarkson. He now writes about automotive technology, and spends his time restoring a pair of fast Fords, a GT390 Mustang fastback, and the same Ford Sierra Cosworth long-term test car he ran while editor of Performance Car. Here he shares tech tips for the have-a-go DIY car enthusiast.
A term you hear a lot in car chat is “spannering,” slang for working on a car. It’s a funny one because you’ll need a few more things in the tool box than a decent set of spanners – or wrench to our American friends – but it’s a good place to start. Browse online or walk into your favourite high street tool retailer and the choices can be bewildering. So here’s a whistle stop tour on what kinds of spanners there are and the differences you should know about before getting set to build up your tool chest, roll up your sleeves and work on your car or motorbike.
First of all, spanners are based on different thread types and while in the UK threads used on cars are now metric, it hasn’t always been that way. Although Continental Europe has always used metric sizes, metric didn’t become the standard in Britain until the s, after the British Standards Institution recommended that British industry switch to International Standards Organisation (ISO) metric thread.
Metric spanners are fairly straightforward to understand in that the size given on the spanner, say 13mm, refers to the distance in millimetres across the flat-sided surfaces of a nut or bolt head. The same is true of Imperial “AF”, found on American classics and UK cars built after . AF is short for “across the flats” and again, it’s a literal measurement so if the spanner is marked 1/2 then it means the distance across the flats of the nut or bolt it fits is 1/2 an inch.
With older British classics it gets a little more complicated because you will encounter BSF (British Standard Fine) and BSW (British Standard Whitworth) threads which have nut and bolt head sizes corresponding to the diameter of the thread rather than the distance across the flats. This means that if the size stamped on a spanner is 1/8th BSW, the distance between the flats of the spanner won’t be 1/8th of an inch.
Sounds confusing but it isn’t a problem because the best advice if working on older classics like pre or post-war MGs for example, is to buy a set of BSF and BSW spanners. They’re easy enough to find online from specialist tool suppliers, including King Dick Tools, although high street retailers are likely to sell only metric spanners, while socket sets usually contain both Imperial AF and metric sizes. Some dimensions are close from system to system (like 13mm and 1/2 inch for example) but not exact. Take care when tempted to use a substitute because a loose fit can all too easily round off a stubborn nut or bolt.
So much for the sizes then, but what about the different types of spanners? The most basic is the open-ended, so-called because the jaws are shaped like a letter “C”. Each end of an open-ended spanner are of a consecutive size, so an AF spanner may be 1/2-inch on one end and 9/16th-inch on the other, or 1/2 inch and 7/16th and so on. Open ended are the most basic spanner and often the easiest to get into tighter spaces.
Ring spanners are just that. Instead of two flats, the spanner head is closed in a circle, its inside face resembling a kind of female gear which grips the angled edges of a nut or bolt head, rather than the flats. Ideally, pick up a ring spanner in preference to open-ended because there’s little chance of rounding off the edges of a tight nut or bolt. They can also be positioned on the nut or bolt at a greater number of angles which can be handy in tight spaces. The head of a ring spanner can be bulkier than an open-ended though, and because it makes a full circle, it’s sometimes a squeeze to get one onto a nut or bolt positioned close to another object. A tip is to buy good quality ring spanners because they generally have the thinnest possible walls while still being strong.
Combination spanners are the most common type found in sets and have an open end and a ring end, both of the same size. Ratchet spanners are ring spanners comprising a ring within a ring, the inner part rotating in one direction and not the other, so the spanner is used like the ratchet wrench of a socket set. They’re very useful but like a ring spanner, better quality examples have slimmer components which again, helps when space is tight.
Sockets do the same job as a ring spanner, work in the same way but are even more secure. A good set will have different size square drive heads always measured in imperial sizes so a typical socket set will have 1/2-inch, 1/4-inch and 3/8–inch sizes, with correspondingly-sized sockets and wrenches for larger or smaller jobs.
Finally, let’s not forget the adjustable spanner. Adjustables are less rigid than forged or ratchet spanners and don’t give as firm a grip on the flats, but they can be invaluable as a fall back and a couple of sizes in the tool box are well worth having.
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