Breaker bars

[nicksnothereman]

What makes a good breaker bar? They all seem pretty simple and hard to make them wrong. As long as the steel used to make them is good it seems the bar would be just fine. I know the purpose of them is to protect your ratchets but I don't use expensive ratchets. I have home Depot mechanic sets that have worked for me so far. When I can't get a bolt to break free I throw my cheater bar on it. Besides protecting your tools is there any other benefit to a breaker bar? If so, what makes one better than the other?

The pin would be the weak spot, I'd say. I'm not an engineer. Steel matters for both the handle and the head (including the pin) but most breaker bars are built fairly stout. My go to is a duralast actually. I have a couple craftsman, a kobalt, and a harbor freight one; none of them are what I'd call a **** tool, I've hammered on all of them. Every single one!

You should "protect" your tools by using good judgment and the right tool for the job. That's it. I own a cheater pipe but don't really consider using it unless I can't get it off with heat and pb blaster (so I don't really use it).

For certain things you can technically use a breaker bar like a manual (non-gear?) ratchet to loosen and re-thread nuts and bolts. Works good but takes a longer time. They have ratcheting breaker bars but I've never used one.

The main benefit for my use is the length of the handle and the angle you can get with or without an extension. It can be useful for drivetrain bolts (wheel well) though there are other ways to get at them.

 

[markw365]

I can tell you from experience that the craftsman breaker bar _WILL_ loose to a honda civic crankshaft bolt. Been there, done that 2 times. The craftsman has been regulated to lug nut duty. My go to breaker bar now is an SN24B that was my dads. I used to watch him bounce on that thing to break the axle nut loose on VW's back in the rust belt (des moines) when I was a kid. Cheater bar on it and he never lost. There is a difference in quality. If that was a craftsman or HF bar it would've snapped. I also recently picked up an SN18 for my jeep. Dad also had a 3/4" Snap On in with all the tools.

 

[crbassassin]

I recommend to everyone that they carry an impact socket sized to fit their lugnuts, a good breaker bar, extension and maybe a cheater pipe in thier car to change thier lugnuts with. The factory lugwrenches these days are pathetic...aren't even good for hitting somebody over the head.

Hell it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the next step and tack the socket, extension, and breaker bar together with a welder to keep them losing a component.

Every since I lost my lug wrench, I've kept a breaker bar next to the driver seat. It also serves as a personal defense weapon.

 

[MattPersman]

There's an important attribute for breaker bars that I haven't seen mentioned yet - stiffness. A breaker bar isn't much good if all your torque is robbed by flex in the bar.

I bought the harbor freight breaker bar after reading rave reviews here, and it falls down hard on this criteria. I never use it because it flexes so terribly. It doesn't "break" anything. A short ratchet breaks bolts free far better than that 25" bar. Expensive at $10, worth about $5, and only then because I suppose you could prop a door open with it. Not a heavy door though. A closet door.

Now I use a 3/4" drive Wright ratchet for this purpose. It is thoroughly excellent.

+1 I didn't want to say anything because I feel I chime in on every HF breaker bar thread that it's good BUT pushing it hard it flexes so much (maybe not visibly ) that it will not loosen something really tight. Better off getting a name brand one if you are going to use it a lot on tight stuff. Fwiw I have seen the Matcos break a lot the anvil shears right off for example the guy who works next to me has had it happen 3 times this year and really doesn't even use it much.

 

[Wakefield]

What makes a good breaker bar?

S*K and Mac have been cited as good breaker bars that took a lot of abuse but they might have been older vintage

answer might just be to get some big old 3/4" bar,extension and sockets like Wright or old Bonney stuff and pull as hard as you want?
3/4" to 1/2" impact reducer/adapter O.K. ?

 

[Wakefield]

+1 I didn't want to say anything because I feel I chime in on every HF breaker bar thread that it's good BUT pushing it hard it flexes so much (maybe not visibly ) that it will not loosen something really tight. Better off getting a name brand one if you are going to use it a lot on tight stuff. Fwiw I have seen the Matcos break a lot the anvil shears right off for example the guy who works next to me has had it happen 3 times this year and really doesn't even use it much.

Are Matco,Armstrong and Craftsman all made in the same factory?
(Unless Craftsman just changed to China)
and I think Craftsman might have been made to a lower price point?

 

[98ramtough]

I have a 1/2" old SK breaker bar that works wonderful. I have used it to loosen a 2 1/4" Axle nut and jumped up and down on it. (I weigh 300lbs). No flex...

 

[Wakefield]

If a breaker bar has been used hard time after time for years does it eventually weaken until some day it eventually goes bust with surprisingly little effort?
On a bar that uses an axle bolt if that bolt has loosened and partially come unthreaded does that make the bar more likely to fail?

