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Pittsburgh Professional 25″ 1/2″ Drive Breaker Bar Review

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monomach

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Yeah, that thing is just silly. Definitely one of the best things in the store. I've literally put a cheater on it, stood on it, and bounced up and down. Flexes a bit like you say, but it's never failed or bent. I keep one in the truck with a set of Pittsburgh Pro deep impact sockets to use with it.

I must have gotten lucky. The chrome on mine is flawless.
 
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jim1987

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Good review. But just for kicks id add roughly how much torque the skid bolts have.
 
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sparky5982

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I have one of these. I've said it here before, but I'll say it again. In spite of the fact that so many here love the thing, I know it's a piece of sh*t. It flexes like a wet noodle and the head twists and spreads, robbing all of your torque. I've tried using it about 2 dozen times, and never once has it broken a bolt loose that my 12" SK couldn't handle. Literally any other 1/2" drive tool I have (including a crappy craftsman rp ratchet) is better than this thing.

You couldn't break a window with it if you wanted to. I wouldn't trust it to hold open a door.

Yet people keep singing its praises. Am I on crazy pills? Did I just get the one bad one?:headscrat
 
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Farmall450

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sparky5982 said:
I have one of these. I've said it here before, but I'll say it again. In spite of the fact that so many here love the thing, I know it's a piece of sh*t. It flexes like a wet noodle and the head twists and spreads, robbing all of your torque. I've tried using it about 2 dozen times, and never once has it broken a bolt loose that my 12" SK couldn't handle. Literally any other 1/2" drive tool I have (including a crappy craftsman rp ratchet) is better than this thing.

You couldn't break a window with it if you wanted to. I wouldn't trust it to hold open a door.

Yet people keep singing its praises. Am I on crazy pills? Did I just get the one bad one?:headscrat
Click to expand...

I haven't noticed the head flexing...and I'm 6' 4" and had a 4 ft cheater on it...nor did I notice lack of torque?
 
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SMKS

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Interestingly, my local store didn't have these anymore when I was there this week. They didn't even have a spot on the shelf for them anymore.

Who knows if it's only a temporary thing at my store or what.
 
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sparky5982

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joeysh03 said:
I have it and love it
Click to expand...

Farmall450 said:
I haven't noticed the head flexing...and I'm 6' 4" and had a 4 ft cheater on it...nor did I notice lack of torque?
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I'm so confused. My experience with it is that it is totally and in all ways lousy. Yet, others simply love it and it works great for them. I would never recommend it though.



owenst7 said:
Will you demonstrate this for us in a free body diagram?
Click to expand...

I don't know what a free body diagram is. I never claimed to any rigorous scientific testing. My experience is purely anecdotal and a clear outlier compared with the experiences of others. But for me, and in my own estimation only, it's not worth my $10.
 
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diggerrick

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I've had one for several years, and although I've abused it without breaking it, all that flex does nothing for my confidence. I have a couple others that I use more frequently. I hate this head design - having the flat area at such a high stress point is not a good idea.
 
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lametec

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I just broke mine today. I've had it for probably a couple years now, and today was the first time I really used it. It broke the pin (bolt) that holds the head on. The threads are still stuck in it.

This was with me simply pulling on it. No cheater.
 
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JBradley500

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I have one but haven't used it. I have an air impact and an 18" snap on breaker bar I use first....

I do think it's perfect for putting a socket on and leaving in a car for flat tires. Plenty of leverage for the ladies to change their own flats in a pinch.
 
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Farmall450

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JBradley500 said:
I have one but haven't used it. I have an air impact and an 18" snap on breaker bar I use first....

I do think it's perfect for putting a socket on and leaving in a car for flat tires. Plenty of leverage for the ladies to change their own flats in a pinch.
Click to expand...

And if it gets lifted $10 will get you a new one.
:beer:

My 2 ft SO flexes a bit too, my cman flexes the least I will admit. :headscrat

Nice square design I suppose.
 
