HF Pro Breaker Bar

[arz71]

I have 1/4 - 3/8 and long 1/2 2 foot breaker bars all Snap-On - they are TOOL steel made in USA and do flex as they should. Just like Snap-On pliers or other tools you can feel what the tool is doing and there is a difference if you use them everyday.

USA Tool Steel vs Some China made scrap (warranty you will need it to burn all the gas and time replacing or good insurance for injuries).

The others are made from some Chinese pot metal sure they are heavier but that is because they will shrapnel like glass...

No thanks, China and anything involving any stress (no quality control) made by 10 cents an hour slave labor.

Weighing a breaker bar has NO bearing on how it is going to perform. Has absolutely ZERO to do with durability, how the tool works or when it self-destructs.

Check back in 20-30 years and Snap-On still commands near retail pricing used and there is a reason for that. Pawn shops are loaded full of this chinese trinkets.

 

[justanengineer]

I have 1/4 - 3/8 and long 1/2 2 foot breaker bars all Snap-On - they are TOOL steel made in USA and do flex as they should. Just like Snap-On pliers or other tools you can feel what the tool is doing and there is a difference if you use them everyday.

USA Tool Steel vs Some China made scrap (warranty you will need it to burn all the gas and time replacing or good insurance for injuries).

The others are made from some Chinese pot metal sure they are heavier but that is because they will shrapnel like glass...

No thanks, China and anything involving any stress (no quality control) made by 10 cents an hour slave labor.

Weighing a breaker bar has NO bearing on how it is going to perform. Has absolutely ZERO to do with durability, how the tool works or when it self-destructs.

+1. The reality that most folks dont understand is that China and a cheap price will equal questionable or **** material every time simply due to economics. China has a decent amount of natural resources including a decently large supply of iron ore for making steel, but most of it isnt decent quality iron ore, its got a very high sulfur content (among other content) polluting it. To get finished high quality steel OUT of China, they need to first import material INTO China which is expensive. Youre very correct about material differences tho, heavier doesnt mean better by any means.

JMO, but I'd rather spend $20 on a used SO to have something that will retain its value and not make me look worse as a mere hobbyist these days.

 

[arz71]

+1. The reality that most folks dont understand is that China and a cheap price will equal questionable or **** material every time simply due to economics. China has a decent amount of natural resources including a decently large supply of iron ore for making steel, but most of it isnt decent quality iron ore, its got a very high sulfur content (among other content) polluting it. To get finished high quality steel OUT of China, they need to first import material INTO China which is expensive. Youre very correct about material differences tho, heavier doesnt mean better by any means.

JMO, but I'd rather spend $20 on a used SO to have something that will retain its value and not make me look worse as a mere hobbyist these days.

Steel that does not flex will shrapnel and weight is just bunch of junk scrap metal of who knows what.

I would suspect that steel from CHINA has lead and who knows what else in it to add weight.

Just more garbage.

Grew up using made in USA tools and will leave using made in USA tools.

 

[Olafur]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_ore

The importance attached to low sulfur iron is demonstrated by the consistently higher prices paid for the iron of Sweden, Russia, and Spain from the 16th to 18th centuries. Today sulfur is no longer a problem. The modern remedy is the addition of manganese. But, the operator must know how much sulfur is in the iron because at least five times as much manganese must be added to neutralize it. Some historic irons display manganese levels, but most are well below the level needed to neutralize sulfur (Rostoker & Bronson 1990, p. 21).

Since China produces as much steel as the rest of the world combined I think they can come up with something good enough for breaker bars.

At least they seem to have a decent source of steel for their Ratchets:
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/additional-how-to/1310-ratchet-handles-torture-test/#photo-01

 

[Mechanical Noise]

I have 1/4 - 3/8 and long 1/2 2 foot breaker bars all Snap-On - they are TOOL steel made in USA and do flex as they should. Just like Snap-On pliers or other tools you can feel what the tool is doing and there is a difference if you use them everyday.
.

Have you used a HF breaker bar?

 

[MrGiggles]

Now they just need to add a ratchet head to it.

There are instances where I like a very long handle fixed head ratchet, and modern ratchet mechanisms are stronger than the square drive, so a breaker bar really isn't all that useful.

I see Oreilly's is carrying some very long ratchets, but they're pricey. Can't find them online, but I think the 3/8 was over 40 bucks.

 

[bubinga]

Old thread I know, but I just picked one up for $14.99 this weekend, parking lot sale.
Haven't used it yet.

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[bubinga]

I passed on what seemed like a good deal for these , I just don't think I would use these much as I have Matco 24" locking flex ratchet and the tekton 30". So I don't think a 15" in 1/2 drive would be of much use.

Those were a good deal.
Who had them, a yardsale?

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[M_George]

I had a similar experience with the old 25" HF 1/2" breaker bar. It worked but it sure flexed a lot. I replaced it with a SK XXL 30" 1/2" breaker bar from SK day at Epstein's so I'm good on breaker bars now!

Let us know how the SK breaker bar works out for you once you put it to work.

 

[openwheelracing88]

Harbor Freight has hidden gems. This breaker bar is one of them.

 

[turnthewrench]

Harbor Freight has hidden gems. This breaker bar is one of them.

I've used mine on axle nuts with no issues. Always springs back to a straight line shape.

 

[TK-421]

Anybody have any guesses as to how the rubber handle will hold up being in a stupidly hot car in 110* outside heat? Would like to get one to keep in my car so I don't have to use the tiny and crappy wrench that comes with the car if I ever need to break lug nuts loose when I change a tire on the side of the road.

 

[bubinga]

I've used mine on axle nuts with no issues. Always springs back to a straight line shape.

The newer pro one, or the older about $10.00 one?

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[Loscaldazar]

Anybody have any guesses as to how the rubber handle will hold up being in a stupidly hot car in 110* outside heat? Would like to get one to keep in my car so I don't have to use the tiny and crappy wrench that comes with the car if I ever need to break lug nuts loose when I change a tire on the side of the road.

It'll hold up just fine. They're hard plastic with some softer plastic molded around it. I've had one in my car for a while now and handle looks no different than before it went in.

 

[turnthewrench]

The newer pro one.

 

[bubinga]

The newer pro one.

thanks, Yeah, That's the one I have.