Officially retired my cheater pipe

[Trucker88]

I know I am not the only person to ever reach for a cheater pipe to get a bit more leverage. Laying under my truck yesterday trying to remove a stubborn starter bolt I asked my teenage daughter to grab my cheater pipe. After fumbling around for a minute she tells me she doesn’t know what it looks like and brings over my long tekton ratchet I ordered last month. I am very proud of my little girl for having more common sense than her dad. I was very impressed with this ratchet and will order the 1/2” version soon. I don’t remember the part # but they call it the 3/8” x-long non quick release ratchet. I recently purchased Tekton and Carlyle tools to upgrade my scattered worn out old tools and have been impressed with both.



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[M_George]

where was this ratchet made?

 

[redwrench60]

Nothing like a long *** ratchet to save the day. I keep my various cheater pipes all propped up in the same corner so they’re easy to find. Anybody who’s never used one is living a charmed and sheltered life. Interesting shop floor you got there by the way.

 

[JVB]

Is that then 90 tooth 18” long ?

 

[Professional Tool User]

There's still stuff I need a cheater pipe for. On a seized bolt, even a standard length 3/4 ratchet won't cut it sometimes.

 

[CoogarXR]

The only time I have needed my cheater pipe lately was on an Ohio-rusted hitch-ball nut. I had my 3/4" ratchet and a 3.5' cheater pipe on it. I was putting so much leverage on that sucker I'm surprised I didn't scoot the van sideways! And it was STILL a beeotch to turn!

 

[bobcatdan]

I'd keep the cheater pipe handy. I have put a pipe on my 36" long 3/4" ratchet plenty of times. Comes in handy holding the torque multiplier also.

 

[LB-1911]

where was this ratchet made?

Taiwan

Is that then 90 tooth 18” long ?

That's my guess

3/8 Inch Drive x 18 Inch Ratchet
Item #SRH01118

 

[toplessHO]

nice! But I gotta question the why of making a super long ratchet in 3/8 drive.
Ive twisted off good 3/8 drive ratchets using cheater pipes before.

Haha read about the trailer hitch ball.Took one apart the other day and it was scooting the back of truck. 24 inch pipe wrench with a 5 ft piece of pipe on it and I still had a problem getting it loose

 

[oldwino]

. Anybody who’s never used one is living a charmed and sheltered life. Interesting shop floor you got there by the way.

Or a liar

 

[JVB]

Taiwan




That's my guess

3/8 Inch Drive x 18 Inch Ratchet
Item #SRH01118

I actually bought the 3/8” drive standard length as I collect ratchets. For 22$ I am pretty impressed with the quality . Also hear their warranty is top notch to deal with if needed.

 

[Trucker88]

The 3/8” came in handy for my exact situation so happy to have it. Will be adding the 1/2” soon. I believe made in Taiwan like most tools these days.


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[DGersic]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GH87585/?tag=atomicindus08-20

24” long. 90T. Not a replacement for the cheater pipe, but makes needing one somewhat less likely.



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[jd_1138]

If you want your ratchets to last, you should use a breaker bar (they come in all kinds of lengths) and not a ratchet. I have a small one that came with my SK 1/4 socket set, then also 10, 14 inch ones. I break out the 25" HF one for particularly stubborn ones.

Breaker bars are cheap compared to ratchets. Ratchets are awesome and fast once you break the fasteners loose.

 

[ItsNemo]

If you want your ratchets to last, you should use a breaker bar (they come in all kinds of lengths) and not a ratchet. I have a small one that came with my SK 1/4 socket set, then also 10, 14 inch ones. I break out the 25" HF one for particularly stubborn ones.

Breaker bars are cheap compared to ratchets. Ratchets are awesome and fast once you break the fasteners loose.

And breaker bars don't have teeth that slip. Nothing ***** more than leaning into a ratchet and you exceed the torque and teeth slip. Now mind you I've also snapped the head off of breaker bars (without cheaters) but that's more rare.

 

[cgrutt]

Nice! I'd still keep the cheater pipe handy, lol...

Worse thing I recall ever needing a cheater pipe on was the bearing carrier on my boat's lower unit. Had two guys holding the drive down and one using a 5' steel floor jack handle on a 24" Snap-on breaker bar. Just barely got it off, lol.

Even tweaked the drive socket a bit on the carrier tool (1/2" thick steel).

Yeah, I don't think it would have come off without the cheater bar...

 

[BonzoHansen]

I think maybe a cheater pipe on a starter bolt might have ended poorly.



That said, my current one is a door bar out of a 4th gen camaro (93-02). damn thing seems like it was made for this use. Even has a hole in it to hang it from a screw. So if you see one in a yard with a (common) laminating door skin.....