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619DioFan

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I keep one in each vehicle plus a set of impact flip sockets . far better then the factory lug wrench for tire changes. for the price ( coupons used ) well worth it. for day to day use my go to breaker bar is the titan tools 3/4 inch drive x 40'' long breaker bar.
 
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franzdom

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Snap-On uses this design in their new extra long 1/2" breaker bar...
 
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eeprete

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I have one of these too. On bolts with about 100-125 lb ft of torque, there was no flexing. On a spindle bolt that had 185 lb ft it flexed a little, but I did get the bolt loose.
 
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owenst7

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sparky5982 said:
This is exactly why I'm so confused. My experience with it is that it is totally and in all ways lousy. Yet, others simply love it and it works great for them. I would never recommend it though.





I don't know what a free body diagram is. I never claimed to any rigorous scientific testing. My experience is purely anecdotal and a clear outlier compared with the experiences of others. But for me, and in my own estimation only, it's not worth my $10.
Click to expand...

I'm not defending the tool. I've never even held it before. Your experience may be anecdotal, but your claim that it robs torque is false unless you can prove physics wrong.

There is no "scientific testing" involved. High school level physics demonstrates that perpendicular force multiplied by length equals torque.

You made this claim previously in another thread and avoided my request to back up your claim factually.
 
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BDT/NWMN

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On my second HF 24inch breaker bar. Being that I have 3/4" and 1"drive breaker bars and sockets, there would seldom be a reason for me to use a cheater pipe on a 1/2"drive breaker.. The first one surprised me and just broke...Sure looked strong enough. The second one is in my field service box.. I'm not planning on breaking the second one, but

There is a shiny new 1/2"drive ProTo 24incher in my Shop box if I do..
 
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Wakefield

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About the claim that flex or bending at the head robs torque,I think people are bouncing or slugging some of these things,that might cause an impact effect where a rigid wrench would transmit a brief spike of torque like a single rattle of an air gun,the bar being flexy probably dissipates some of that spike of torque much like a torque stick does with an air tool.

Does or has HF changed suppliers of these things or changed from Taiwan to China? Repeatedly? Perhaps that would explain why some of them performed very well while others didn't.
 
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madison069

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owenst7 said:
There is no "scientific testing" involved. High school level physics demonstrates that perpendicular force multiplied by length equals torque.
Click to expand...

True, but if the bar flex you are not getting the measured amount of torque to the pivot point. Think about it, if the bar flex the distance the end travel is greater but does not mean the torque is getting to the pivot point, instead it's being transferred to the flexing bar. A none flexing bar will get all "torque" to the pivot point.

So what he might be saying is the pivot point is not getting all of the torque that is being created due to the flexing bar using some of the torque to bend.
 
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BDT/NWMN

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Farmall450 said:
I haven't noticed the head flexing...and I'm 6' 4" and had a 4 ft cheater on it...nor did I notice lack of torque?
Click to expand...





6'4" I'll have to use my Werner ladder to climb up to that Eagle's height to tell you not to use a cheater pipe :lol: HF also sells a 3/4"drive breaker bar,

Pick on a breaker bar your own size :lol:
 
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owenst7

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madison069 said:
True, but if the bar flex you are not getting the measured amount of torque to the pivot point. Think about it, if the bar flex the distance the end travel is greater but does not mean the torque is getting to the pivot point, instead it's being transferred to the flexing bar. A none flexing bar will get all "torque" to the pivot point.

So what he might be saying is the pivot point is not getting all of the torque that is being created due to the flexing bar using some of the torque to bend.
Click to expand...

An action has an equal and opposite reaction. Torque is completely unaffected by flex. A guy could make the argument that the flex is reducing the length of the lever, thereby reducing torque, hence my request for a free body diagram to back up that argument. I don't see the flex amounting to more than a few percent difference in the effective length though. I'd prove it myself, but I don't own one of these to determine the amount of flex.

What Wakefield just described is 100% accurate, and is the difference between impulse and torque, however it is only relevant if you're jerking on the bar to break something loose. If you're leaning in to it, impulse is irrelevant and torque prevails, and again, torque is not a measure of energy absorbed by flex, it is a measure of force times distance.
 
