Beefy Stahlwille breaker bar

[Clutchsmoke]

I got the 24 inch Stahlwille bar to replace the Pittsburgh pro I have. This bar is one of the forks on the shaft type breaker bars as opposed to the forks on the head. As compared to the Pittsburgh pro the forks are way beefier. It's 35 mm wide and 24 mm thick. I believe these forks are bigger than the big three tool truck brand breaker bars. The pivot pin is a T45 torx and it's about twice the diameter of the Pittsburgh.


As compared to the Pittsburgh pro.

I have less than $85 in this bar and I think it's very nice for the $.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Having a beefier option is nice in theory. However, have you actually broken the Pittsburgh Pro bar before? There was this one time the fork on mine broke because of it got rattled like crazy by an impact while holding onto a large seized bolt on a semi truck. That is an extreme example where I would have been using a 3/4 breaker bar if clearance were not an issue. For every day light duty applications, paying 4 times the price may not be worth it.

 

[Clutchsmoke]

Having a beefier option is nice in theory. However, have you actually broken the Pittsburgh Pro bar before? There was this one time the fork on mine broke because of it got rattled by an impact while holding onto a large seized bolt on a semi truck. That is an extreme example where I would have been using a 3/4 breaker bar if clearance were not an issue. For every day light duty applications, paying 4 times the price may not be worth it.

Only half inch breaker bar I ever broke was a Craftsman. I'm just going to give my son the Pittsburgh pro breaker bar. He needs one. I really didn't need it but I wanted this tool if you know what I mean.

 

[Ton ton]

Too bad these German breaker bars aren't easily available in brick and mortar stores in the USA.

 

[Clutchsmoke]

Too bad these German breaker bars aren't easily available in brick and mortar stores in the USA.

Yeah man these German tools and Japanese like Koken, Nepros, Vessel etc.

 

[General Geoff]

FYI You can get one of these on amazon.de for $73 USD shipped to the continental US, thanks to the favorable exchange rate with the Euro at the moment.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00O9IGRC4/

 

[Clutchsmoke]

FYI You can get one of these on amazon.de for $73 USD shipped to the continental US, thanks to the favorable exchange rate with the Euro at the moment.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9IGRC4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I got mine from the Amazon UK store and with taxes it was $82.45.

 

[Zewnten]

@Clutchsmoke How is this holding up for you? Any flex?

 

[Clutchsmoke]

@Clutchsmoke How is this holding up for you? Any flex?

I've had to stand on a thing a time or two to break lug nuts torqued to God knows how tight. I just used it yesterday to break nuts torqued to 250-ft lb and it had minimal deflection. Less flex than the harbor freight breaker bar.

 

[f121]

This is going on the list of tools I bought because of GJ.

 

[dukefx]

I have one of those as well: here

 

[Clutchsmoke]

If you guys are on the fence about it, don't think about it, just get it haha

 

[Clutchsmoke]

This is going on the list of tools I bought because of GJ.

This place has caused me thousands over the years lol.

 

[MarcSeattle]

I have a similar one from Hazet. They look indestructible.

 

[Zewnten]

I've had to stand on a thing a time or two to break lug nuts torqued to God knows how tight. I just used it yesterday to break nuts torqued to 250-ft lb and it had minimal deflection. Less flex than the harbor freight breaker bar.

Good to know. I dislike how much my SK and HF breaker bar flexes.

 

[MarcSeattle]

Just FYI, the 1/2" Hazet breaker bar 914-18 that I purchased measures roughly 21mm x 30mm at the hinge pin. That's for the 472mm length (18.5"). The Stahlwille measures bigger (or is that because the OP bought a 24"?). I wonder if any YouTube folks have done a comparison of flex.

 

[Dave455]

I have the 18” Stahlwille breaker bar and the head is 21mm x 29mm - very similar to the equivalent Hazet.

Looks like they beef it up for the 24”!

I like Stahlwille sockets and accessories a great deal. They’re not flashy, but they’re good solid performers.

Back in the winter, when my partner broke down with an unknown / suspension problem, it was my Stahlwille breaker bar and socket set that I packed to resolve the issue. I trusted the performance, and knew the chrome wouldn’t get damaged working on the roadside.