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I think Your Daughter deserves some credit for retiring that cheater pipe; and is due for a "Thank You" and a hug from Her Appreciative Daddy.

 

[Tallpilot]

Tekton says that 3/8 can handle 240 ft/lbs. I think it's a great piece of kit and the 1/2 is equally awesome.

 

[JRC3]

Or a liar

You beat me to it.

Who hasn't used a jack handle? https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7039931&postcount=4

 

[sberry]

I have turned 3/8. Hard especially when I was a sprout. I try to use the largest drive I can. My old helper used to wrestle with stuff like that and 1/2 drive tool 2 ft away. Same for air. But that looks like a nice tool.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I don't have a particular piece of pipe that is a designated cheater. I have used cheaters in the past but, have not for many years. I use my impact when I can. If I can't, I use a breaker bar to break most fasteners loose. I have two different BB lengths in all four of my drive sizes. I'd just move up a drive size if the smaller one was not cutting it. I'd have to be in a real pinch to use a cheater on one of my ratchets. I seldom use my longer ratchets to break fasteners loose. My 1/2" BB's have a narrower profile than any of my 3/8" ratchets anyways. Stack height would be the main concern with a larger drive size but, I have not ran into that problem yet. Plus my next drive size up flexes less and has a smaller chance of snapping the square drive when cranking on it. Instead of using a cheater on my 1/2" drive 24" long BB on a lug nut. I use my 3/4" drive 40" long BB with the correct 3/4" drive socket.

 

[speed bump]

Longer tools almost always are more convenient. Most of my cheater use is too make a job safer rather than just accomplish it. If something breaks well I just go with my grandpa's motto, completing the task is more important than the tool.

As far as breaker bars. A while ago someone posted a ton of tool tests from a Japanese magazine that found that most high tooth count well engaged ratchet heads would take significantly more torque than a breaker bar.

 

[Magnum440d100]

You beat me to it.

Who hasn't used a jack handle? https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7039931&postcount=4

On my newly acquired 68 D200, the drivers rear tire was shot. Rim needed to come off. It took a tire iron inside a jack handle, inside an 8’ fence post to crack that left hand lug loose. It was looking like a friggin arch before it let loose too.

One of the reasons I have 1/2” drive sockets, is to use them to break free anything stuck/rusted/frozen, etc.... if I can not get it free with a 1/2” drive socket and breaker bar, then I try the cheater bar (jack handle).

I’ve only broken one breaker bar, and that was on a Honda axle nut, that the nut edge hadn’t been fully unbent. I didn’t notice it until SNAP! went the breaker bar. It was a no name that was my dads, so who knows what brand/quality it was...

I think EVERYONE has used the jack handle at least ONCE in their life....

 

[jonshonda]

If the OP is an honest man he will update the thread in 3 months when he has needed to use a cheater bar again.

 

[bonneyman]

...Worse thing I recall ever needing a cheater pipe on was the bearing carrier on my boat's lower unit. Had two guys holding the drive down and one using a 5' steel floor jack handle on a 24" Snap-on breaker bar. Just barely got it off, lol.

Even tweaked the drive socket a bit on the carrier tool (1/2" thick steel).

Me thinks that specialty tool needs to be upgraded to 3/4 or 1 inch drive. Looks like you've got the room.

I typically don't use cheater bars, but then again in air conditioning and most DIY jobs around the house that level of torque isn't needed.
Though I did put a pipe on a 1/2" drive ratchet trying to get the anode rod out of the 20 year old water heater. Still didn't budge.

 

[BroncoAZ]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GH87585/?tag=atomicindus08-20

24” long. 90T. Not a replacement for the cheater pipe, but makes needing one somewhat less likely.



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Not taking anything away from Tekton, but Napa has the Carlyle 25” 1/2” ratchets on sale right now for $40. I realize the Tekton is 90T and the Carlyle is 48T, but in this length class I would think bigger teeth are going to hold more torque.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CHQR12XL48

 

[RPH]

Tekton sells a 3/4” breaker bar that is 40” long. If I recall the price is about $50. It’s good to 1000 foot pounds. No reason to risk damage to man nor beast.

 

[unknownroad]

I believe it was Archimedes who once said: "Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand, and I'll shred every goddamned tooth off this ratchet mechanism"

 

[jonshonda]

I believe it was Archimedes who once said: "Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand, and I'll shred every goddamned tooth off this ratchet mechanism"

lol!!

 

[metalhead212121]

Tekton sells a 3/4” breaker bar that is 40” long. If I recall the price is about $50. It’s good to 1000 foot pounds. No reason to risk damage to man nor beast.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005G7QGD2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H3KJQ83/?tag=atomicindus08-20

perhaps somebody can explain why one is $50 and the other is $150.....