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Farmall450

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BDT/NWMN said:
On my second HF 24inch breaker bar. Being that I have 3/4" and 1"drive breaker bars and sockets, there would seldom be a reason for me to use a cheater pipe on a 1/2"drive breaker.. The first one surprised me and just broke...Sure looked strong enough. The second one is in my field service box.. I'm not planning on breaking the second one, but

There is a shiny new 1/2"drive ProTo 24incher in my Shop box if I do..
Click to expand...

For me it's often more of a PITA to get out 3/4" drive....I've got aan impact in that for seriously stuck fasteners.
 
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Farmall450

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BDT/NWMN said:
6'4" I'll have to use my Werner ladder to climb up to that Eagle's height to tell you not to use a cheater pipe :lol: HF also sells a 3/4"drive breaker bar,

Pick on a breaker bar your own size :lol:
Click to expand...

Fiberglass ladder?
Very nice!

Was in the middle of no where and I had to get that dang lug nut off !
 
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Farmall450

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BDT/NWMN said:
On my second HF 24inch breaker bar. Being that I have 3/4" and 1"drive breaker bars and sockets, there would seldom be a reason for me to use a cheater pipe on a 1/2"drive breaker.. The first one surprised me and just broke...Sure looked strong enough. The second one is in my field service box.. I'm not planning on breaking the second one, but

There is a shiny new 1/2"drive ProTo 24incher in my Shop box if I do..
Click to expand...

Where'd it break at?
 
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BDT/NWMN

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Broke off the male drive end, but it didn't shear straight off... More of a jagged angle toward the pivot....
 
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Hiball

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I Used mine today to break some lug nuts prior to putting my truck on Stands, It did the Job but flexed like a *****. I would almost guess that at times there was 5+ inches of flex prior to the lugs letting go.
 
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healing

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Broke the one I got, not to surprised it broke. You get what you pay for.

Edit: square part broke off
 
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blackwire

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I have used it to remove a Honda Civic crankshaft bolt while doing a timing belt change. It did not break. I tried to use a Craftsman breaker bar first, but resorted to the Harbor Freight one after the head broke off the Craftsman. It is does flex when you put a lot of pressure on it, but I have yet to break it. My only complaint is the chrome beginning to flake off the handle.
 
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Wakefield

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blackwire said:
I have used it to remove a Honda Civic crankshaft bolt while doing a timing belt change. It did not break. I tried to use a Craftsman breaker bar first, but resorted to the Harbor Freight one after the head broke off the Craftsman. It is does flex when you put a lot of pressure on it, but I have yet to break it. My only complaint is the chrome beginning to flake off the handle.
Click to expand...

Did the Craftsman that failed have the logo on it about wearing eye protection? (That seems to identify the newer ones,it is suspected that the older ones were stronger) made before about 2004?
 
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hackwelder

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madison069 said:
True, but if the bar flex you are not getting the measured amount of torque to the pivot point. Think about it, if the bar flex the distance the end travel is greater but does not mean the torque is getting to the pivot point, instead it's being transferred to the flexing bar. A none flexing bar will get all "torque" to the pivot point.

So what he might be saying is the pivot point is not getting all of the torque that is being created due to the flexing bar using some of the torque to bend.
Click to expand...

yep, that is my experience, awhile back I needed to break loose the rear axle hub nuts on a VW bug which have a LOT of torque on them...my 1/2 drive tools were useless and flexed alarmingly, bought a 3/4 drive breaker bar of about the same length and broke them loose easily. The key term here is "breaker bar" and stiffness definitely matters when you need to break a difficult fastener loose. The HF 1/2" bar is a great deal no doubt and would work for many tasks but in some cases a stronger tool makes all the difference.
FWIW HF sells a 3/4" breaker bar for $23, also a great deal ..and the many of the reviews mention how the lack of flex compared to 1/2" tools made a huge difference.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-drive-20-inch-quick-release-breaker-bar-98270.html
 
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OutsideMachinist

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