| A spud wrench is a must-have plumber’s too. In fact, it doesn’t hurt for any home owner venturing into do-it-yourself plumbing projects to have one of these. Spud wrenches are essentially used to loosen and tighten oversized nuts on pipes. They are known for making tough jobs easier with their unique design flexibility. They are often very durable as far as tools go. Spud wrenches are versatile. So much so, that you can also refer to these as adjustable spud wrenches. This means, you can wrap around large slip nuts of varying sizes with one tool. Professionals will usually have a few different sizes of spud wrenches. Let’s take a brief look at some of the common profiles and uses of a spud wrenches around the house.
Spud wrench types
As previously mentioned, spud wrenches are sturdy tools. They have always been constructed of allow steel. Spud wrench jaws need to be strong for loosening stubborn nuts. Since plumbers use these in tight spaces, they need all the torch help they can get! In the past, open-ended spud wrenches came in one size only. It was typical to have a whole set of spud wrenches. As things evolved, adjustable spud wrenches became the norm. The adjustment is usually performed by turning a dial to open or close the jaws. This is not unlike a crescent wrench in these cases. More professional spud wrenches possess a small gear, which when turned, slides the shank of one end of the jaws up or down. This changes the position to either increase or decrease the space between the jaws. Spud wrench jaws are most often smooth in finish since their most useful application involve smooth hexagonal nut sides.
Spud Wrench Uses
Here are some common applications in which a spud wrench can be used. If you’re not familiar with an adjustable spud wrench used by plumbers, then you’ll quickly realize from this list that it is quite handy. Whether you’re repairing, removing, or installing a plumbing appliance such as a toilet or radiator, you’ll be glad you have one of these instead of a regular wrench!
- Use a spud wrench to turn the slip nuts on a “P” trap under a sink
- Removing the spud on a floor radiator. For example a 2″ or 3″ spud wrench is used to “back out” a spud of an old radiator. This can be difficult depending on how long it’s been since the spud was removed.
- Loosening or tightening down a spud nut on a toilet (water closet). This is the pipe that joins the tank and the base.
- Installing a water heater. Sometimes, space can be tight in this project, so it’s good to have a spud wrench nearby.
Other names for a Spud Wrench
- Adjustable spud wrench
- Radiator spud wrench
- Closet spud wrench
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14 Jul 2010 - 17:57
[...] tank upside down. Remove the old flush valve simply by unscrewing the nut called a spud nut, with a spud wrench. You can also use a channel pliers. Insert the new flush valve per the instructions of the product [...]