How to remove a stuck, rusty or damaged flare nut or line nut.

In this Live video: I am showing my go-to method for removing seized flare nuts commonly found on brake and fuel lines. I’m demonstrating on a 1984 Corvette C4 throttle body fuel line.
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Keep Wrenching,
Shane Conley
Instructor/Motivator/Motorcyclist

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[timferguson]

I've had great luck by starting to spray the lines 2 weeks ahead of time and keep them wet for a few days before hand. Then use the correct tools and stop applying force if it doesn't turn with the wrench. Trying several wrenches can yield a tighter fit. Also my dad had great success by putting vice grips on flare wrenches, squeezing them together to clamp the nut. You may have to grind some flats on the wrench. This worked great on soft nuts and fittings that were already damaged.

[FireEater]

I only use my Crowsfoot when I have no room to fit anything else completely forgot about using them on a brake line fittings work 10 times better than a line wrench much appreciated. 👍🏼

[MrCROBosanceros]

Before attempting to adjust the clutch pedal on my 2006 Corolla for the first time, I took the advice of other YouTubers to get the best tool for stubborn nut.
I got me two Snapon Flank Drive Flare Nut wrenches. Considering how many times I'll be using them, they are expensive but there is no comparison between Snapon and Chinese ones from my local store.

[briang]

Flare wrenches or line wrenches almost never work as good as advertised, in my experience 9 times out of 10 you will strip the flare nut if you use a line wrench, they work ok if the nut is not very tight but in most cases the nut is severely rusted and really tight and when you put torque on the line wrench the opening on the wrench will expand and then you will round the edges on the nut, sometimes if there's enough room you lock the end shut tighter with a pair of vice grips but in most situations there's physically not enough room, personally I don't even bother with line wrenches anymore, I have tried multiple brands from the cheap stuff from home Depot to the premium brands like snap-on and MAC tools, all of them are junk, my motto with flare fitting is that if I can't get them loose with a regular wrench, just cut your losses and get the fitting out by any means necessary, cut the line and use a socket or use vice grips and then build or buy a new line and start over, I have wasted so much time trying to save old brake and fuel lines and end up destroying them in the end and having to build a new one anyway. If it's something really rare or irreplaceable then yes try by all means to remove delicately but for 99% of jobs just get after it and don't worry about saving everything just get it done.

[motoman]

Great tip we also in the shop working on our toro dingo, s on the steel hydraulic lines we use a air hammer. You put the bit on the edge of the flare nut in the direction it will loosen. And very lightly just burp the trigger. Never had it not work.

[Limeayy]

I never would of thought to use a what is that? a 3/8" extension on the flare crow foot with a impact. Thats good stuff. Thanks Shane, i love your videos.

[thomhill]

Thanks for the tips. I cut the rubber brake line, drained the fluid and hit it with some MAP GAS. Wow it Worked great. Careful guys, be sure to get that fluid outa there first.

[jeffreygleaves]

Hey, you saved my butt with this one! I was about to run to town to buy flair wrenches when you pulled out the crows foot. I remembered I had bought a set of crow foot heads years ago and they worked like a charm on a big headache. I owe ya for that tip.

[cliffordalexo]

Great, The crow's foot tool was amazing . Thanks .

[johneverett]

Thanks the " crow foot" show was amazing idea and it worked on my problem: with my arounded power line issue

[frugalprepper]

Hats actually a really good idea I never though of. You can shake it loose without the round it off effect had tooling it seem to have. And a lot easier than beating on my flare wrench with a hammer. Thanks!

[alangaudry]

I use a small butane heat torch. I heat up the area with the
blue flame. Then spray a little Airkroil on it after I turn the torch off (Great on rusted flare nuts ) auto brake lines. Keep can away Frome flame.

[human_error]

This is really helpful thanks! I have a stuck flared nut right underneath the plastic brake fluid reservoir and I can’t use heat. I might try this way instead

[stever]

Shane--Great video.  As a DIYer, I'd be hesitant about using an impact wrench to break that flare nut loose.  There's a chance of over-torqueing it and turning the fuel line into a pretzel.  However, did you try hand wrenches earlier and get nowhere with them, then turned to this option for results?   I can see where, if it's really stuck, you'd round off one (or both) nuts trying to remove them manually, so the impact makes sense.

[aleininger]

I have the same 3/8ths impact. Still works great after 17 yrs of service.

[angelonicassio]

Great reminders and new tips! I won’t buy crow’s foot wrenches this time on this project but I will take your idea and hit my regular flare nut wrench with the impact gun for added energy...

[BrewCityRider]

Nice! I've had those Neiko impact rated flare nut crows feet in my Amazon wish list for awhile. I currently only have the regular crows feet (non-flare, ) which have their uses too.

[smiley]

Awesome, your videos are so useful and get us all thinking!!! 😎

[thehvachacker]

I just redid all the brake lines on my chevy astro cause one rotted and burst. I sprayed them up with liquid wrench and used a standard wrench for added leverage. I replaced all the lines using both a line and flare wrench. Didn't slip or round any. What is your opinion on spraying the flare with liquid wrench letting it soak then breaking them free? I like the crowfoot impact way you broke it free.

[boltonky]

Good points, the ones i hate are brazed flare fittings that connect to like an AN style fitting that is meant to allow the flexi line to spin off (as your either breaking the flexi line or more likley the hardline that is non replaceable and you still need to get the fittings off)