When loosening a nut you will in most cases have to use a spanner. A spanner provides a grip on the nut, so that much more force can be exerted than by hand. When tightening a nut, using the spanner is just as important. Often the bolts must be tightened firmly. This is almost impossible to do by hand due to the lack of grip. If you like to work on the car, spanners are indispensable in the workshop. Because the size and head of the nuts can vary quite a bit, there are many different types of wrenches. We will explain the different types for you below.
Types of spanners
Open-ended spanners have an open jaw on one side or on both sides, which can be slid around the bolt or nut. Another variation of the open-ended spanner is the ring spanner. This tool has an open jaw on one side and a closed ring on the other. This ring shape can only be used when the spanner can be slid over the nut head.
We also see this ring shape with the box-ended wrench. This tool has a ring shape on both ends. The inside of these rings often has six or 12 teeth, which means that this wrench has a lot of grip on the bolt or nut. The ring shape fits well around the six corners of the nut. This ensures that a lot of force can be exerted.
A T-handle owes its name to the T-shape. The T-spanner has a handle that makes it easy to operate. The T-handle is often made for Allen-shaped connections.
With a L-key, the spanner is not placed over or around the nut, but is placed in the cavity of the nut head. These spanners are available individually or in a set.
A torque wrench is set to a specific torque. This ensures that when a bolt or nut is tightened, the torque wrench stops applying force at the set torque. This prevents the bolt or nut from tearing or breaking.
Screwed-on oil filters can be easily loosened with an oil filter wrench. Oil filters can become quite stuck over time and will then be difficult to remove. However, with an oil filter wrench this is already made a lot easier.
There is also a special wrench for loosening or installing the spark plugs. The spark plug wrench has a cap which is made for inserting or removing the spark plug in the engine block.
A socket wrench is a wrench that can be placed around the bolt or nut. When you are going to use a socket wrench, it is important to also purchase the correct socket set. This way you always have the right cap size at your disposal and you can loosen every nut!
Buy spanners
Buying workshop spanners is quick and easy at Winparts. Navigate easily to the right category and select the desired spanner via the filters! In addition to these hand tools, we also sell screwdrivers, bits, ratchets, saws and hammers & chisels. Of course you can also contact us for power tools and measuring tools!