How to compare the two HF breaker bars?

[qqzj]

This one is a little cheaper


This is the other one




So besides soft handle, why is the 2nd better and more popular? I remember tekton actually switched its bar from the 2nd type to the first b/c it claims the first design is stronger. Just curious. Thanks

 

[Wakefield]

There are some remarkable claims made about the first one, I think the strength must have varied tremendously from unit to unit. (China vs. Taiwan?) A type of Mac bar (with the fork on the head) that was made a number of years back has been praised by posters to these Forums.
Finally,Snap On's 36" long half inch drive bar is of that type (head has the fork,not the handle).
The late Mr. Holeshot who used to post here said that either type (fork on the handle or fork on the head) could be strong or not,depending on quality. The fork on the handle is more compact. But a new handle probably costs more than a new head or just a replacement square drive.
The Snap On design has a replacement head and a replacement square drive that can be replaced in the same head. They,at least at last notice,didn't cost all that much (the whole complete tool is quite expensive)
a Snap On man said to keep the bolt tight,not to be used to make the head "floppy",I think they want 60 or so inch lbs. (on tools that use the bolt pivot,old tools used a pin pivot)

I am not a pro and have never broken a bar including my old Craftsman but have broken lug studs.

 

[Wakefield]

Which is the Stronger Breaker Bar Design?

Title says it all. I know there were patent infringement lawsuits involving the clevis on handle vs clevis on square drive, back in the 1930's. From Alloy Artifacts P&C page..... "During the 1930s P&C continued to expand its automotive and aviation tool business, although this period may have...

www.garagejournal.com

might be the original thread (my Craftsman might be old enough to not be one of the "bad" ones)

 

[Rinspeed]

I've had the second one for two or three years and several times it has seen a tremendous amount of torque. It has held up just fine but so has my older SK. I'm not real big on HF but both their breaker bars and impact sockets are very solid for what they charge.

 

[unslow1]

There are plenty of videos comparing those to other breaker bars. My conclusion was spend money somewhere else. Both will hold up to some serious abuse.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I sheared the drive stub on the top pictured Pittsburgh some years back. No cheater pipe; as it was just a weak one, which HF replaced. Being My 1/2" drive 24" Proto "flex handle", has too much flex, the Pittsburgh is My choice for heavier work. I have also given several Pittsburgh breaker bars as gifts, because I figure who in the heck can't use one at times.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I picked up one of these Walden breaker bars recently. It pretty much makes my others obsolete. They make it short so you can use any length of cheater pipe you want and not worry about handle flex.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I've broken several number 2 types, so if I'm ever in need of sacrificial breaker bar, I'll give the number 1 type a shot.

 

[Kurt4440]

Years ago I found a way to stop destroying 1/2" breaker bars.
3/4" breaker bars
then
Impact wrenches.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have the first gen. Lack of comfy grip means easier cheater pipe application IMO.

 

[VolvoRyan]

Years ago I found a way to stop destroying 1/2" breaker bars.
3/4" breaker bars
then
Impact wrenches.

This. It's fun, loading the handle of a 1/2" bar like a spring when it breaks. That energy has to go somewhere.

Go 3/4" if you're worried/concerned about strength in a 1/2". The lowliest 3/4" bar will beat the fanciest 1/2". A 3/4" bar and specific sockets for your applications is so cheap nowadays. There's almost no excuse not to have them.

-Ryan

 

[Komet]

I couldn't find a Pittsburgh 1/2" breaker bar that didn't have slop in the head assembly, which seemed bad for a breaker bar. The Icon unit was tighter with a smooth action, I picked it up with a 20% off coupon and it has been good one some pretty tough jobs so far.

 

[Mgdoug3]

This. It's fun, loading the handle of a 1/2" bar like a spring when it breaks. That energy has to go somewhere.

Go 3/4" if you're worried/concerned about strength in a 1/2". The lowliest 3/4" bar will beat the fanciest 1/2". A 3/4" bar and specific sockets for your applications is so cheap nowadays. There's almost no excuse not to have them.

-Ryan

I think that's true for 99% of 3/4" breaker bars but I bought one that bends and deforms with hardly any effort. The beam is 1" thick but must be made with the cheapest metal possible. My Wright 3/4 breaker bar is thinner but way stronger. It was a great $15 find at the flea market.

