Breaker bars. Under utilized?

[SpiderGearsMan]

Impacts may have reduced the need for breaker bars, but not eliminated it. I run across plenty of situations where an impact simply won't fit. Like my friend's old Buick a few weeks ago. Using a breaker with cheater pipe prevented us having to remove the radiator because an impact wouldn't fit.

Most of my breaker bars are old Chrome/Vanadium units -stamped on the shaft. Proto, Allen, etc ... The long 24" one at the top of my image in the 1st post is my favorite. Has a hole through the handle so you can use a bar & use it as a T-handle. Plus it has a 1/2' square drive in the end so you can hook a ratchet & use it as a flexible extension.

I use my 36 in breaker bar for setting rear axle pinion bearing preload

 

[e30bradley]

The t handles are convent because you can slide the square to the middle and spin bolts in/ out and slide it to the end to torque them or break em loose.

 

[ericedelman]

The last ratchet I purchased was a snap-on 3/8" flex-head with a hard handle, the model is FHLFD80 and it is 14" long. My snap-on 3/8" breaker bar with a chrome handle is only 12" long, and the only thing I see in the catalog that is longer is the 3/8" breaker bar with the comfort grip handle, and it's 13" long.

At this point, I'd just as soon either use my 14" long ratchet, use an air tool, or go up to a 1/2" drive socket/ratchet/breaker bar. And on that note, I have one of snap-on's 1/2" drive ratchets that's over 2 feet long, so again I'm still looking for an air tool before I'm trying to take something off with a breaker bar.

 

[Matt018]

I use a breaker bar when I cant get a bolt off with a ratchet. And the only time i put a pipe on a ratchet was when I needed the reach.

 

[ChvyC10]

Lifetime warranty...

Also, time = money.

 

[jim2664258]

Kinda laughing at the time/money comments. It doesn't take long lol.

 

[Alchymist]

1/4" breaker bars used extensively in some military electronics/instrumentation areas. One example where a 1/4" is handy - multiple fasteners with a rather high torque setting. Break it loose with the bar, flip the handle in line with the socket, and spin it.

Also find my 3/4" T handle useful at times.

Going back to the late sixties - lug nuts on a tractor trailer - no air available, (middle of nowhere). Had a Snap-On 1/2" long breaker bar, ex military. Cheater pipe - broke it through the hinge pin. Dealer replaced, broke the new one same way. Dealer didn't have another long one, gave us the shorter one.
Broke it. Still hadn't got a single lug nut loose. TO'd, drove to Sears, 20 mile round trip, picked up Craftsman 1/2". Applied cheater, removed all lug nuts. True story.

 

[richfinn]

I think hinged handle is a better description, I use a 1/4 drive sometimes like a screw driver and then just flip it 90 degrees for final tightening of delicate components.

I also use them to break loose a fastener, I intend to screw out using my fingers as ratchets are sometimes too cumbersome to get between an inner wing and some timing belt/gear drives on European cars.

for 1/4 I have a Britool (old good quality)

I like the snap on in 3/8 drive (neat hinge not too bulky)

1/2 I use an old MAC bar with a knurled grip (just like the grip better than anything else)

 

[ajchien]

I have 18 ratchets, 10 flex head breaker bars, and 3 sliding t handle breakers.

The 1/2 and longer 3/8 breaker bars are for tough bolts.

The 1/4 and short 3/8 breakers are used as nutdrivers. Perpendicular to break the bolt loose, flip 90 degrees and spin off like a nutdriver - is usually quicker than a ratchet, if I don't need much torque/leverage to spin off the bolt.

 

[Jeeper]

I use my 36 in breaker bar for setting rear axle pinion bearing preload

What kind and drive size is your 36" breaker? I used my SK 24" to set a Dana 30 crush sleeve and it had a lot of bend. Did the job. I was amazed at how much force it took to get that crush sleeve going.

 

[Flash21]

My father was a mechanic in the sixties, I have found his breaker bars (especially the 3/8") had small marks in them from what looks to be from rapping them quickly with a ball peen hammer to break things loose. I don't do this but I could see how the quick impact could do well breaking stuff loose;.

 

[Blue98GT]

I find that I tend to break more breaker bars than ratchets at the square driving end (where the socket connects). I think that's where most quality tools have their weak link- not at the driving mechanism.

 

[dirtydogintex]

Kinda laughing at the time/money comments. It doesn't take long lol.

The speed demons are pretty silly at times.
Most haven't snapped to the fact there're major differences between being 'fast' v. being efficient.
Time expended is but a component of being efficient...

