In regard to using a crows foot, do you recommend the flex head type, or a standard type with an ordinary swivel and extension? What do you think about the Gearwrench ratcheting crows foot?

I should have mentioned, that I prefer the flare nut crowsfoot wrenches.....the regular crowsfoot tend to slip off......I use the right sized crowsfoot, add a 1" extension, then a ball swivel(rather than flex swivel), then I use a long enough extension, that will give me clearance to use a regular ratchet....with the ratchet on the end of a long extension, I have plenty of toque to break that nut, and also tighten it......

Let me confess to not being aware of ball joint swivels.

My Googling is turning up lots of ball joint sockets, but no ball joint equivalents to the common U-joint swivels that I'm familiar with.

Can you steer me toward a picture or Web page showing the ball joint swivel that you are using?

They come in various sizes

https://store.snapon.com/Swivel-Ball...--C885081.aspx

Do these things come in non-impact versions?

What can you tell me about the lock-button types versus the friction types?

To tell you the truth, I don't know.....I always bought them to use with my impact guns......and I have had regular universals break, never had one of these ball ones break....

One just pulls off, and the other you have to depress to remove it......

Just a side note:

I have used a double ball setup, just two back to back, to get into some awkward places, like the spark plugs that are hard to get to on the back of a 3.8 series II engine.......I use a spark plug with a ball swivel built into it and just attach anther universal ball swivel to it......with an extension, I can easily get back there to get those plugs without removing anything or having to rotate the engine forward.......IT'* A MUST FOR ANY TECH.