A lot of tool lovers across the world might be missing a headache-saving tool without even realizing it. They’re called stubby wrenches and they’re one of the best everyday tools, especially if you work in cramped spaces.
What Is a Stubby Wrench?
Imagine a traditional combination style wrench that has been shrunk, and you get a stubby wrench. Stubby wrenches have an open-end on one side and a box end on the other. This allows you to choose between two functions with a single tool, just as with a traditional wrench.
The biggest differentiator for this tool is the overall size. Stubby wrenches are a lot more compact than their traditional counterparts because their middle handle is a lot shorter. Still, there’s plenty of room to grab and get a comfortable grip.
The shorter overall size also reduces the weight of each stubby wrench. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you’re carrying around 14 different wrenches, the weight difference is noticeable. A stubby wrench also takes up less space in your toolbox.
What Does a Stubby Wrench Do?
Thanks to the XT90 tooth pattern on its box end, a stubby wrench can do a lot more than you might think. You can tighten and loosen bolts easily — even rounded or stripped bolt heads can be tugged loose with a stubby.
You might find yourself in a situation where a regular wrench can only perform a quarter of a turn around a bolt. This is time-consuming and frustrating. It usually entails a lot of reseating the head of the wrench and cursing under your breath.
A stubby wrench in the same situation might be able to do a full rotation, saving you a ton of time.
This time-saving feature adds up when you’re working on an assembly with plenty of similarly-constrained bolts. Do yourself a favor and grab a smaller-profile wrench that can do everything your standard one can.
The Perfect Tool for a Mechanic
A lot of mechanics have reached out in the past and praised our tools. They refuse to work on a car or truck without a set of stubby wrenches. A good set includes a range of different sizes in both metric and SAE. With it, you’ll always have the right nominally-sized tool for the job. A convenient carrying case is just another selling point.
Stubby wrench sets that can offer these traits are few and far between. If you get your hands on a good set, you’ll hesitate to reach for your standard combination wrenches in most situations.
Stubbies are there for you when you’re elbow-deep in a hood and in the middle of a project. No one wants to stop what they’re doing and rifle through their toolbox for another option when the first tool doesn’t get the job done.
Forget a Disassembly — Just to Get to a Bolt
Have you ever been in a situation where you have to take off one part just to reach bolts beneath it that aren’t even connected to it? This is just extra hassle for no reason.
With a stubby wrench, you might be able to squeeze the wrench onto that second part without the aggravating disassembly of the first component. Thanks to the low profile and surprisingly big bite of a stubby wrench, you can get into a cramped area and loosen a stubborn bolt.
A stubby wrench might not offer the same torque as a full-sized traditional wrench, but it still has plenty of power.
Perfect for Stripped Bolts
An open head wrench will do next to nothing on a stripped bolt. It will keep slipping and never seat. This is where the beauty of a stubby wrench shines through. Use the box end and utilize the XT90 grip to make it look easy to remove stripped bolts.
You can also tighten bolts with strength using the same head.
The Material of Construction Really Matters
Not all wrenches are created equal. If you use a stubby wrench with an inferior material of construction, you’ll be in for a bad time. The wrench will underperform. It might even break in certain situations. Nobody likes busted knuckles.
Make sure your wrench set uses premium chrome-molybdenum, aka chrome-moly. This low-weight, high-tensile material is one of the best options. This is especially true for a compact wrench that needs to deliver strength without flexing or failing.
Stamped, Never Embossed or Painted
Slightly raised, embossed lettering on a wrench isn’t a durable solution. Neither is painted lettering. Over time, the text will quickly fade away and you’ll be left with a wrench and no way of quickly knowing what size it is.
Always choose embossed lettering. It should last as long as the tool does.
Choose Capri Tools for the Best Stubby Wrenches
If you’re looking for the best set of stubby wrenches, you can trust Capri Tools. The set includes chrome-molybdenum stubby wrenches with an XT90 box end pattern and embossed lettering. You won’t find a better option for your toolbox.