Breaker Bars

[onecheck]

What company name of 1/2" breaker bar do you use. I'm thinking about buying a Proto breaker bar instead of a Snap On

 

[Bull]

I bought one from NAPA year ago, and it has served me well.

I also recently bought a vintage Bonney bar on here, and it works well, too. Vintage tools rule!

 

[Fedwrench]

How hard are you going to use it? How easy will it be for you to warranty the Proto breaker bar?
I have several different brands Snap on, Matco, Napa, Craftsman, and SK. They've all performed well. I would lean towards the Craftsman model just for ease of warranty replacement and relatively low purchace price. I also think it's better to stick to a 18 inch long model as the 24 inch versions (too include the tool truck brands) flex more.
Vintage tools look cool but, when they fail you're left with a broken antique that you might not be able to warranty.

 

[Bull]

Vintage tools look cool but, when they fail you're left with a broken antique that you might not be able to warranty.

I agree there. The good thing is that they are cheap to buy in the first place. But, I won't grab the vintage stuff to remove a super-stuck fastener. I use my vintage tools like I use my '69 GTO...just take them out for a nice spin once in a while.

 

[a390st]

I have a Matco 1/2" 18" bar. The previous one broke after years of faithful service. I have an Easco 3/4" 18" bar that I bought to use very carefully with a pipe. Please don't tell anyone that I said that. I just don't trust a 1/2" bar with a pipe on it. I used to have a 1/2" 18" Snap On bar that was put through the ringer and never failed.

 

[onecheck]

How hard are you going to use it? How easy will it be for you to warranty the Proto breaker bar?
I have several different brands Snap on, Matco, Napa, Craftsman, and SK. They've all performed well. I would lean towards the Craftsman model just for ease of warranty replacement and relatively low purchace price. I also think it's better to stick to a 18 inch long model as the 24 inch versions (too include the tool truck brands) flex more.
Vintage tools look cool but, when they fail you're left with a broken antique that you might not be able to warranty.

I forgot to mention I'm a full time tech

 

[a390st]

If you have a good Snap On guy, there is no way I would have anything else.

 

[speed bump]

Personally I would go with a Williams or a Proto breaker bar. The SO looks like a toy compared to them (especially the Williams).

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Snap-on. I have three, one with a hard orange handle, one with a hard yellow handle and one plain steel handle. I wouldn't use any other brand.

 

[-B-]

S&K 18" in the truck so easy to take of lug nuts with.

 

[ProGun3400]

I've used the 24" Snap On breaker bar for many years and like it. Being a heavy equipment mech, I use it almost daily. I also have many Craftsman tools but I've broken more than a couple of their 1/2" breaker bars.

 

[riley.m]

i found an old 1/2 drive craftsman breaker bar at the pawnshop,for fifty cents the other day.you cant go wrong with that.

 

[T56 Impala]

Wright, circa 1942. Yep, still one of my favorite tools! I use it everytime I take a wheel off of a car.

 

[cruiser808]

As long as you purchase an established brand, I don't think you can go wrong. I have 1/2" SO, Proto, SK, Wright, Thorsen, USA Blackhawk and Craftsman. I haven't broken one yet.

I'm confused as to why you guys are busting your breaker bars. Are you restoring WWII vintage half tracks? The worst experience I've had is with a 24" SO breaker bar trying to remove a heater valve off a 307 cid engine. The valve was old, rusted and secured with red Loctite. That breaker bar flexed like crazy, 24" no less and kind of scary, but it finally won the day. I had to push instead of pull due to clearance issues. I would have liked to used an impact wrench for this job, but it was an "in car" repair and no room for air tools.

 

[quattrojon]

I have a 18" Armstrong which is pretty well bombproof and a 24" Britool which seems to bend to extreme angles but allways springs back!!

 

[back2class]

I hace a 18" proto. I think it will do you fine and then some.

 

[Bustawrench]

What company name of 1/2" breaker bar do you use. I'm thinking about buying a Proto breaker bar instead of a Snap On

I have a Harbor frieght one for Junkyards and a Proto for everything else.

I'm not a pro auto-mechanic, but both have served me well for a number of years.

 

[Coach James]

I have a 1/2" Craftsman, 3/8" King Tony and a 1/4" Pony. All have done fine for me.

Coach

 

[Mike83]

I have few Snap-On tools, but I sprung for used 18" and 24" SO breaker bars. One is 20 years old, but they're the bee's knees! There is nothing the 24" hasn't taken care of for me.

I just added a 1/2" ratchet adaptor, $21 shipped!

 

[gofastman]

I have a 24" AmPro one its ok esp for $20, looks just like the Snappy one, but the lever is simply to long for the crappy metal used in the 1/2" drive end, I broke a couple of 'em on a jeep axle nut that was pretty tight.