 

[sberry]

I can understand the "speed is everything" point of view for Pro mechanics, but all of us have busted knuckles enough to not want to do it again.

I copied this before I got to the end but feel the same way. All these speed demons are about half as fast as they think they are. Every time I try that its do it twice to get it right.

I am a bit of a pro myself and don't recall I like busted knuckles any better than anyone else, maybe less than most. Getting a bigger tool is usually the faster easier way and if I can help it have learned the discipline of getting there first so I haven't had to go thru the process of a couple gut wrenching tries before resorting to the easy way.

As I mentioned, have a helper that tries it the other way. This is why the abundance of good 1/2 ratchets at a flea mkt and there is no such thing as a good used 3/8, air has helped the lifespan of these, when I was a kid used a 3/8 20 to 1 I do anymore, real hard and hi stress. A single Kobalt would last my lifespan. I don't want to stress my guts out, doesn't matter how strong it is.

Most people here talking and worrying about this are not strong enough to hurt the tool anyway,,, there are some exceptions but Joe Suburb will not break every Chinese breaker bar in sight. I can pull something like that if I got to and did when I was younger and I still do a bit of those things as field work but its the reason we took it to the shop in the first place, we got power.

 

[sberry]

The speed demons are pretty silly at times.
Most haven't snapped to the fact there're major differences between being 'fast' v. being efficient.
Time expended is but a component of being efficient...

This is 100%,,,, its true beyond the task at hand and all the way to the purchace decisions I talk about.

All the tools I have on the job are plain and not a complete set between them of a brand other than a good share are Cman but when good mechanics, I am talking about seasoned compentant journeyman can walk on my floor and make time on the first job I know throwing another 20 or 30K of hand tools in front of him wont help one bit. Not once did the man stop me, it wont work etc. Didnt even look like he was working up a sweat about the whole deal, not once,,, if I only had my finer tooth ratchet I "could" ****.

Opening 2 or 3 drawers to get a common socket with a 3/8 ratchet and extension would be grueling. Some of the setups, the shops that "rate" guys work in are pityful, even once with nice paint dont mean everyone isnt bumping in to each other or that washing your hands or ************* isnt a pain.

Ever sit down and do a time study, someone that operates 75%, 65 all day beats 100 for 15 minutes at a time a couple times a day especially if they crash or bruise a fendor. I still open the wrong drawers all the time. Shouldnt need to open a drawer stored with 100# of other air guns to get to the 1/2 I use regular, open a drawer with 100# of sockets to get a 9/16, open another one for extension, maybe another for my ratchet. I watch guys fuss over this and be neat for years. slows them down at every turn, worry about someone stealling an 80$ screwdriver so its hidden vs leaving a Sears one on the service cart where its needed, then go buy anoither set of 80$ ones cause they "are better" to hide those too.

I see quite a dew shops, dealers, that on first glance look ok but can see they would get old and tiresome fast, very awkward, I see a tire shop you could pack with endless truck tools wouldnt help any more than taking 100 to hf and buying a few sockets.

 

[sberry]

dirty,, some of the best I have ran across are rather slow moving. I had a guy work for me,,, my Dad made a comment about his speed and I had to set that straight. First glance was deceiving, he was prepared and careful. I could give him a hard job and it was usually done quicker than expected, saved me some money along the way if he could, never broke more than he fixed, had him 3 or 4 years and he broke about one bolt. My current guy same way, will stop, at any rate or time to keep from breaking something that would be difficult to repair.

My helper I got to watch on occasion, break first, take it apart in some awkward spot cause he is in a hurry. Going to race off to the store at every oportunity.

 

[sberry]

I drive some people nuts on occsaion especially if they are rushing head first. I am getting a coffee, clean the torch tip, get the right glove and a pair of glasses, rehearse, shield wires and hoses etc and do a clean snip cut or safe heat. It doesnt mean I wont ****** the torch and say gimme that either if someone is fukking around but places where 1 good first try beats several second + attempts I usually win.

 

[sberry]

There is a point, the quality of a torch tip would make a difference but the torch itself almost none provided its working. Same for a wrench for the most part, it isn't that there are not good times and places for special things, there are but the concept that someone is turned in to super mechanic cause the plopped some big bucks down is flawed from the start.

One of the best I know would think this discussion silly and wouldn't give a second thought to picking up the nearest chinese crescent wrench to tighten a fitting if it would work. In fact most of the truly give mechanical types I know (provided they hadn't worked at a dealership) think this way, wouldn't walk to my box and pick a socket by brand, wouldn't even cross their mind.

