Best Overall
Ridgid StrapLock Pipe Handle
Best Bang For The Buck
Titan 12-Inch Strap Wrench
Best for Oil Filters
Pennzoil Strap Wrench Set
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shoulder strap wrenches , sometimes called band wrenches , are a blessing for removing twist - on connectors that have eat or stubborn petroleum filters . We researched over two dozen strap wrenches , selected several as top performer , and prove three in our garages and workshops . While they all did a good job , we found a favored — theRidgid StrapLock , thanks to its two - part handle that fasten a natural rubber shoulder strap for twisting and lifting .
The best resolution for hard - to - bump off fittings and filter is often a shoulder strap wrench , and professional plumber and mechanics unremarkably have one or two with them at all times . This shaft gives you all the leveraging you require to deform connection and cylinder without damage them .
Keep reading for tips on selecting the right wrench and to find out how the following example earned a spot on our lineup of the best shoulder strap wrenches for everyday situation .
Our paygrade : Ease of Use5/5;Performance4.8/5 ; Durability4.8/5 ; Value4.8/5
The Ridgid StrapLock heavy - duty strap pull come with a two - part contoured plastic handle that fits along the curving side of a pipe to stabilize the wrench for twisting or lifting ormovinglarge pipes and cylinders . It also has a long 31 - in rubber strap that render superior traction in our examination .
Ridgid strap wrenches are well construct , and once we dominate this tool , it was easy to utilize . We positioned the larger handle along the pipe ’s bender , envelop the rubber strap around the pipe , and then snap the small division of the handle in blank space to fasten the strap on the pipe . When locked together , the two sections serve as a heavy - duty handgrip , which we used to twist and lift the pipes .
The rubber shoulder strap did n’t slew or deflower the pipe ’s surface . While we only tested it on PVC and rough steel , it would be a upright selection for chrome or stainless steel pipes you would n’t want to scratch .
The Ridgid strap wrench pecker is designed for bombastic pipes , from 3 to 8 inches in diameter . If you necessitate to tighten up smaller plumbery tobacco pipe , you ’ll need a dissimilar model . But for sizable pipes , we retrieve this is one of the best choices on the market place .
Get the Ridgid shoulder strap pull atThe Home Depot .
Our valuation : Ease of Use5/5;Performance4.5/5 ; Durability4/5 ; Value5/5
Those looking for durability and versatility in an affordable shoulder strap wrench penury look no further than the Titan strap wrench . It feature a 12 - in handle made from polished aluminum for durability and weighs only 11.2 ounces . We found it simple to use and lightweight enough not to make hand and wrist joint fatigue .
Photo: Glenda Taylor For Bob Vila
The strap is made from double - waver polypropylene for strength , and we tested it on 2- and 5 - in pipes . We did n’t have 9 - inch tobacco pipe to quiz it on , but the strap is long enough to handle pipes of that size of it . The polypropene strap did n’t scratch the pipes , but we experienced a trivial slippage when we applied a lot of turn military group to 2 - column inch untainted steel tube . It did n’t skid at all on big pipes .
It works by wrapping the strap around the pipe and then thread it through the handgrip . When the strap is tightened and twirl force is put on , the Titan wrench clamp steadfastly on the pipe for leveraging .
Get the Titan strap wrench atAmazonorWalmart .
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila
Our Ratings : Ease of Use5/5;Performance4/5 ; Durability3.5/5 ; Value4/5
This Seth of two Pennzoil shoulder strap twist take in removing old oil filter and tightening newfangled unity well-situated . We test both wrench on large and small crude filter on our vehicles and ride mowers , and they gave us the leveraging we call for to loosen and tighten the filters .
We also tried them out on pipe fittings , but we experience some stretching of the rubber straps when applying potent twisting press to the pipes . Keep in intellect that an oil filter wrench is not designed for plumbery but rather for use in removing and installing oil filters .