 

[dscheidt]

Only half inch breaker bar I ever broke was a Craftsman. I'm just going to give my son the Pittsburgh pro breaker bar. He needs one. I really didn't need it but I wanted this tool if you know what I mean.

I've broken two 1/2 breaker bars, on the same bolt, it happens. First was a craftsman, second was a Snap-on. both required the use of a long pipe, and 180 lbs of body weight. both snapped in the drive square. The craftsman had a permanent bend after, the snap on bent, but elastically.

 

[nadogail]

The Stahwille was built to a quality and the Pittsburgh was built to a price. I own a Pittsburgh and have found it to be a good value.

 

[bubinga]

Only half inch breaker bar I ever broke was a Craftsman. I'm just going to give my son the Pittsburgh pro breaker bar. He needs one. I really didn't need it but I wanted this tool if you know what I mean.

I do.

 

[Wakefield]

That thing looks tempting. Wonder if there is a flex ratchet using that same handle?
Ought to have spare square drive/repair kits sold with it (the handle looks indestructible)
makes the Koken look like a reed
every 1/2" drivesquare piece has its limit!

 

[dnschmidt]

Ever watch "I do cars" on YouTube. The guy always uses a breaker bar to crack head bolts. WHY? That's why I have a Milwaukee High-Torque, an Aircat 1250K and a THOR impact. Why grunt when you can just pull the trigger? The only head bolts that have defeated my impact arsenal are those foot long Subaru head bolts = torque sticks for which I use a two foot long ratchet. If 1500 ft-lb of impact can't do it why would a two foot long breaker bar be able to do it unless you've got the Subaru problem?

 

[Wakefield]

Ever watch "I do cars" on YouTube. The guy always uses a breaker bar to crack head bolts. WHY? That's why I have a Milwaukee High-Torque, an Aircat 1250K and a THOR impact. Why grunt when you can just pull the trigger? The only head bolts that have defeated my impact arsenal are those foot long Subaru head bolts = torque sticks for which I use a two foot long ratchet. If 1500 ft-lb of impact can't do it why would a two foot long breaker bar be able to do it unless you've got the Subaru problem?

I think some people try to barely crack the head bolts loose but leave some tension in them until all are "broken" so as to minimize the asymmetric force on the heads (before starting to completely remove them) due to some being completely tight and others being completely loosened but maybe that's overthinking it. Sort of the reverse of tightening them in stages.

Perhaps he is trying to feel whether some of them are already loose

 

[Zewnten]

Ever watch "I do cars" on YouTube. The guy always uses a breaker bar to crack head bolts. WHY? That's why I have a Milwaukee High-Torque, an Aircat 1250K and a THOR impact. Why grunt when you can just pull the trigger? The only head bolts that have defeated my impact arsenal are those foot long Subaru head bolts = torque sticks for which I use a two foot long ratchet. If 1500 ft-lb of impact can't do it why would a two foot long breaker bar be able to do it unless you've got the Subaru problem?

Because an impact doesn't always fit, I'm already using the impact on the other side of the bolt and need the breaker bar to hold the nut, because impacts don't work on crowfoots, because you can't use an impact to torque to yield bolts.

 

[Wakefield]

Picture on the Amazon Deutsch website shows it being used on Lug Bolts I think (not nuts on studs)
those can be much tighter than the point that I think most car lug studs would simply break or twist off
I had to put what I estimate was about 500 ft. lb. to get a lug bolt to start turning on someone's flat in my neighborhood,the S.K bar handled it but that German bar in the picture looks a lot more beefy than the S.K I have (would not have tried that with the old Craftsman!)
(the 24" S.K has fork about 1 and 1/4" wide but it starts turning down in width closer behind the cutout for the drive shorter than I would like to see or than the German unit in the pictures)

 

[dnschmidt]

Because an impact doesn't always fit, I'm already using the impact on the other side of the bolt and need the breaker bar to hold the nut, because impacts don't work on crowfoots, because you can't use an impact to torque to yield bolts.

OK, so why not use a long ratchet instead of a breaker bar? Breaker bars are a PIA.

 

[nadogail]

Not everyone will agree with you, but you are allowed to have your own opinion.

 

[Zewnten]

OK, so why not use a long ratchet instead of a breaker bar? Breaker bars are a PIA.

