Good quality breaker bar

[mnoeltne]

I'm in need of a good quality 1/2" drive 24" or longer breaker bar. While I want good quality, it will be used seldom enough that I would like to stay under $100 for this.

I can get SK or Proto for about $65 new. Or Matco, Mac, or Snap-On used for around $75 to $90. Much more for the Snap-On 36".

Are any of these substantially better than the others?

It will be used to release tension off a torsion spring and will have a long cheater pipe over it, mostly to make it easier to hold under tension for 10-15 minutes at a time. It really wouldn't need the cheater if you could do this in just a few seconds, but it's helpful when holding it in place while the locking plate is removed or attached.

 

[d.mcfarland]

This sounds like a recipe for an injury no matter what brand. Not the right tool for the job in my opinion. Stay safe.

 

[AndrewDouglasBird]

Honestly, I have a Harbor Freight 25" long, 1/2"-drive bar and have put it through a lot without any issues. I've used it probably a dozen times to "torque" wheel axle nuts to over 200 ft. lbs. without issue. This is the one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-25-in-breaker-bar-60819.html

 

[LXCam]

A bunch of us just bought that new 30" SK 1/2" bar. That baby's solid!. I've used mine a few times already and am highly impressed.

If you're gonna buy one of these SK's, then you absolutely need to buy it from HE if ya wanna be one of the cool kids. This company supports American made products and are just all around great guys too.

http://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/1-2-drive-flex-30-long-xxl-sk-breaker-bar.html

 

[cliftonbros89]

I have the typical reply of Snap On, SK, Wright. Sure you could buy a Craftsman. It's cheaper. I've had a lot of Craftsman breaker bars blow apart of me though. I'm not talking about with use of a cheater pipe either. You get what you pay for.

 

[RedneckWelder]

The Proto is cheap but kinda weak IMHO. I don't recommend it.

 

[mnoeltne]

That 30" SK looks pretty good for approx $84. I may just go with that.

I'm a bit scared of the HF one. While it might be one of the good HF items, breaking at the wrong time could cause some expensive damage. I want to stick with a good name brand.

d.mcfarland this is pretty safe. Part of the procedure is to use a special jig to hold everything in place. If one of the tools should break or give way, about the most that could happen is falling over due to the sudden release of stress. But, it WOULD break a couple of thousand dollars in parts at the same time. I suppose if the person holding tension on the cheater would let go while standing in just the wrong place it could come up and smack them, but the usual procedure is for two people to be holding just in case.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I got a 36" SO at auction, years ago. I generally only use it in the field when I cant use air tools. It works, as advertised

 

[Finky198]

+3 on the ^^^ 36" snap on their pricey but they are very stout for a 1/2" breaker bar. I keep 1 in the jeep and 2 at the shop they are sweet bars. You would never regret it

Otherwise
I like the SK or HF 25" Pittsburgh pro.

The Wright stuff is heavy duty!!!

 

[mjoekingz28]

Your scenario brings up a question.

Say you have a one foot breaker bar and a two foot breaker bar. You have a common cheater pipe to slip over each one. Which will break first?

I imagine the longer breaker bar will have its point of contact with the breaker bar further away from the socket/fastener and will thus make the shorter handled breaker bar the stronger piece.......just a guess

 

[ChevyEFI]

I'm happy with my shorter (16") SK 1/2" breaker bar.
I would be happy with the design in 24" too.

 

[toolaholic]

Use this and a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OX...reaker+bar&dpPl=1&dpID=315x-Pyk94L&ref=plSrch

 

[bcradio]

Yes, you should get the forty inch tekton 3/4 drive and the hf 25" breaker bars and you'll only be at about $50 for both. That's the way to go here.

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

I've used my HF breaker bar several times to torque a hitch ball to 250 ft lbs, no issues.

 

[Banshee365]

When I first needed to torque Mk5 VW axle bolts (147 ft/lb +180 degrees) I knew that last 90 would be tough. I needed a large broker bar that day and found a Titan 40" at Northern Tool. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200382234_200382234 It appears to be out of the same factory as the Tekton. It's very stout. It's a big mamajama.

 

[dacan23]

I broke a HF 3/8 bar 18" once on some over tightened lugs, be careful cause when it breaks it can be very dangerous. My HF 1/2 and 3/8 24" ones are sturdier. My father had/has a 4 ft 1" one that was impressive, reminds me to ask him if he still has it.

