Best tools for working with AN fittings?

I removed the oil pump from my stock car last night and had to disconnect a couple of hoses with AN fittings. It was a somewhat tight space, and since I was using adjustable wrenches I could only get about 1/8th of a turn before having to take the wrench off and reposition, so it took forever. There has to be a better way, and since this is a racecar and it is covered in these hoses, it is definitely in my best interest to find it lol

There a variety of stubby AN wrenches available and they're aluminum so they won't tear up the fittings.   That's the right way to do it. That said, I encounted the same problem and solved it by trimming a few inches off of an extra adjustable wrench, so I have a stubby to get into tight spaces.   Crowsfoot wrenches work, too.

I spent non-trivial money on some AN wrenches that I used once and immediately went back to adjustable wrenches. If i don't want the fitting nicked I put some tape on the jaws first.

The problem is that adjustable wrenches are just kinda bad at being wrenches. They're big, heavy, and they aren't very good at staying the same size if you're moving them around a lot or the worm gear rubs up against something in a tight space. Has anyone tried anything like this?

I have a pair of alum adjustable "AN" wrenches from one of the racing suppliers. Marked for the AN size so you can pre-adjust them to get the right size. They aren't heavy or long and honestly one of the better purchases I've made on special tools.

AMiataCalledSteve said:

The problem is that adjustable wrenches are just kinda bad at being wrenches. They're big, heavy, and they aren't very good at staying the same size if you're moving them around a lot or the worm gear rubs up against something in a tight space. Has anyone tried anything like this?

There's a reason the adjustable wrench quit really evolving after 1891.  For better or worse, it is what it is.

I've got some auto-adjusting ones kinda like that. They're...okay. But I don't use them often which says a lot.

I use regular 'ol wrenches. AN typically is standard fractional sizes unless you're working with the products of a company that's extra proud of their stuff where they make it a weird size so you HAVE to buy their wrenches too. Yeah it might nic the finish but I'd rather have a tight fitting with a nic than a leaky one that's pretty.

Also if you're that worried about the looks you can file/buff the flats on the wrench to minimize any damage they might do to the fitting.

JG Pasterjak said:

I spent non-trivial money on some AN wrenches that I used once and immediately went back to adjustable wrenches. If i don't want the fitting nicked I put some tape on the jaws first.

And here I am (and just so happens, my cousin I discussed the issue with is in the same position) feeling guilty and nervous about using taped-up adjustable wrenches instead of buying the proper AN specialty tools...

AMiataCalledSteve said:

The problem is that adjustable wrenches are just kinda bad at being wrenches. They're big, heavy, and they aren't very good at staying the same size if you're moving them around a lot or the worm gear rubs up against something in a tight space. Has anyone tried anything like this?

The Knipex plierswrench is a great tool (like all of their pliers) but it tends to be bulkier than an adjustable wrench of the same size. 

That said, if it fits it is my go to on AN and JIC connections.

The dedicated AN wrenches work great, aren't that expensive from a place like Summit, and are short specifically cuz you shouldn't need that much torque to get an AN connection to seal.  If it's not sealing and it's reasonably tight, tighter is rarely the answer in my experience.

I gave up on AN wrenches.

I just use normal wrenches and slip a ziploc bag between the wrench and the fitting so I don't damage it.

I use aluminum AN wrenches on other people's race cars but I usually just use regular open end wrenches on mine.