Photo: The Home Depot
We also judge out the modest of the two twist for open tight shock palpebra , and it worked like a charm . It exercise so well that we think we ’ll store the minuscule wrench in a kitchen draftsman , so it ’s ready to hand for just such a purpose . If you ’re looking for a shoulder strap wrench for heavy - duty plumbing , this is n’t the one . But , if you want redundant twisting personnel in a prophylactic oil filter twist , it ’s a gravid choice .
Get the Pennzoil shoulder strap spanner define atAmazon , Walmart , orSears .
Other Great Options
While we did n’t test the following shoulder strap wrenches , we chose them for inclusion body in this lineup because they met our gamy standards and charge per unit extremely with users . Consider one of these if you ’re still looking for a strap pull .
Best for Large Pipes
Boa Constrictor Aluminum Strap Wrench
The Boa Constrictor aluminium strap wrench reserve you to grasp large pipes and other cylinder up to 12 inch in diameter firm . We like its industrial - long suit galosh strap , which should n’t slip on any type of pipework or filter , including plastic , metal , or chrome .
The 12 - inch heavy - duty admixture handle features a nonslip PVC coat for a well-fixed hand feel , and the strap twist comes with a thumbscrew for making the strap snug before applying torture pressure to the pipe or other objective . weigh in at just 4 ounces , we consider the Boa strap wrench would be easy to carry in a creature smash and would n’t direct to hand or articulatio radiocarpea tiredness .
Get the Boa shoulder strap wrench atAmazonorLowe ’s .
Photo: Amazon
Best for Tight Spots
Craftsman 2-Piece Rubber Strap Wrench Set
We ’re fans of Craftsman products , and we like the feel of this solidifying . With a handle length of just 3.5 inch , the smaller of these two Craftsman rubber strap twist is just the right sizing for give into tight spots where a larger strap wrench just wo n’t fit . The wrench comes with a cushioned charge card handle to abridge hand fatigue duty , and it features a reinforce caoutchouc shoulder strap that offer a nonslip grip on pipes and other cylinders up to 4.5 inches in diam . We think it ’d be the pure small strap pull for oil filters on bike or riding mowers and heavyset enough to keep in a kitchen draftsman for loosening jar lids .
The gravid strap wrench has a 5 - inch handle and accommodates cylinder up to 6.5 in in diam . We ’d store this one in our service department tool chest for role on vehicle filters .
Get the Craftsman shoulder strap wrench set atAmazon , Sears , orWalmart .
Photo: Amazon
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Tested the Best Strap Wrenches
We explore more than 24 shoulder strap wrenches before choosing the ones we wanted to include in this card and to test personally . shoulder strap wrenches are among the simplest ofhandtoolsand they ’re relatively inexpensive — even the good ones — so we look intimately at consumer reviews and analyse each mannikin ’s intention and materials . We moot the brands to an extent ; manufacturer like Ridgid and Craftsman are extremely well-thought-of in the pecker industry . Still , we did n’t automatically exclude strap twist from niche trade name if they met our touchstone .
In literal examination , we used the strap wrenches to tighten and loose pipe fittings and as oil filter shoulder strap wrenches . We also tried a few to see how well they ’d loosen unregenerate jar lid . We present points based on a rubric . The good a strap wrench do on a trial or judgment , the higher the points . After testing , we averaged the points to set our best overall pick and to categorize the other wrenches to their best use .
What to Consider When Choosinga Strap Wrench
Strap wrench are notcomplex shaft , but a few key features make some effective than others for specific situations . The difference are relatively insidious and admit attributes such as size , character , and how the strap countenance the drug user to gain leverage . However , all types of shoulder strap twist work in a similar personal manner .
Size
The most essential ingredient to consider when shopping for a strap wrench is to insure it ’s the right size for the connexion that need loosening . Strap wrenches are labeled as to the minimum and maximum diameters of the differenttypes of pipesthey will agree . Most are versatile and will fit a change of size . These measurements are often found in the tool ’s description and can also be found print on the strap .
The maximum pipework diameter the shoulder strap wrench will accommodate may be list as its “ capacity , ” such as “ 5 - inch electrical capacity . ” In the elaborated itemization , the minimal diam may also appear ( but not always ) , indicate the small pipe diameter the pull can spellbind securely .
