3/4 breaker bar with reducer

[PoorOwner]

40" breaker bar reduced with adapter to use 1/2 socket.. any real world experience if the adapter is going to break often, or is it just going to be fine?

 

[finn]

I've broken two, and I rarely break tools.

Twisted them right off.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Yeah the adapters break pretty easily. Sunex makes a beefier one specifically to reduce breakage and Matco/Armstrong's one comes with a replaceable square drive that is pinned in like a hex bit socket.

Don't waste your time with the Harbor Freight one. I sheared that one before I even got the impact gun hammering, and that was with an old weaker IR gun.

 

[metalmad]

I have a Teng Cr-Mo 1/2 to 3/8 adaptor and its seriously heavy...about twice the weight of the other ones I have...so I'd be considering a Teng 3/4 to 1/2, slightly pricey but overengineered..Though the adaptor is stamped with "no warranty" probably as they can tell its going to get abused...

 

[RRmech]

I have a couple of PROTO USA adapters that I have used over the years, with NO problems.

Steve

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I have a couple of PROTO USA adapters that I have used over the years, with NO problems.

Steve

Yep, that is where it pays to buy the good stuff

 

[Dave455]

I have a similar bar in 1 inch drive. It comes in two parts, in it's own steel box complete with reducers for 3/4 and 1/2 inch drive!

My grandfather always reckoned if you needed the 1/2 inch adaptor you'd find out why it was called a 'breaker' bar!!!

 

[Wakefield]

There is a Snap On one with replaceable square drive might not be impact rated
the Sunex impact one looks strong
the Wright one does not look as big as the Sunex but it works to use 1/2" stuff to remove lug nuts with the 3/4" drive sliding T bar I would think impact ones better than chrome.
the sliding T bar in 3/4" with the slider in the middle makes turning the lugs easy on the back and makes it easy to keep the socket pushed all of the way on

 

[lightning02]

how much are these good/heavier adapters? might be worth just buying a 1/2in breaker bar.

 

[dutchgray]

Your just as likely to break a 1/2" breaker bar if you really lean on it, and an adapter will be cheaper to replace if the ear goes on the bar, probably similar if the drive square goes.

 

[colin39]

Ive broken 2 i then bought facom ones , so far so good but i dont go bigger than 27mm on the reducer, my 3/4 stuff takes over from there

 

[Wakefield]

how much are these good/heavier adapters? might be worth just buying a 1/2in breaker bar.

The Snap On GLASIF (or is it GLAS1F ?) says "WARNING NONIMPACT MAX TORQUE 5600 IN LB" I believe that means 466 foot lbs.

might be just as well to get a couple of the Sunex and/or Proto/Armstrong ones in case one breaks anything over 20 mm. might as well get in full 3/4" drivej(I think Wright sockets start at 17mm. in 3/4" drive but they are unwieldy) might not fit down in a wheel recess

 

[lightning02]

Your just as likely to break a 1/2" breaker bar if you really lean on it, and an adapter will be cheaper to replace if the ear goes on the bar, probably similar if the drive square goes.

if your breaking good (not cheap china ****) 1/2in breaker bars then maybe its time to step up the drive size but that all depends on the application/size that its being used on.

 

[Finky198]

I had a similar issue lookng for a dedicate tool for my jeep. I didn't really like the idea of 1/2 and to use and adapter with 3/4 defeats the purpose so I bought a 3/4 Harbor freight breaker and bought an S&K 3/4dr thin wall 19 mm impact socket it's the perfect combination it fits and work. I have a big craftsman set of 3/4 drive std/met at the shop. There's nothing like having the right tool for the time rather then breaking an adapter and be stuck half way through job.

I'd agree with above sliding t- handles in 3/4" drive, I find they are a very underutilized tool and pretty reasonable.

1/2 bars like this snappy, Proto, SK, matco are nice and do hold up especially without abuse. The long ones are awesome there's nothing like a 36" snappy but they have their place and their limitations

 

[Ron Swanson]

The new black SO adapters with the replaceable ends seem pretty beefy to me. I broke my chrome one and the SO guy gave me the new model instead. So far its holding up.

 

[dutchgray]

if your breaking good (not cheap china ****) 1/2in breaker bars then maybe its time to step up the drive size but that all depends on the application/size that its being used on.

I don't break 1/2" breaker bars because I'm clever enough to go to 3/4" when its needed, which isn't much for me. Was just commenting that all 1/2" breaker bars will fail when the heaviest guy in the shop puts all his weight on them, even the good ones.

 

[sicnarf247]

So what did you end up getting? I just ordered a wright 3/4 bb and was thinking of using it with a 1/2 reducer adapter and 1 in crowfoot. Yeah it sounds like overkill but I'm playing with some tight connections (hoses, can't use sockets btw)
Any ideas?

 

[PoorOwner]

I bought 3/4 sockets and a reducer to use smaller sockets, but I doubt I would go much smaller than 24mm reduced or not.

Why not just get a 1" wrench? Just hit it with a deadblow hammer and it will come loose, better than breaker + crowfoot idea.

 

[sicnarf247]

Yeah the wrench+hammer will work on the bottom half. The top half has very limited space, about 6-8 inches only so not much room to hammer

 

[sicnarf247]

Actually wrench+ hammer won't even work on bottom half as it's a loose hose and I use channelocks to hold the bottom half of connections and wrench the top loose.