What kind of head do you prefer?

[bchee]

Is one of these stronger than the other by design? The separate head is made by MAC on ebay. The one on the right seems to be the more popular style for breaker bars.
I'm looking for a breaker bar, not HF brand(http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15323)

Aside from length, what is the difference between a 15" and 24" breaker bar? I checked Snap on and they show the same head width and shank diameter on these 2 bars. Also, the repair kit is the same for both. ie - the head on the 24" bar is not made to be any stronger than the 15". Does this sound right?

[Danglerb]

AFAIK the head breaks before the bar regardless of length.

[Merkava_4]

During the time I was working at a Toyota dealership, there was a mechanic that broke the head on one of those MAC breaker bars. He was pulling real hard on it and when it broke, the bar came around and he clocked himself in the face; he had a black eye and looked like he had been in a fight. :eek2:

The MAC dealer replaced the head on it, but I remember thinking at the time that the mechanic should've gotten a little more compensation than just a replacement head for his breaker bar; at least give the guy a free screwdriver or something. :cool:

I like MAC tools, but after that incident, I think I'll choose someone else's breaker bar. :D

By the way, it was the type of head you have pictured on the left.

[mrsleeve]

WOW not what I expected this to be about! :bounce: Thought someone put this in the wrong section. silly me.

On topic I have yet to brake a breaker bar so I have important info on this.

[Merkava_4]

WOW not what I expected this to be about! :bounce: Thought someone put this in the wrong section. silly me.

A catchy thread title huh? :D

[nissan_crawler]

after breaking 6 craftsman breaker bars and one snap-on one, I got the mac and got the bolt right out. The others flexed too much and broke the ears off the breaker bars.

[Jononon]

I like MAC tools, but after that incident, I think I'll choose someone else's breaker bar. :D

More a lesson about eye protection :shocking:

FWIW, the only breaker bar I've used where there's no spread of the 'ears' or wear on the pivot pin after plenty of hard use is a Stahlwille 18" 1/2" drive. That has the same design as the second picture, but I've also broken a 1/2" of the second design from another manufacturer.

[DavidtheDuke]

Funny, I have a (probably Tai/Chi) Goodwrench cheater bar with the latter design from when I was just starting out. I've put a 5 foot cheater bar on it and pulled HARD. All it has ever done is simply flexed..

[Fedwrench]

The 24 inch bars I've used flex too much. I prefer a stout 18 bar with the head design on the right simply because, I've seen the other design fail more often. Nothing dramatic, just a tink sound, and then there's a crack in the head. I think both breaker bar designs are made to fail at a threshold torque to prevent harm to the user. I also think an older model may be stronger than a current one.:)

[OctaneMotorsports]

Any head is okay with me! :thumbup: :spit:

[jerryW]

I had a later model Craftsman break the pivot pin while under torque, it broke the window in the house next to where I was working! Sure am glad that it didn't hit me!


jerry

[bchee]

Thanks for the input. I used to think that any head was good head. Now I think I might stick with the more traditional design shown on the right. I was really interested in the craftsman bar because it looks like a stronger I-beam design. I may just get the shorter bar and put a cheater bar on it.

[wrenchr]

If you are worried of it braking and shooting metal ever, wrap some duck tape around the joint loose so you still have the flex.

[Spookrider]

Blonde! But, any do!

[G1K]

no teeth (or should I so no scraping of the teeth)

R

[Freejack]

Hrm, I have a 1/2" 18" bar I picked up at Cummins, it has a design similar to the left picture, but is much beefier. Now I can't remember the brand (now I need to go home and look), but it wasn't Cummins house brand. It looks very similar to this one: http://www.toolsnow.com/browse.cfm/4,349.htm

It's been a very reliable tool and seems very durable

Jake

[nissan_crawler]

Hrm, I have a 1/2" 18" bar I picked up at Cummins, it has a design similar to the left picture, but is much beefier.
Jake

I would argue that. I have one of the cheap ones, and a MAC one, the MAC one has much tighter tolerances between the handle and head, and flexes much less.

[dxdexter]

The kind I don't have to pay for.:)

[5wndwcpe]

Any head is okay with me! :thumbup: :spit:

Receiving, I hope. :wtf:

[eschoendorff]

Receiving, I hope. :wtf:

That's okay... we're not here to judge you!:lol:

[Uncle Buck]

Any head is okay with me! :thumbup: :spit:

Blonde! But, any do!

no teeth (or should I so no scraping of the teeth)

R

The kind I don't have to pay for.:)

Receiving, I hope. :wtf:

That's okay... we're not here to judge you!:lol:

For the record I am steering clear of youse guys! :lol_hitti:pimpflash

[wilbilt]

Dayum. I prefer the head with the larger ears for more torque. ;)

[bchee]

If you are worried of it braking and shooting metal ever, wrap some duck tape around the joint loose so you still have the flex.

I like that duct tape idea. Like taping your windows during a hurricane. I put a tight hose clamp around a socket once, when I was using a breaker bar. I probably found that tip on this board somewhere.