A ratchet to back up an impact? Ratchets flex a lot for the other uses too, though if you know of a good 1/2 drive 24" long ratchet that doesn't flex I'd prefer the adjustment of a ratchet over a breaker bar

 

[dnschmidt]

A ratchet to back up an impact? Ratchets flex a lot for the other uses too, though if you know of a good 1/2 drive 24" long ratchet that doesn't flex I'd prefer the adjustment of a ratchet over a breaker bar

I've got a Gearwrench 24" flex head and a Tekton 24" standard ratchet. Both are 90 tooth. I don't know if they "flex" or not I just know that they were able to remove head bolts torqued to 210 ft-lb on a Powerstroke 6.0 diesel. These were the bolts (actually nuts on ARP studs) that I couldn't get to with my ASTRO Nano impact.

 

[f121]

A ratchet to back up an impact? Ratchets flex a lot for the other uses too, though if you know of a good 1/2 drive 24" long ratchet that doesn't flex I'd prefer the adjustment of a ratchet over a breaker bar

SHRLF80A. Has some flex when I jump on it, but it's absurdly strong.

 

[Zewnten]

SHRLF80A

thanks for the suggestion but those flex a lot sadly.

 

[Ton ton]

OK, so why not use a long ratchet instead of a breaker bar? Breaker bars are a PIA.

I prefer to have both a breaker bar and a long ratchet on hand. I'm going with a both option just in case one decides to break.

 

[f121]

thanks for the suggestion but those flex a lot sadly.

Maybe go 3/4"?

 

[Zewnten]

Maybe go 3/4"?

I do but my crowfoots are 1/2 drive and reducers always break but 1/2 drive stuff doesn't doing the same job, don't ask me why haha.

 

[bubinga]

SHRLF80A. Has some flex when I jump on it, but it's absurdly strong.

I'll bet it's nice!

 

[claymont]

I use a Torque Multiplier 1/2" input, 3/4" out, with a 1/2" adapter for stuff that doesn't want to turn. I find it a lot easier on the old bod. I bought it for less than the cost of the breaker on eBay a few years ago.

 

[KnurledNut]

Thats a swanky looking breaker bar. I would be proud to own one.
At the same time, I just dont see the real advantage of "bigger is better."
No matter how big the handle gets, it still only has a 1/2 square drive.
This is where metallurgy comes in to play.

Before you go lining me out, I understand all the pros and cons of this.
You probably wont change my mind.

 

[Zewnten]

Thats a swanky looking breaker bar. I would be proud to own one.
At the same time, I just dont see the real advantage of "bigger is better."
No matter how big the handle gets, it still only has a 1/2 square drive.
This is where metallurgy comes in to play.

Before you go lining me out, I understand all the pros and cons of this.
You probably wont change my mind.

My issue is the flex in the handle. That's just wasted energy waiting to get someone hurt when things finally start turning. Or running out of room just because the flex but nothing has moved yet. The longer it is the more diameter I want. I'd really like a hollow tube handle to avoid the weight but no one seems to offer that

 

[KnurledNut]

My issue is the flex in the handle. That's just wasted energy waiting to get someone hurt when things finally start turning. Or running out of room just because the flex but nothing has moved yet. The longer it is the more diameter I want. I'd really like a hollow tube handle to avoid the weight but no one seems to offer that

Judging by the pics, the handle diameter doesnt appear to be any bigger.
Other than the OP's claim, do we have any proof of any less flex?

 

[65k10]

thanks for the suggestion but those flex a lot sadly.

Maybe you've already tried one, but you could go looking for an Armstrong era Matco cfr248lft. Those had a tapered handle that got thicker near the fork and in my experience a little stiffer than a comparable Snap-On. For example one time I was trying to loosen a fastener in a tight space and while my SHLF80a just flexed until it touched the floor, the Matco was stiff enough I could break the fastener loose before running out of room.

I really like that old Matco and it disappoints me that they were not able to continue that handle design on the newer AJ made ratchets. I have one of those in the 30" length and while it has great reach, it has an awful lot of flex. I'm sure the tapered handles are expensive to make and maybe not enough people cared to make it worthwhile, but I would like to see some company make a long 1/2 ratchet with that feature again.

It would be interesting to test a bunch of the 24" long 1/2" ratchets and see just how much flex each has since I've found that to be important at times.