 

[white 450]

Use this and a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OX...reaker+bar&dpPl=1&dpID=315x-Pyk94L&ref=plSrch

Exactly what I was going to say too. This thing is a hoss. I bought it after I broke my SK pulling off a Honda axle nut. This thing will break them loose almost effortlessly and it's cheap. I have an Armstrong 1" drive, Snap On 25(ish)", the SK, and others and I've been using this one almost exclusively now. You won't regret it.

 

[Farmall 1066]

A bunch of us just bought that new 30" SK 1/2" bar. That baby's solid!. I've used mine a few times already and am highly impressed.

If you're gonna buy one of these SK's, then you absolutely need to buy it from HE if ya wanna be one of the cool kids. This company supports American made products and are just all around great guys too.

http://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/1-2-drive-flex-30-long-xxl-sk-breaker-bar.html

Agree! My SK 30" from HJE may have been my best tool purchase of 2015.

 

[anndel]

I have a 24" Armstrong and it was used to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt which was torqued at 186 ft-lbs, no issues.

 

[ssdave]

I'm surprised at the comment that Proto is weak. I have at least 2 or 3 of them in 1/2", and they are extremely durable and strong. I prefer them to my Snap-on ones. They've held up to incredibly well with hard to remove crank pulley bolts, torque to yield bolts, and stuck fasteners. One of my favorites is an old Plomb, which dates it back to the 40's or 50's. It's identical to the newer marked Proto's.

In general, though, if you're going to use with a cheater bar, I'd get a 3/4" drive. A LOT stronger, and able to stand up to the abuse.

The one I absolutely would not get is Craftsman. Have seen the 1/2" square drive broken or twisted on a lot of them.

 

[Danglerb]

HF had two different breaker bars in 1/2, both looked pretty sturdy, but if you plan on always using a cheater pipe I would make a tool. Cut a slot in the cheater pipe and weld in a 1/2 drive.

 

[martin666]

Have more than a few Proto tools including a 24" breaker bar, every one of them has performed great except the breaker bar. At 60 years old im nowhere near the man i used to be but twisted the drive end about an 1/8th of a turn without a cheater bar, disappointed in a brand that i always thought very highly of

 

[1982fxr]

Wright
Snap-on
SK

 

[four.cycle]

find an old pre-tested model on CL or Ebay cheap.
go with Williams or Wright or Armstrong - or maybe Duro-Chrome or Indestro or S-K - all pretty much bulletproof, but any tool is going to break if it's pushed past its limits.
as already mentioned, if you want "guaranteed no break", find a 3/4" (or 1") drive breaker bar and get an adapter or a socket to fit what you're working on.

 

[fourtythree]

I have a newer 24" SK. It's pretty beefy and I'm very happy with it.

 

[Mechanical Noise]

That 30" SK looks pretty good for approx $84. I may just go with that.

I'm a bit scared of the HF one. While it might be one of the good HF items, breaking at the wrong time could cause some expensive damage. I want to stick with a good name brand.

d.mcfarland this is pretty safe. Part of the procedure is to use a special jig to hold everything in place. If one of the tools should break or give way, about the most that could happen is falling over due to the sudden release of stress. But, it WOULD break a couple of thousand dollars in parts at the same time. I suppose if the person holding tension on the cheater would let go while standing in just the wrong place it could come up and smack them, but the usual procedure is for two people to be holding just in case.

If you're risking a couple of thousand in parts, stick with the name brand bar, if only for the excuse factor. If something does go wrong, do you want to show your boss your broken $9.99 HF bar?

By the way, I own the 25" HF bar and the SK bar. Both are quite strong and in each case I think the drive would be the failure point. Can't do much about that except go up to the next size drive. The shaft on the HF bar is thinner and too flexible at high torque for my taste. The extra length can be handy for access.

Depending on clearance issues, the suggestion of going up to a 3/4' drive bar seems like a good one.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I've got a few SO's, a few HF"S, and a Proto.... I've never really used them on any thing life threatening, but they all have held up good...

 

[pepgj]

I like the idea of the 3/4" bar combined with a good quality step down adapter. The one I have is Apex, but of course that doesn't help you a bit.

If you just go to eBay and search for Buy It Now, there's scads of them for sale. It isn't like it's an item that wears out.

 

[shamrock12]

I'm happy with my shorter (16") SK 1/2" breaker bar.
I would be happy with the design in 24" too.

I have both of the above S-K breaker bars (41652 and 41654) and am very happy with them.

I have not seen their 30" in person yet but as far as I could tell, the design and dimensions for 24" and 30" bars are identical, except the length. Someone please correct me if I am mistaken.

There was only a couple instances where I needed a bit more than 24" of leverage, so I used a short length of pipe to temporarily create a 30" breaker bar without any issues.