 

[ron in sc]

For really tight stuff I have been using a 1/2" drive 24" long breaker bar from Harbor Freight. I'm not a professional so I don't use it all the time. Last week I used to tighten a 27mm front crankshaft bolt to spec. With threads oiled you first tighten to 148 ft lbs with torque wrench then tighten another 45 degrees. I had to use a two foot cheater bar on the breaker bar. It did no seem to flex but I'm sure there must have been some flex.

I would like to get a better quality breaker bar.

Has anyone broken one of the 24" Harbor Freight breaker bars?

 

[a390st]

Each and every time I use the 24" HF one on a serious job, the head breaks. The bar flexes until you think it will break, at which time the head pops. Then I go get a different breaker bar to finish the job. The only redeeming value is that they give you replacement heads free. It was actually a freebie which I thought would be convenient to use as a back up/extra, but it really is nearly useless.

 

[ron in sc]

Each and every time I use the 24" HF one on a serious job, the head breaks.

Here's a photo of mine. Does the one you use look just like this? Mine does not say made in Taiwan so I assume China.

 

[rcleaver]

I have an 18" and 24" both from HF. They have never failed me.

 

[dxdexter]

What company name of 1/2" breaker bar do you use. I'm thinking about buying a Proto breaker bar instead of a Snap On

I have two Gray and one Westward and also had a Proto before I was relived of it by someone who thought they needed it more than me.

The Proto was a great quality breaker, but I find the knurling is harder on the hands that the smoother handles.

 

[a390st]

Here's a photo of mine. Does the one you use look just like this? Mine does not say made in Taiwan so I assume China.

That's the one. I wouldn't trust it as far as I could drop it.

 

[ron in sc]

That's the one. I wouldn't trust it as far as I could drop it

I guess I should not be suprised I paid less than $10 for mine when it was on sale and I had a coupon.

Are there any decent 36" or longer 3/4" drive breaker bar? That's probably what I need.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Vintage tools look cool but, when they fail you're left with a broken antique that you might not be able to warranty.

The great part about old tools is that the warranty really does not matter if you bought the tool for the right price to begin with. So many worry about a grind mark, or some guys name engraved on a tool, none of that matters. When you buy a breaker bar for a fraction of what a new one costs, you can easily afford to toss it in the can and go buy another if it ever shoots craps, and you still will not spend as much as you did buying it new and worrying around about the warranty! Besides, unless you really ape your tools only rarely will you ever break one. My point, The warranty does not matter.

 

[mhm993]

18" craftsman. I've stood on it, on the side of the road changing a trailer tire, more than once. Seems durable and a good value. Fits in a tool box, too.

 

[Honda 1]

I have used the 18 in. Craftsman breaker bar for years and it has always worked well! Also, it does fit in my toolbox in the car.
It does a good job for the price.

 

[cruiser808]

Okay folks, so what is the toughest 1/2" breaker bar of all time? I say the vintage S-K with the 1/2" female drive in the handle.

 

[vssjim]

I have Proto, Snap on, SK, Wright and Craftsman 1/2 Breaker bars the only one I ever broke was the Snap-on. The SK are the old style with the green rubber handle.

 

[a390st]

I don't trust 1/2" breaker bars that much anymore. I'm using a 3/4" Easco bar for the big stuff, now. Hopefully it will hold up. I'm going to get a 24" Snap On before too awful long.

 

[volvo]

.
Snap-on bar with a 6' length of square pipe if nec works for me everytime...

 

[billymade]

Don't buy the Craftsman; I have been hurt by them... don't ask! There are many things that the Craftsman line is fine for; this is not one of them, IMHO. You can get used pro breaker bars on ebay for cheaper or equivalent to new Craftsman prices. Check 'em out here:
http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_dm...d=m270.l1313&_odkw=1/2"+breaker+bar&_osacat=0

 

[tim096]

I work on crane trucks from time to time. I will only use snap on breaker bars., and I have broken them. Yes I did put a pipe on the end for more torq. Craftsman, mac and matco I have broken with out a pipe on the end

 

[tim096]

The tightest bolts I have run into are on cranes. Snap on is the only way to go if you are going to abuse it. all other break to easy. I have broken them all. Snap on are stronger

 

[TNToy]

I use a Snappy 24" - as everyone else said... You can kill any bar with enough leverage, but at that point the others would all have failed long ago.

However, I haven't pulled it out in about a year. Since I work on newer vehicles, nothing is super-high torque. Crank pulley bolts are pretty much the tightest thing I routinely deal with. And a 24" ratchet works great. Still kinda amazed I haven't killed this Matco yet:

 

[sasquatchpa]

I had a 70's era Craftsman that held up to much abuse. Jeep axle nuts, 8' pipe and 250lbs jumping on the end of the pipe. The nuts would hold and it was way cheaper than one piece axles. Alas, the 5 finger discount. I bet its still kicking snap-on **** somewhere.

 

[kartracer55]

Craftsman makes a beast of a breaker bar in the 18inch range. Say what you will, that is a very well made tool.

Unfortunately, they don't make a 24 inch, but SK fills the void nicely. Can be had for around 50$ and they have a nice big handle on them.