Your Cart

Free Shipping with Orders $50 or More!

Buy Now, Pay Later with Affirm + Katapult

Call us toll free: (888) 723-0550

All You Need to Know About Angled Combination Wrenches

Your toolbox wouldn’t be complete without a nice set of wrenches. These tools perform the same function as ratchets and sockets, which is to easily tighten and loosen fasteners. But depending on the situation, wrenches can make your life much easier than their counterparts can. For example, you could use a box-end wrench to loosen a stuck bolt without risking the damage a ratchet could do or an open-end wrench when you don’t have enough room to use a socket. But what if you could have the best of both worlds using a single wrench? Here’s all you need to know about angled combination wrenches and why you might need them when working on your car — or somebody else’s.

What Is an Angled Combination Wrench?

As the name suggests, a combination wrench mixes both a box-ended wrench (a closed, 12-point end) and an open-ended wrench (a two-sided U or V-shaped end). In other words, this tool is typically open-ended at one side while having a closed loop at the other, both of the same size. Combination wrenches are perfect for unfastening nuts and bolts with the box-end and then separating them quickly using the open-end wrench side. They come in particularly handy when you’re working on your vehicle and allow you to handle things quickly with one tool — switching between ends — rather than requiring two separate wrenches. 

The Anatomy of an Angled Combination Wrench

Combination wrenches are identified by size. The number of the wrench is defined by the distance between the jaws on the open end. These should match the distance between parallel flats on the head of the fastener you’re trying to loosen or tighten. However, suppose you’re working with a less expensive tool. In that situation, you may find that the open end of the wrench might be sized up, which is something you should definitely check before purchasing to avoid unnecessary trouble while working. 

Wrench size is directly related to the length of the tool. Bear in mind that the bigger the fastener, the bigger torque requirements it has, so using a longer tool will offer you more leverage. Although smaller wrenches do reduce the force your arm needs to exert to get things done. That’s because smaller fasteners can bear less torque; hence, they require less leverage. Purchasing a wrench set that contains several sizes will offer you an effective solution for every type of automotive project. 

Unlike double-open or double-box wrenches, which are rarely set up with the same size at both ends, combination wrenches will allow you to spin and access the same fastener with both sides. This is because the open end allows no offset when accessing the hex head of the fastener and only grips two flats, while the box end, with some vertical clearance, grips the fastener on more faces and allows greater torque application on the same fastener.

Why Do You Need an Angled Combination Wrench?

The box end of the wrench grabs the fastener more positively. It generally has a 15-degree offset that’s helpful for additional clearance. If there was no offset, you’d probably hurt your knuckles as you work your way with bolts and nuts. So it’s all about making it more comfortable to use. In contrast, the open end of the wrench usually has no offset angle. That’s why this side of the tool is not used much when there’s not enough clearance in the fastener’s axis plane. In this case, the offset is a 15-degree angle in the opening of the jaws relative to the beam’s position. 

Flipping the wrench over with each turn is what allows the two-jaw open to tighten or loosen a fastener. This 15-degree positive offset of the open-ended side turns into a negative one if you flip your wrench by 30 degrees. Each flat on the hex can move up to 60 degrees before the next flat reaches the same position, but if the offset in your wrench was at all different, the fastener could get stuck.

Wrenches come in all shapes and sizes for different applications, and choosing the right one for your projects involves a lot more than just matching the perfect measurements. It all depends on the type of fastener you’re trying to loosen or tighten, how it’s designed, and where it’s located. In some cases, sets can come with a 30 or 60 degree angled wrench head instead of the traditional 15-degree offset to allow you to work around obstructions much faster. Angled heads are great for turning fasteners progressively when dealing with confined spaces and tight spots.

V-Notch vs. U-Notch: What’s the Best Angled Combination Wrench?

As mentioned above, an angled open-end wrench can come in two different shapes: V-notch and U-notch. While both configurations are helpful, you might benefit more from using a V-notch open-end wrench, especially if you want to prevent rounded nuts and bolts. These typically happen as the result of trying to remove them using the wrong wrench, which could smooth out the corners as pieces of metal are stripped away.

You’ll recognize an open-ended angled head wrench with a V-notch for the sharp corner in the base of the jaw. This V-notch has more contact points, which helps the hex stay in place while you’re holding and rotating it with your wrench. With a more solid grip, you’re better able to control the turns, thus preventing you from over-tightening and rounding your fasteners. 

The Bottom Line

Why get an open-end wrench and a box-ended one when you can have the power of both in a single tool? Combination wrenches will save you time, effort, and money, and allow you to work more efficiently on pretty much any kind of automotive project you can think of. Using an angled combination wrench is the fastest route to getting those nuts and bolts in and out of small, hard-to-reach spaces. Moreover, finding the appropriate size will help you use the necessary amount of force without busting anything. If you’re looking to purchase a good wrench set or any other tool you need, visit our site and take a look at our catalog. 

Free Shipping

With orders $50 or more!

Lifetime Warranty

Lifetime Warranty on Hand Tools

Lease to Own Options

Approved for up to $3,000!

Membership Program

Earn Points & Redeem Towards Purchases