Handle
The handle on a piping shoulder strap wrench should be comfortable to transfix and should not slip when the user exerts torque pressing . The stuff used for strap wrench handles include alloy ( often aluminum ) , mold plastic , and sometimes Sir Henry Joseph Wood . Some of the newer plumbing system strap wrench handles come with an ergonomic design and a padded , nonslip grip , but many are just neat bar handles , intended for gripping by a user wearing baseball glove .
In cosmopolitan , a longer handgrip allows the drug user to exert more military force with less effort , but when working in pissed topographic point , such as under a sink , a shorter grip may be required . Strap wrenches issue forth with grip that vary in length from around 4 inches up to 15 inch or long .
Strap Material
The shoulder strap on the wrench is available in various cloth option , including steel , Al , rubber , or charge card .
Weight
For those who will be using a shoulder strap pull overhead , a lightweight puppet is worthy . Typically , shoulder strap wrench average in free weight from a twain of snow leopard to a few pounds , look on the tool ’s intended use of goods and services .
A strap wrench that weighs 1 pound or less will be the least probable to result in arm and hand fatigue for most users when performing around - the - houseplumbing repairs . Strap wrench that weigh more than 2 pounds are usually relegated to industrial use , where a worker call for to dispatch a sizeable threaded pipe or connection . For those who are undecided on the best weighting , err on the side of caution and go with a lighter - system of weights strap wrench .
Maintenance
Most strap wrench expect very small , if any , maintenance — and they do n’t command calibration like digital torque spanner do . However , if the putz has metal part , it could corrode or corrode if left outside or used in damp berth . Most strap spanner can be clean with scoop and water and then dried with a soft , blank cloth before stack away . nullify using a chemic cleaner on strap wrenches with soft cushioned hairgrip , which could put down from link with the chemical .
When possible , store shoulder strap wrenches with steel or aluminum strap in an upright perspective , rather than tossing them in a drawer or atool boxto keep the strap from becoming dead set or warped .
Some high - quality strap wrenches come with the ability to change out an old strap with a fresh one . The switch strap can be found in home improvement stores or online from the manufacturer ’s website .
Photo: Amazon
FAQs
Still have doubtfulness about strap twist and which one is best for your indigence ? Read on for answer to the most unremarkably asked query about these tools .
Plumbers often carry one or more strap wrenches in theirplumbing toolcollection for loosening and stiffen pipe fittings . The wrenches have a flexible strap that fit around a tube or cylindrical connector — gripping it tightly — so the pipe fitter can twist it loose using a handle .
minimal pipe sizing varies from putz to tool , but some strap twist can be used on tube as minuscule as 1 column inch in diameter .
Photo: Amazon
twine the strap around the tobacco pipe , connexion , or piston chamber you desire to twist loose , and then exert pressure sensation on the twist ’s handle to circumvolve the detail . Only shtup - type connectors can be tease apart with a shoulder strap wrench — weld connection require cutting to bump off .
Use only a shoulder strap wrench that ’s suitable for the size of pipe you ’re prove to wrench and tighten the shoulder strap snugly before attempt to turn the pipework .
When it do to plumbery , in addition to a shoulder strap twist , essential instrument include a pipe twist , catchment basin wrench , spit - and - channel pliers , plumber ’s tape , plunger , and a torch ( for weld cop connections ) .
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila
Adjust the shoulder strap to verify it ’s fuddled enough on the cylinder , and keep the cock clean for the best grip . You might also require to try a grasp enhancer such asgrip tapeor a rubber clench tablet if your hand is slipping .
Both have pros and cons . Rubber straps are often better for heavy - duty or greasy job , while silicone holds up better to high temps and chemicals . Rubber straps are more vernacular and lean to slip less , while silicone straps can be prone to stretching but are better in delicate office .
There is a range of sizes , from inadequate strap around 10 inches for use on small - diameter organ pipe to strap length that exceed 36 inches , which are better suited to declamatory pipes and industrial tasks . Likewise , handles deviate from a compact 4 to 6 inches to 18 inches on large shoulder strap wrenches .
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila
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