 

[qqzj]

I couldn't find a Pittsburgh 1/2" breaker bar that didn't have slop in the head assembly, which seemed bad for a breaker bar. The Icon unit was tighter with a smooth action, I picked it up with a 20% off coupon and it has been good one some pretty tough jobs so far.

Maybe I will do the same. I like the first one without comfort grip. I like the second one for access. Maybe getting the icon is the way to get both.

 

[budget76]

i have #1 and have had it moved with a floor jack to break stuff loose. that being said, i bought the cheap 3/4 set from HF and use that breaker for the big big stuff. Like above, the 3/4 handle doesn't flex and make a giant spring of pain like the 1/2 drive handles doo

 

[laser3kw]

a breaker bar will fail in two places. The drive lug or the yoke. The first one looks to have a heavier yoke

 

[ex-x-fire]

a breaker bar will fail in two places. The drive lug or the yoke. The first one looks to have a heavier yoke

The bar is like a leaf spring.

 

[Steve_P]

The second design is superior. This is what SK, Wright, Proto... typically use. If you ignore the drive anvil, that's a constant, the next failure is the area nearest to it as that's where the bending stress is the greatest. A circular cross section (design 2) has a greater area than a circle with the sides milled off of it (design 1), so it's stronger for same material and heat treat. Design 1 is used because of cost savings as it allows for a smaller diameter forging bar to start with.

 

[laser3kw]

maybe we could get "Project Farm" or the Torque channel to compare them!

 

[anndel]

My Snap-on, SK and Armstron all outlasted the Pittsburgh HF. It sheared at the head the first time I brought it home trying to break a 150 ft-lbf torqued pittman arm nut.

 

[unslow1]

maybe we could get "Project Farm" or the Torque channel to compare them!

Several channels already have. Just search on Youtube. Some of the cheap ones were embarrassingly close to the high dollar ones. That's why I said to buy those and spend more somewhere else.

 

[Wakefield]

I couldn't find a Pittsburgh 1/2" breaker bar that didn't have slop in the head assembly, which seemed bad for a breaker bar. The Icon unit was tighter with a smooth action, I picked it up with a 20% off coupon and it has been good one some pretty tough jobs so far.

Might check to see if the bolt can be made tighter. On a cheap model the bolt may be able to bind the head completely (no flex) but on the (better?) designs the bolt will seat and can be snugged to,say,60 inch lbs.,the flex friction being controlled by a split washer or spring held in a countersink in the side of the bar or drive.
(does not apply to the old fashioned pin style axle pivot)

on the "cheap" model perhaps tighten the bolt enough so that there is some binding but still be able to position the drive to various angles. (Just short of binding it up severely and perhaps using some low strength threadlocker on the bolt threaded end.)

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Years ago I found a way to stop destroying 1/2" breaker bars.
3/4" breaker bars
then
Impact wrenches.

Or 1" breaker bars and 1" impacts. I always size the tools to the task, so it is seldom that I break Any tool. My Pittsburgh 1/2" drive, 24 inch long breaker bar broke with a moderate one hand even pull. I also had the open end of a Pittsburg long length 3/4" combination wrench split with a light one hand pull. When buying these things from Harbor Freight, the position of quality control automatically comes with the purchase.

 

[visionguru]

So besides soft handle, why is the 2nd better and more popular? Just curious.

Beefiness. HF "pro" and ICON are obviously stronger by the feel and weight.

I have the cheaper one (paid $7?). While it works fine, there is quite a bit of flex when I was REALLY pulling.

 

[bubinga]

This one is a little cheaper


This is the other one




So besides soft handle, why is the 2nd better and more popular? I remember tekton actually switched its bar from the 2nd type to the first b/c it claims the first design is stronger. Just curious. Thanks

To me, the 2nd. one is cleaner looking.
J S.

 

[krzyimprt]

Years ago I found a way to stop destroying 1/2" breaker bars.
3/4" breaker bars
then
Impact wrenches.

This is what I tell everyone when a tool fails. They should of went up a size.

