Tried the $12 oil filter wrench vs the $40 one, got a weird surprise

So I was changing my oil on my 2010 Civic last weekend and figured I'd save some cash with the cheap strap wrench from Harbor Freight. That thing slipped off three times before I gave up and grabbed my uncle's old metal claw style one from his garage. The cheap one actually did the job after I wrapped the filter in sandpaper, but it took way longer and made a mess. Has anyone else found a workaround for a bad tool instead of just buying the expensive version?

2 comments

2 Comments

mia44229d ago

Just wrap the filter in sandpaper like you did and call it a day. That cheap strap wrench really is junk for anything tight. Saved myself twenty bucks and an extra trip to the store.

mila39529d ago

Actually sandpaper can scratch the metal housing on some filters so be careful with that.