This is very handy when low torque and tight clearance are the main factors on which you are working. This is best for adjusting lever and some disc brake levers. The most common size used in the market is 1.5-5mm. Ball Hex Sets A ball end Allen key set is also an increasingly popular choice for both professional and hobbyist users alike, and with good reason - ball end hex wrenches (sometimes known as ball end hex keys, or ball point hex keys) offer a far greater degree of versatility and flexibility in terms of access to smaller spaces. They achieve this by dramatically increasing the range of positions the user can stand in relative to the fastener they’re working on at the time. Although there’s always some potential for confusion wherever two different terms are used for the same item, in this case it’s pretty straightforward - to all practical intents and purposes, hex keys/wrenches and Allen keys are indeed essentially the same thing. So why do we even have two widely used names for one very simple type of hand tool? Would this be one of the copper crunch washers ? I have successfully reused these in the past – as a last resort... Years, and years ago ... Hex keys have a number of important characteristics that make them particularly well suited to the straightforward, user-friendly fastening role that has made them so popular among operators of all experience levels. These include the fact that hex keys:

Hex key sets with T-handles are especially popular with mechanics and automobile enthusiasts, thanks in part to the fact that the T-handle Allen wrench offers certain user luxuries that standard hex keys don’t. Using them is remarkably simple - you just insert one end of the driver into the recessed hexagonal fastener head, and apply torque at the other end to turn it. Typically, you’d use the shorter of the hex key’s two shanks as the handle, giving the tool a longer reach and increased manoeuvrability in smaller spaces. However, the longer shank can also be used as the ‘handle’ when more torque is required, provided the work area allows enough room to turn a longer-handled tool in. Im trying to take the engine oil plug off so i can drain and change the oil. As usual with anything french the bolt is completely round with an 8mm square hole in the middle. The registered Allen key name originated in the US sometime around 1910, when the the Allen Manufacturing Company based in Connecticut first secured the trademark.

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These wrench sets are distinctive from other Hex sets available in the market. They have ball molded head at tight edges, where L-formed wrenches can’t exactly reach. Key Ring Sets A torque wrench is an important part of any workshop, especially when working with delicate components. But it is definitely not a replacement for Hex wrench. Allen Screwdriver Cars and Motorcycles– You would need an Allen key set for the proper maintenance of your car. Allen keys are helpful while accessing the areas under the seat, and places under the dash like behind the glove compartment. T-handle Hex wrenches are recommended for cars and motorcycles repair. Are typically double-ended, thus offering a ‘spare’ hex driver in case of damage or rounding to one end of the tool

While these manufacturer specifications should always be your first port of call when choosing a hex wrench product for a particular job, there is a good degree of standardisation across the full range of available Allen keys and their similar variants from other countries of origin. Submersible Pumps - Fountain & Pond Miscellaneous and Transfer Pumps Pump Accessories Pump Controllers & Switches Hose Hose Clips Couplers, Valves & Filters Washdown Pump Kits Furniture Repairs– Allen screws are an essential piece of hardware for securing furniture at its place. It allows assembling the furniture without adding any unnecessary bulk pieces. Their compact design makes them discrete in appearance and strong in fastening. Since furniture pieces can have tight spaces and require long reach, you can use a set of long arm Hex keys. These are mostly loved by bicyclists and motorbike riders. Unlike other Allen keys, it is nearly impossible to lose a folding Hex wrench, as they are enclosed in the handle. They are normally folded out at 90 degrees from the storage handle to give maximum torque. Ratcheting Drivers Also in their stupidity they have decided to use a one time use sump plug washer that crushes when tightened. So i need one of those also when i undo the sump plug because i cant reuse it.These types of Allen keys can be seen in lots of professional workshops. These are oversized L-wrench with a comfortable grip that gives them similar benefits as of a T-handle. Folding Hex Key Also in their stupidity they have decided to use a one time use sump plug washer that crushes when tightened. Allen keys are exactly the same as hex keys. Both names can be used interchangeably to describe this handheld tool. The term “Allen key” derives from the Allen brand name of Allen Manufacturing Company, the original producers of hex keys or hexagonal wrenches to fasten hexagonal set screws. 1910 Advertisement for Allen Manufacturing Safety Set Screws.