 

[sberry]

I got a bud or 2,,, we bought tool sets back in the day, one had lost his in a fire etc, we were in early 20's, had good jobs working ot, was a minor deal, couple weeks pay to scrape a grand together for a Sears set. Those guys are like,,, why would I buy more tools I got? They will get power tool or instruments but hard line stuff,, additions rarely cross their minds. They made this reasonable investment some time ago, were glad to have it then and now.
Chores finished, full of coffee, ha Got to baby sit while wife takes one sprout to school.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I have breaker bars in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4" as well as one sliding Tee bar in each drive size. I don't use the Tee bars a whole lot. I do use the breaker bars to break most fastners loose. Most times I just have another socket of the same size on the breaker as I do on the ratchet. Sometimes it's much faster to break something loose with the breaker than the impact. The time it takes to get the impact, socket, and hose out, I'd be done with a breaker. If there's many fastners that need breaking loose it's usually with an impact.
The 1/4" breakers work great in tighter spots where a wrench is too shallow and a ratchet is too bulky.

If Snap-On, Mac, Matco, etc would make a 15" 3/8 breaker bar, and people got use to buying it and using it for the leverage it would offer, they would save a ton of money because their dealers would be warrantying a lot less 3/8 ratchets. I think the sockets would hold up fine and the cost wouldn't be lost in socket warranties. Most ratchet's break around 90 ft/lbs and most people will jump to 1/2 if the torque is more than 120 ft/lbs. I think the quality brand 3/8 chrome sockets can hold up against 120 ft/lbs of torque regularly as long as it's manual torque and not that of an impact.

I know that's the area I fall into. I'm bad to have 2 3/8's ratchets near by when I do a job. My FL936 to break it loose and a stubby ratchet to get the bolt the rest of the way out. My FL936 would spend more time in the box if I had a good quality 15" 3/8 breaker bar.

Here ya go. http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/B15FH/3-8-DRIVE-BREAKER-BAR/

 

[rambo19]

I restore land rovers as a hobby.
Ive got a 1/2 and 3/8 drive breaker bars, and use them regular.

 

[rmsg0040]

With ratchets and wrenches getting longer and longer plus stronger, I rarely use breaker bars anymore. The one I will use is the 24" breaker bar. I keep 1 in the car also.

The advantage for me is I can start my wrench or ratchet at any point and I dont have to remove the wrench from the nut or bolt. Whereas if your in a tight spot or under the car on the floor like in my case a breaker bar might not work

Here is some comparison shots:

I call the SO ratchet "motivation"

 

[GRX]

With ratchets and wrenches getting longer and longer plus stronger, I rarely use breaker bars anymore. The one I will use is the 24" breaker bar. I keep 1 in the car also.

The advantage for me is I can start my wrench or ratchet at any point and I dont have to remove the wrench from the nut or bolt. Whereas if your in a tight spot or under the car on the floor like in my case a breaker bar might not work

Here is some comparison shots:

Good post. Thanks for sharing the images.

 

[shocksandstrutz]

I have 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 breaker bars and i use them all all of the time, i dont want to break my ratchets, they have been with me for years and ive put battle scars on them, they work well for me, if i cant break that bolt free with one hand and a ratchet.......click on a breaker bar and whammy.....loose and ready to do the next thing.....i wouldnt get rid of them...

 

[sberry]

A big advantage of the modern bar is it can be cheap. 12$, a socket and you got a tire wrench that cant be beat. It might not be the fastest but it can be done. I have one in my pickup, at that rate cheap to keep, always there, doesnt need a charge and works with sockets I already carry.

 

[rmsg0040]

^^ same here 24" bar, factory tire iron is so short

 

[Wakefield]

^^ same here 24" bar, factory tire iron is so short

I think I remember one lug wrench that came in a car that started to twist up like a pretzel when the lug didn't want to turn without some monkey arm power

 

[Fireball027]

I use my 24" 1/2 drive snap on breaker bar the most, followed by my Matco 15" 3/8 drive breaker bar. I would rather shear the drive off my breaker bar then my ratchet.

I have a few other sizes from about 6" all the way up to around 44" long for those stubborn bolts.

 

[6-Speed]

Here are some breaker bars from my collection. I have some 3/4", 1/2" and 3/8" drive bars ... some that ratchet and even one that extends from 24" up to 40".

 

[rmsg0040]

^^ got the same 3/4 40" breaker bar myself, never used it though