(edit) (9/7/2014)It would be interesting if the next time someone is having trouble with a Harbor Freight or similar (Duralast)? bar flexing too much at the head/head distorting:the person would look carefully at how much of the bolt is showing-down in or level with outside of the hole?-at the ear,then dissassemble the thing to see if that is an axle bolt that is meant to be screwed in tight to the point that only axle,not thread is inside the fork/head,if so,then reassemble the thing and snug that bolt up good,the axle butted hard to the surface inside the ear--then see if more bolt shows at the outside of the hole on the outside--also see if the flex problem is less-remember when disassembling it you want a baggy or something around the head when you pull it off the handle,a lockwasher or other spring washer will probably try to jump away and get lost-you need to keep it to put it back where it belongs when you put the thing back together. Perhaps a little bit of binding in the hinge action would be a worthwhile compromise if the excessive flex can be eliminated.
Some of them do only have an ordinary bolt such that some thread must be within the fork width/space but even those might need to be tightened somewhat.

 

[Danglerb]

I've broken ratchets, no breaker bars yet. If a ratchet let go when I was abusing it like I do a breaker bar it would mean stitches.

 

[-Brent-]

I left my old breaker bar back east, when I moved. So I picked up a HF one and it does what it's supposed to. The first time I used it I wondered if it would break but it seemed to hold up fine. It does flex.

I don't understand why people want to use extra effort by using the incorrect tool. It's not that I don't want to brake a ratchet (I' don't) but I'd rather not over exert myself using the wrong tool.

I think my tools (and my body) have lasted longer because I no longer grab whatever's handy and try to muscle it.

 

[MackMan]

I left my old breaker bar back east, when I moved. So I picked up a HF one and it does what it's supposed to. The first time I used it I wondered if it would break but it seemed to hold up fine. It does flex.

I don't understand why people want to use extra effort by using the incorrect tool. It's not that I don't want to brake a ratchet (I' don't) but I'd rather not over exert myself using the wrong tool.

I think my tools (and my body) have lasted longer because I no longer grab whatever's handy and try to muscle it.

How is using a breaker bar less effort than a ratchet of the same length?

 

[-Brent-]

How is using a breaker bar less effort than a ratchet of the same length?

My breaker bars are all longer than my ratchets. I've never owned a 3' ratchet. And, like mentioned previously, if you're putting a cheater on a ratchet, you may as well put the cheater on a breaker.

I can't believe this is a continuing discussion. I used to use a jack handle cheater on my 1/2" drive ratchet when I was 16 and didn't own a breaker bar. Nor did I know much about proper tools and use.

After rebuilding a ratchet or two I could plainly tell why a cheater was the better option.

Partially, I think the guys arguing against cheaters haven't come across a bolt/nut yet that needed one.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

How is using a breaker bar less effort than a ratchet of the same length?

I've never seen a breaker bar the same length as a typical ratchet.

 

[MackMan]

See my links above, longest snap on 1/2 breaker is 36, longest ratchet is 40, also they have a 24" ratchet. I just got the 15" ratchet.. I've never liked how most /all breakers are flex head. My dad had one where the drive slid up and down along the handle, but it was pretty short.

I just don't feel like the times I've needed one it would have fit, usually I end up needing to index the ratchet into the one orientation it will fit. The +/- 60 degrees with a socket wouldn't work.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[jvitez]

Once I moved up to air tools the breaker bars sat. But every once in a while I can't easily fit my air impact on the bolt, and out comes the breaker bar. I don't feel back wailing on it with a ball pein hammer either.

As in other things length does matter......I caught a good sale a while back and bought a Princess Auto (Canuck Harbor Freight) 3/4" drive, heavy, long, breaker bar just in case. I've yet to use it.

 

[BFBOB]

I carry one in my car too, with a deepwell sock for the tire lugs. When you gets old, you need all the help you can get.

Better: Tire plugs and small compressor. Several flats, but I've only changed one tire in the last 30 years.

 

[Harry_Bahrrs]

Basically what I am getting from this thread..

For roadside tire changes a breaker bar with a socket is the way to go.

For the weekend grease monkey they are nice to have, but if you don't care about your 3 dollar ratchet a chunk of pipe will fit the bill.

I'll save my money for other tools

This is, in my opinion, a poor way of looking at it.

First off, a servicable breaker bar is cheap. You can get the HF 18 and 25 in ones for $10-$11 with the coupon or on sale.

Second, its just more stable/comfortable/safer using a breaker bar and the right size socket than a ratchet and a pipe that may or may not have the ideal fit on the ratchet.

