Why dont they make #16 metric line wrenches

[jameswaters]

Every GM truck made in the late 80s and early 90s (and possibly others) seems to have #16 metric fuel line fittings. I have a set of SAE line wrenches, and some of the smaller metric sizes. I am barely able to hammer on a 5/8 SAE wrench (which I tried on a junked line). That told me it was a metric #16. I tried a #16 open end wrench and it fits perfectly. However, on any lines, I try to use line wrenches to avoid stripping them. I decided to add another line wrench to my tool box, and found they do NOT sell #16 line wrenches. I went to True Value hardware, Tractor Supply, NAPA, O'Reillys Auto, and CarQuest. Of the stores that do sell any line wrenches. All of them were #15 on one end and #17 on the other end of the same wrench. No one has a #16. WTF???? All these GM vehicles use that size and no one sells the wrenches..... Has anyone on here ever found one? Where?

Thanks

JW

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

I'm not familiar with the term 'line wrench' - but is this what you want?

They have a 14/17 & a 14/16 Jim

[dpb]

...

Most anywhere, I'd think...

Google returns roughly 10000 hits for "16mm flare nut wrench" including Sears, S-K, a number of Amazon associates, ...

--

[Doug Miller]

16mm is less than five thousandths of an inch larger than 5/8". In forty years of doing my own maintenance on domestic and imported cars and bicycles, I have *never once* encountered a 16mm nut that I couldn't fit a 5/8" wrench on.

FWIW, though, if you Google using the correct term -- "flare nut wrench", not "line wrench" -- you won't have any trouble finding one.

[N8N]

IME, you'd be wrong.

yes, but if the OP was trying to find them in a brick and mortar store, he was likely disappointed. Even Sears doesn't seem to *stock* any metric line wrenches at all in my area, so he's likely going to have to order them over the interwebs.

nate

[LSMFT]

Most places that sell individual tools. I had to buy a 15mm separate for bicycle hub nuts. My set didn't have 15 or 16.

[jameswaters]

I agree after going to 5 stores and 3 of them being auto parts stores.

I suppose there are places online to order them, but why should anyone have to order a simple wrench online? First off, when I work on a vehicle, I need the tool NOW, not 10 days later when it arrives in the mail. Granted, if it was a specialty tool, I would not expect every parts house or hardwarte store to stock it, but this is a simple line wrench, or flare nut wrench if that's the word they use these days (because they were called line wrenches in the past). If no one used this #16 size, then it would be a "specialty tool", but this is a very common GM size. I must also say that I have bought several large box/open end wrench sets in metric, and they always skip some of the sizes. WHY???? #16 is one that seems to be skipped too, and yet is used often. Sure, a 5/8 is close, actually 5mm smaller, pounding it on a bolt head is one thing, but not on a line.

Finally, not everyone has online access, so for them ordering tools online is not an option. While I do have internet, I dont much care for shopping online for anything. Not only because of the wait time to get it, but also because it costs more for shipping and normally I have to drive to the post office to pick it up, which is the same distance as going to Napa or Carquest. (unless the package fits in my mailbox).