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I'm trying to replace the power steering hose in a 2005 Honda Odyssey. It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult a job except for removing the line from the steering box.

I've got a Craftsman flare nut wrench. I've tried pouring hot water on the steering box and dripping penetrating oil on the threads. Using another wrench in the jaws of the flare nut wrench for extra leverage, I've apparently started to round off the nut.

Does anyone have a suggestion? Stuff I've thought of doing:

  • Buy a more expensive flare nut wrench. I originally tried using a cheapo one that I already had, but that one didn't seem to work so well, so I bought a Craftsman one instead. The Craftsman one seems a bit stiffer than the cheapo one, but I'm kind of skeptical there'd be a huge difference between, say, a Snap-on and a Craftsman though.

  • Clamp a big vice grip onto the flare nut and use a pipe on it, I doubt it would grip as well as the flare nut wrench.

  • Cut the metal part of the line near the flare nut with a Dremel cutoff wheel. This would let me get a six point 14mm deep-well socket on it, I think. I'm worried that metal filings might make their way into the pump and damage it though. I looked at whether a bolt cutter would fit in there, but it appears that it would not.

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    Don't cut the pipe, just dent it then bend it until it snaps, then you wont get any metal into the hole.
    – HandyHowie
    Oct 8, 2015 at 11:14

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My first thought is to use a good penetrating oil, Sea Breeze or my personal favorite PB Blaster. Wrap a small piece of rag around the fitting and soak it twice a day for 2-3 days. If it is still stuck, cut the tube off the fitting. I like to use a midget tubing cutter. If you cut almost all the way through it should snap if you bend it. This will minimize chips finding their way into the steering box. Then as you were thinking use a six point socket. If it starts to move squirt it with more penetrant tighten it about half of what it loosened. Then loosen again, keep going back and forth until it starts to unscrew freely.

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  • I used a tubing cutter, snapped the pipe in two, then removed the fastener using a six point socket. I had to use an extension to get enough leverage, but then it came right off.
    – Eric
    Oct 9, 2015 at 18:23
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I think there would be a difference between a Snap-On and the Craftsman. I would try to borrow a Snap-On, or Mac Tools wrench. There is usually a big difference. Vise Grips might also work but I would try the Snap-On first.

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Just did my 03 Highlander...Return Line fitting would not budge and was rounding off with Flare wrench... Took tube cutter, cut pipe so as to get a 6pt. 17mm wrench around and struggled to get it off finally. Thanks for all the suggestions!

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