 

[gungatim]

I thought everyone knew you weren't supposed to break anything free with a ratchet. My first week of mechanic school the Snap-on rep came and gave the whole class a lecture on tool usage. After that if we were caught not using a breaker bar or T-bar to break stuff free initially, we got a tool chip taken away. Maybe I was taught wrong, I don't know.

I routinely break free bolts that an impactg won't touch with one of my big breaker bars. I even use my 3/8 and 1/4" breaker barS regularly...My favorite is a 24" 1/2" drive Mac with a 1/2" hollow in one end so you can use it as a long extention as well as breaker bar.

 

[KEH]

I have a 3/4 breaker bar and a 1/2 adapter on it. Works fine for occasional tight fastners.

It's a good idea to have a 1/2 drive breaker bar in the car that wife or daughter drives in case of tire changes.

KEH

 

[skruft]

I have used various quality brands and have never broken any as I recall (using them without extenders). The one I use most now is an SK.

 

[Outlawmws]

See my links above, longest snap on 1/2 breaker is 36, longest ratchet is 40, also they have a 24" ratchet. I just got the 15" ratchet.. I've never liked how most /all breakers are flex head. My dad had one where the drive slid up and down along the handle, but it was pretty short.

I just don't feel like the times I've needed one it would have fit, usually I end up needing to index the ratchet into the one orientation it will fit. The +/- 60 degrees with a socket wouldn't work.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

With all due respect, those extra long ratchets are silly money to buy and for practical purposes to the average guy, even most pros, do not exist.

I happen to have a couple of larger than average ratchets (not even like those...), and the reaction I get every time they come out (which admittedly is not often) is ALWAYS is that!?!?!? The 16" Proto 1/2 gets the jaws dropping, the 26" 12 lb. 1" drive has then reeling back stunned.

An 18-24 inch breaker is all the average guy (Even amongst most pros) needs to cut their effort in half or a third, and is AFFORDABLE. Once the fastener is broke loose, it's practically Miller time.

Frankly, your claims of needing the incremental ratcheting as often as you claim sounds like either justification, or you are baiting people on the topic.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Safety. If something breaks while you are hangin on it or leaning in to it you're gonna get hurt. So use something unlikely to break when you're doing that, heh?

 

[BD1]

Boy, it really is. It's one of HF's true gems.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-drive-25-breaker-bar-67933.html

Mine too. I bought them when they were $ 6.95 .

Used them on some 3/4'' flange bolts and it didn't break. Got my money's worth out of them for sure.

 

[Haveblue]

A good flex-head long handled ratchet is great for teardown when space is limited, but sometimes a breaker bar works better. I couldnt be without both. Im not going to torque down the last 90 degree step on 26 head bolts on a Cummins 5.9 with a breaker bar..Ill use my long handle 1/2" ratchet.

 

[454ragtop]

Coarse, if you have one of these, you don't need no stinkin' breaker bar...
39" Blue Point 3/4 dr

 

[Haveblue]

I think a person, when pushing, or pulling a tool needs to think about what will happen if the tool fails..if you "jerk on it" expect a failure, either your torque will be skewed, or you will break a tool, and possibly a hand.. In high torque applications, you "creep" up on the actual value.

 

[Sloper0204]

Coarse, if you have one of these, you don't need no stinkin' breaker bar...
39" Blue Point 3/4 dr

Wish I had a picture of the 48" handle we put on one of our 3/4 drive heads when I worked doing pressure testing on oilfield equipment. When you're trying to get things tight enough to hold 15,000psi it takes some umph.

Kinda like our 60" pipe wrench with the 8' cheater More then one time we had 600+ pounds of roughnecks standing on the end of that cheater and couldn't budge the connections.

 

[MackMan]

With all due respect, those extra long ratchets are silly money to buy and for practical purposes to the average guy, even most pros, do not exist.

I happen to have a couple of larger than average ratchets (not even like those...), and the reaction I get every time they come out (which admittedly is not often) is ALWAYS is that!?!?!? The 16" Proto 1/2 gets the jaws dropping, the 26" 12 lb. 1" drive has then reeling back stunned.

An 18-24 inch breaker is all the average guy (Even amongst most pros) needs to cut their effort in half or a third, and is AFFORDABLE. Once the fastener is broke loose, it's practically Miller time.

Frankly, your claims of needing the incremental ratcheting as often as you claim sounds like either justification, or you are baiting people on the topic.

