Breaker Bar from eBay: BOTH Detents Stuck. Fix?

[Bolster]

Ebay seller advertised a vintage hinge handle (breaker bar) as fully operational and a good user. It arrived with BOTH detent balls stuck "in" so the head flops around and sockets fall off.

Is there any fix for stuck detents on a breaker bar?

Or just send it back to the seller?

 

[48548]

I fixed a few on some of my breaker bars. I drilled a hole in the head on the oposite side of the ball (maybe ruined the tool, but i don't think so and most of my snap on not all have the hole on the other side) and pushed in grease and used some small channel locks to work the grease in and out until it came out clean and washed out the crude. I would try to use something to pry on the other one in the head and see what happens. I might also try some evaporust and see if that would help.

 

[Bolster]

Oh man, that sounds like a lot of work. OK, thanks for the advise. Might just send it back if I have to drill it...

Also I think the drill procedure would only work on the one detent that's in the drive plug. How could you drill the opposite side of the detent ball that holds the plug in its position? I.e., the detent ball that's in the "fork" of the breaker bar?

 

[Joelfke]

i would say if its not a company you can get it warrantied easily to send it back...

i bought 2 MAC ratchets that were "used but working fine" and the smaller of the two didnt work at all...luckily i just sent it to MAC and they gave me a brand new one...so no loss there...

 

[48548]

But if it is a hard to find item and it might be worth doing that to. Try to use grease and wd40 with some channel locks and work the ball back and forth and a screwdriver to work the other ball.

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

I had the same issue with a Snap on Detent ball on a breaker bar. I just soaked it in Kroil overnight, then the next day I went at it with a pick until it popped out. I then "wire wheeled it" (just the ball) to get it to spin while blasting it with PB. Works fine now.

The other detent may be a bit harder to do.


-BWP

 

[old salvage]

Put some penetrating oil in the detent ball hole. Gently squeeze detent ball with a pair of pliers to see if it will move in any farther. If it does, keep squeezing and releasing it and squirting oil in. Eventually it will work out to its normal limit. I've freed several like that. Also try tapping the drive plug with a hammer.

 

[stricht8]

Try squirting some penetrating oil and poking (more fun on your wife or gf) and tapping with a "brass" punch.

 

[rhandwor]

Try soaking in 1/2 kerosene and motor oil. Maybe for a week then tap with a hammer.

 

[snapmom]

If all else fails, trade it in for a new one.

 

[Bolster]

If all else fails, trade it in for a new one.

Ah, you Snapoids...you do have that advantage, I'll give you that. Not sure if Stanley-Proto will warranty my 1948 hinge handle.

 

[HandyManny]

I fixed a few on some of my breaker bars. I drilled a hole in the head on the oposite side of the ball (maybe ruined the tool, but i don't think so and most of my snap on not all have the hole on the other side) and pushed in grease and used some small channel locks to work the grease in and out until it came out clean and washed out the crude. I would try to use something to pry on the other one in the head and see what happens. I might also try some evaporust and see if that would help.

How difficult is it to just buy a new breaker bar of reputable manufacuture?

 

[rsanter]

personally I would soalk the end in carb cleaner for a day or so. stir it around a few times over the day.
pull it out and soalk the head in WD40 or similar for a couple of days.
when you pull it out hit the end with a rubber mallet to try to jar the thing loose.
if that dosent do it then soalk it some more and repete.

another option
if you want to drill a small hole so you can shoot air or chemical in or push the ball back where it belongs, you can then fill the hole with a press fit solid pin and then file flush and wire wheel to kind of blend the surface finish in if you are concerned

bob

 

[crankshaftdan II]

Call 1-800-262-2161 for Stanley-proto tool replacement, give them the model # and size, and tell them you want a proto replacement breaker-they should send it out to you in a few days no-charge via UPS.

 

[HandyManny]

I'd send it back to the seller. People advertising tools as "good working condition" need to be held accountable to that. If they say it's good, then it should be when they ship it to a buyer. Then I'd give them a bad review on ebay. There are just getting to be too many sellers on ebay taking junk and advertsing it as good and trying to make money on something no one would otherwise touch if they could examine it in person. Send it back, tell the seller they ripped you off.

 

[HandyManny]

Or if it's a 1/2 drive, save it to use on the serpentine belt automatic tensioner of newer 4L engines. It would slip in and out easily without the detent balls working. It's the one time when using a breaker bar that I wish the detent ball was flush.

 

[snapmom]

You could put a plug socket on the breaker bar, they have no detent balls.

 

[Bolster]

To clear up a little confusion, people like 48548 and myself are trying to get vintage collectable tools working again. I have modern working breaker bars up the wazoo (well not literally), but here we are trying to rehabilitate a venerable old man who was born around 1947 or 48 and probably has lots of life left in him.

So far I've been soaking the detent balls in penetrating oil. The detent in the "fork" of the bar is now moving in an out a little, but not yet touching the plug. The detent ball in the plug (which holds on the socket) is not budging. Might have to drill it as 48548 says. But will try some other chemical solutions first, as suggested above.

The seller issued a full refund (postage and everything) and told me to keep the bar.

 

[Bolster]

It would certainly be easier to reach that detent ball in the "fork" if I could drive out the pin holding the plug in place. Anybody ever done that successfully?

 

[Merkava_4]

Somebody on here swears by a 50/50 mixture of lacquer thinner and transmission fluid.

 

[T56 Impala]

Bolster,

Try soaking in transmission fluid for several days. It does wonders on old sealed ratchets like Bonney t-35's. You have been told to soak it in just about every solution know to man! Just keep trying!

As for your picture, I would not try to knock out the pin. Actually, I don't think you can without serious damage to the tool. I would just keep working that ball with a flat blade screw driver till it was loose. As for the retaining ball, that's a tough one. You could try to drill it. I would use the smallest bit I could find. I mean TINY. Once drilled, I would flip it over and used it as a punch, tapping lightly. If that didn't work, I think I would call that one a dead soldier.

 

[Rickster]

Yup, try the trans fluid soak for a week. Pull it up and work it once a day.

 

[J.A.F.E.]

Somebody on here swears by a 50/50 mixture of lacquer thinner and transmission fluid.

Actually it's acetone and ATF. So far it has worked for me everytime but sometimes you need patience it can take up to a week or more. Only downside is the smell unless you like the scent af ATF.

As long as the springs are not broken it should be ok eventually. Elroy posted a repair he did on something similar a while back IIRC he replaced the ball but I would guess you could do the same to replace the spring if needed, at least on the drive lug.