1/4in 70ft lbs.
3/8in 250ft lbs.
1/2in 500ft lbs.
3/4 1000ft lbs.

Depending on the tool quality/brand it may fail or exceed those numbers.

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

You can’t possibly be a professional mechanic if you treat your tools like that. Or you are using up somebody else’s. Must be all junk. Even best quality tools won’t last long if you claim those kinds of torque. Must spend a fortune on replacing broken ****

 

[krzyimprt]

You can’t possibly be a professional mechanic if you treat your tools like that. Or you are using up somebody else’s. Must be all junk. Even best quality tools won’t last long if you claim those kinds of torque. Must spend a fortune on replacing broken ****

Who exactly are you replying too?

 

[jonesg]

this was breaker bar #1,
close to snapping with 2 of us using 2 pipes out to 6 feet.
The guy told me torq stix don't work well on wheel bolts, so like 900 ft lbs instead.?
Obviously beyond design limit here.

 

[krzyimprt]

this was breaker bar #1,
close to snapping with 2 of us using 2 pipes out to 6 feet.
The guy told me torq stix don't work well on wheel bolts, so like 900 ft lbs instead.?
Obviously beyond design limit here.

Is this a 1/2 or 3/4 breaker bar?

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

This is what I tell everyone when a tool fails. They should of went up a size.

1/4in 70ft lbs.
3/8in 250ft lbs.
1/2in 500ft lbs.
3/4 1000ft lbs.

Depending on the tool quality/brand it may fail or exceed those numbers.

This guy

 

[krzyimprt]

This guy

Why are you getting your ******* in a bunch? Have you not watched any stress test videos on youtube for tools? Most tools go far beyond ASME spec. Also I never said I was a professional. We're literally talking about breaker bars here. My point is using the right tool for the job.
That's just a general base line of torque. OBVIOUSLY I'm not going to use a 1/4in ratchet and a pipe to break free a 15/16 bolt. I haven't broken a tool yet.

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

You will if you try and get 250 ft.lb. On a 3/8 handle. Just saying not safe

 

[krzyimprt]

You will if you try and get 250 ft.lb. On a 3/8 handle. Just saying not safe

Again, back to the whole right tool for the job...
Here's a Snap-on 3/8 ratchet failing at 293 ft lbs.

 

[qqzj]

Found a video for 3/8 breaker bars. They all fail at the square drive. So probably the design doesn't matter. They are equally strong. So the 2nd one is better because it's more compact.

 

[Kurt4440]

this was breaker bar #1,
close to snapping with 2 of us using 2 pipes out to 6 feet.
The guy told me torq stix don't work well on wheel bolts, so like 900 ft lbs instead.?
Obviously beyond design limit here.

I suspect rust also played a role here.

Now you know why many of us have not let another person work on our vehicles.

Be careful, your setup looks like an imminent trip to the emergency room.

Are new wheel studs and lug nuts in your future?

 

[jonesg]

I suspect rust also played a role here.

Now you know why many of us have not let another person work on our vehicles.

Be careful, your setup looks like a imminent trip to the emergency room.

Are new wheel studs and lug nuts in your future?

I do all my own work except wheel balancing and 4 wheel alignment.
No lugnuts on volvos, they use bolts.

 

[jonesg]

Is this a 1/2 or 3/4 breaker bar?

1/2 inch.
I put a review on google maps, with the photo.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

This is what I tell everyone when a tool fails. They should of went up a size.

1/4in 70ft lbs.
3/8in 250ft lbs.
1/2in 500ft lbs.
3/4 1000ft lbs.

Depending on the tool quality/brand it may fail or exceed those numbers.

Yes, those figures fall within the failure points for those sizes. The "Safe Working Limits" or "Recommended Working Limits" would more likely be around 25, 100, 250, and 600 ft lbs for those respective sizes.

 

[Kurt4440]

I do all my own work except wheel balancing and 4 wheel alignment.
No lugnuts on volvos, they use bolts.

Good to hear you do your own work.
I guess you know where not to farm out work to after that fiasco.
I didn't notice it was a Volvo, the only Volvo I owned was a 1983 240 Wagon, that definitely had studs and nuts.
Since you are saving money on repairs, are you treating yourself to some tools? Cordless impact wrenches are great.