 

[goforbroke]

My little 1/2" stanley breaker bar 24-25" has never let me down, I retired it to my vehicle and bought 1/2" SK breaker bar SK 41654 which I keep in my toolbox now.

My cheater pipe for years has been an aluminum HF floor jack handle that I toss on my breaker bars for extreme conditions.

 

[ertman]

Years ago I needed to get the axle nut off a VW Beetle - 36mm impact socket, my dad's Craftsman breaker bar, the handle off my floor jack, and all my weight... snap goes the 1/2" fitting on the breaker bar!

Off to Sears I go to get a replacement. This is when I find out that they have a "consumer" and a "pro" line of tools. And they'll only give me the consumer version as a warranty exchange. It was obviously not as good as the (quite old) one I just broke. I ask the guy how many he has in stock, because I'll be back in an hour when this one breaks...

An hour later, broken tool in hand, they give me another identical tool.

Another hour later, broken tool in hand, the manager gives me the pro version which worked great and I still have 30 years later

 

[Trucker88]

Not taking anything away from Tekton, but Napa has the Carlyle 25” 1/2” ratchets on sale right now for $40. I realize the Tekton is 90T and the Carlyle is 48T, but in this length class I would think bigger teeth are going to hold more torque.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CHQR12XL48

I just picked up the 3/8” Carlyle bent handle ratchet and looked at the Carlyle one and it was really nice. I think for what they are used for the tooth count is kind of irrelevant. And $40 is a great price. I think the tekton one is $45.


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[Trucker88]

If the OP is an honest man he will update the thread in 3 months when he has needed to use a cheater bar again.

I am sure at some point I will be grabbing for it again. The funny thing is I didn’t think about the longer ratchet. My mind went straight for the cheater pipe. I have a habit of buying tools that will help me in specific situations and then either forgetting I bought them or just grabbing what I’m used to using. The pipe will still be under my service cart so I am sure it will be making an appearance


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[2oolhound]

I've always kept a section of thick walled pipe that fits tightly to my ratchets and breaker bars to use as a cheater. My drawers range from 16' to 20' deep so I don't like the idea of adding another long tool to the mix. I have a snappy 15" 1/2 rat and an old proto torque wrench I bought for $5 that's about 20" long that usually does the job when needed.

 

[Trucker88]

If you want your ratchets to last, you should use a breaker bar (they come in all kinds of lengths) and not a ratchet. I have a small one that came with my SK 1/4 socket set, then also 10, 14 inch ones. I break out the 25" HF one for particularly stubborn ones.

Breaker bars are cheap compared to ratchets. Ratchets are awesome and fast once you break the fasteners loose.

It wasn’t a situation that would normally require a cheater pipe and if I was on my feet in a different scenario the regular ratchet would have been more than sufficient. It was just and awkward angle laying on the ground and needed a little more leverage to break free. I do have the HF 25” breaker bar for anything stubborn. After I posted this message I realized that I don’t have any 3/8” breaker bars. Got 1/4” and 1/2” so looks like I need to go shopping.


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[Trucker88]

I actually bought the 3/8” drive standard length as I collect ratchets. For 22$ I am pretty impressed with the quality . Also hear their warranty is top notch to deal with if needed.

I picked up the 1/4” stubby ratchet the same day and it’s also a nice handy ratchet. I feel myself becoming a bit of a ratchet collector myself. But I am amazed how each configuration helps in certain situations to make jobs so much easier. This pic is of the 1/4” stubby with the x-long 3/8” both from Tekton


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[Trucker88]

nice! But I gotta question the why of making a super long ratchet in 3/8 drive.
Ive twisted off good 3/8 drive ratchets using cheater pipes before.

Haha read about the trailer hitch ball.Took one apart the other day and it was scooting the back of truck. 24 inch pipe wrench with a 5 ft piece of pipe on it and I still had a problem getting it loose

In my specific situation it wasn’t a matter of needing more torque but needing a bit more leverage to apply the appropriate amount of torque.


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[Trucker88]

I think Your Daughter deserves some credit for retiring that cheater pipe; and is due for a "Thank You" and a hug from Her Appreciative Daddy.

Indeed she did. My daughter has been watching me turn wrenches for 15 years now and knows the difference between a ratcheting wrench and a reversible ratcheting wrench. She impresses me more and more everyday. It used to drive me crazy when she would snap selfies and post to snap chat while I was busting my knuckles but now I’ve learned to love every minute of it. She absolutely will not let me work alone if I am going to be working under a vehicle.


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