I agree that the 40" snap-on ratchet is silly expensive, but it was just to show there are extra long ratchets available. I work in a building where we do the prototype builds and refits for heavy trucks and 4' ratchets are not uncommon... never seen anyone use a breaker bar. Either big impacts, or big ratchets. But we are looking at torques in excess of 600 ft-lb at times.

The only times I have needed excessive torque were underneath a car before I had a lift. Especially brakes on my Cadillac STS, and I was not able to get the transfer case drain bolt out of my Jeep Cherokee between the skid plate and rocker panel. Neither were frequent, but the 15" SL80A has sure made life easier.

Actually in the case of the Cadillac brakes the problem was just general acces. I had to use a cheater bar just to be able to get a grip to apply enough force, not so much extreme torque but I couldn't get a good grip on the 12" ratchet handle... and between the sloppy Craftsman ratchet and the fit between the cheater and the ratchet handle it was a real struggle.

Had the Snap-On when I did my wife's Civic brakes, and brakes on a friend's Pilot and both were very easy without any cheater due to the extra length and finer tooth arrangement.

All that said, the 36" Snap-On breaker is now on my wish list along with the 24" flex ratchet. I'm a big fan of leverage.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I've never seen a breaker bar the same length as a typical ratchet.

They exist. I have one from kobalt. I think it's 6-8" (under a foot). They're more "hammer bar" than breaker bar. I didn't get it either (hell I still don't remember buying it) but it's useful if you're working with jack stands and space is an issue. I try not to hammer on ratchets, so this is a good option especially with the angle you can get.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I agree that the 40" snap-on ratchet is silly expensive, but it was just to show there are extra long ratchets available. I work in a building where we do the prototype builds and refits for heavy trucks and 4' ratchets are not uncommon... never seen anyone use a breaker bar. Either big impacts, or big ratchets. But we are looking at torques in excess of 600 ft-lb at times.

The only times I have needed excessive torque were underneath a car before I had a lift. Especially brakes on my Cadillac STS, and I was not able to get the transfer case drain bolt out of my Jeep Cherokee between the skid plate and rocker panel. Neither were frequent, but the 15" SL80A has sure made life easier.

Actually in the case of the Cadillac brakes the problem was just general acces. I had to use a cheater bar just to be able to get a grip to apply enough force, not so much extreme torque but I couldn't get a good grip on the 12" ratchet handle... and between the sloppy Craftsman ratchet and the fit between the cheater and the ratchet handle it was a real struggle.

Had the Snap-On when I did my wife's Civic brakes, and brakes on a friend's Pilot and both were very easy without any cheater due to the extra length and finer tooth arrangement.

All that said, the 36" Snap-On breaker is now on my wish list along with the 24" flex ratchet. I'm a big fan of leverage.

40" is real long in a wheel well (at least for the civic). You're going to have to explain this unless you were using a fairly long extension. You know because ratchets work at 90 degrees and a wheel well is 180 degrees. To get that long of a ratchet in there without an extension (for say a caliper bolt) you'd have to be working well below the bolt because of the swing of the handle). I don't think you can get that height with jack stands bro.

 

[MackMan]

I don't have the 40" ratchet.. I have the 15" one. I just linked earlier to the 40" snap-on ratchet because people were saying breaker bars are longer than ratchets, but apparently you can get ratchets as long as breaker bars, if not longer.

 

[Outlawmws]

I don't have the 40" ratchet.. I have the 15" one. I just linked earlier to the 40" snap-on ratchet because people were saying breaker bars are longer than ratchets, but apparently you can get ratchets as long as breaker bars, if not longer.

Actually, you were responding directly at me when you brought that up (You quoted me). and I did NOT say anything of the sort... (See below)

I failed to see the point at the time and I let it slide. but you did not let up on it. As I said before, just because they exist, does not mean that are readily available to Joe average wrench. The point is, on average a breaker IS longer that the same size drive ratchets. Yeah, I have short ratchet length breakers, but they have limited usefulness because of the short length, and no they are not common... (I have at least, 36 breakers, so I'm pretty sure of my ground here...)

I think many are missing the advantage of a breaker. Generally a breaker bar is LONGER than the same size ratchet. Yes it saves undue strain on the ratchet, and may prevent breakage, but it also saves wear and tear on YOU. I notice many say you use a cheater on your ratchet. OK, make your 9" ratchet 18" long and you have more leverage. A breaker is already 18" (or more) long... Archimedes lives guys... (Tell me he didn't live in vain...)

 

[thebeekeeper1]

They exist. I have one from kobalt. I think it's 6-8" (under a foot). They're more "hammer bar" than breaker bar. I didn't get it either (hell I still don't remember buying it) but it's useful if you're working with jack stands and space is an issue. I try not to hammer on ratchets, so this is a good option especially with the angle you can get.

I didn't know that--thanks.

Something else to add to my list of "wants."

 

[nicksnothereman]

I didn't know that--thanks.

Something else to add to my list of "wants."

Need depends on what you're doing and how you're doing it.

A while back I thought "oh yeah I just got an electric impact wrench I'm gonna get those hub bolts off real quick" well...I could get one off, didn't fit in the wheel well to remove the others so back to the long 1/2" breaker bar. I do this a lot actually because things come up while you're working.

Nah, a small breaker bar ain't going to get any moderately torqued bolt off by hand but with a hammer oh yeah. Just gotta be careful and uh...don't use those 12 points.

 

[mailpup]

40" is real long in a wheel well (at least for the civic). You're going to have to explain this unless you were using a fairly long extension. You know because ratchets work at 90 degrees and a wheel well is 180 degrees. To get that long of a ratchet in there without an extension (for say a caliper bolt) you'd have to be working well below the bolt because of the swing of the handle). I don't think you can get that height with jack stands bro.

You don't leave the wheels pointed in the straight ahead position. Well, you can but why make it any more difficult than it needs to be? Simply turn the wheel to the left or right depending on which side you're working on. The caliper and caliper bracket bolts can then be easily accessed by a long ratchet or breaker bar without interference of the fender well or body panels.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I've never seen a breaker bar the same length as a typical ratchet.

They exist. I have one from kobalt. I think it's 6-8" (under a foot). They're more "hammer bar" than breaker bar. I didn't get it either (hell I still don't remember buying it) but it's useful if you're working with jack stands and space is an issue. I try not to hammer on ratchets, so this is a good option especially with the angle you can get.

I think I have a few...I believe I have a 1/4" one and a 3/8"..I'll have to post some pics at a later time... I also have a 12" 1/2", which isn't much bigger then a typical 1/2" ratchet...

 

[Karl_B]

I have a 3/8" drive breaker bar from Armstrong that I picked up for about a dollar. I wasn't sure I would ever use it, but there have been a few times I was glad I had it.

My 1/2" drive breaker bars get a good bit of use, too, but only in places my impact wrenches can't fit or a few other choice applications.

 

[MackMan]

You don't leave the wheels pointed in the straight ahead position. Well, you can but why make it any more difficult than it needs to be? Simply turn the wheel to the left or right depending on which side you're working on. The caliper and caliper bracket bolts can then be easily accessed by a long ratchet or breaker bar without interference of the fender well or body panels.

And on the rear brakes?

Actually, you were responding directly at me when you brought that up (You quoted me). and I did NOT say anything of the sort... (See below)

I failed to see the point at the time and I let it slide. but you did not let up on it. As I said before, just because they exist, does not mean that are readily available to Joe average wrench. The point is, on average a breaker IS longer that the same size drive ratchets. Yeah, I have short ratchet length breakers, but they have limited usefulness because of the short length, and no they are not common... (I have at least, 36 breakers, so I'm pretty sure of my ground here...)

Well I didn't mean to make a big deal about it, and having 36 breakers you're far more versed... I don't think I've ever seen a breaker bar in use in a home or professional setting. I haven't even seen breaker bars on Snap-On truck that comes to work. The mechanics here use ginormous ratchets and torque wrenches (3/4" and 1" drive) to get things up to torque and impacts to get things off, so I've never seen a breaker bar being used. As far as stuff breaking I've never personally had a ratchet break, and at work I've broken 3/4" to 1/2" adapters at the 1/2" square, and seen the mechanics break 17mm hex impact drivers trying to torque a M20 to 600+ ft-lb.

Actually before this thread, and going on the Snap-On site to look up extra long breaker bars I'd never seen a breaker bar that WAS longer than a standard ratchet, so I never saw the point of them. Snap-On truck doesn't carry them, and Sears ones are now made in China, and I think at best they have an 18" which didn't seem enough longer than my 15" ratchet to be worthwhile. I had that 24" long ratchet on my wish list for exactly that reason of the extra leverage but now I see the 36" breaker bar which is a fair amount cheaper I will probably go that route first. I always saw those 8 and 12" breaker bars at Sears and didn't see the point

 

[sberry]

I have a lot of stuff but the HF bar is a great deal. I have actually had one broke when someone put a 6 ft pipe on it instead of getting the right tool which we have which would have been a 3/4 air gun or a 5 ft one inch bar..

 

[sberry]

Today if I was a one man show and it was coming out of my pocket would cough up 12$ for the HF and call it a day. I often reach for it as a matter of first choice and would just not plain bother to invest in hundreds or 1000's of dollars in other stuff when that works just fine.