SO Breaker bars (again) - 18" vs 24"

[rhp]

Howdy,
I am in the market for a 1/2" breaker bar, Am debating btw. the SO 18" industrial finish vs the SO 24" (plain jane, offset or comfort handle).
Question: what are the tangible benefits of a 24" over the 18", and vice versa?
Thanks

 

[Mike83]

33% more leverage I have both in chrome and I use both of them. No comfort handle, mine are old school (10 and 30 years old I think).

 

[HandyManny]

I second that. Leverage is always more with a longer handle.

 

[tankboy_taylor]

go with more leverage and chrome

 

[senlow]

+3 I have both lengths, and almost never use the 18".

 

[GDA]

I originally just had the 18" but once I got the 24" version it really makes tasks over 200lb ft much, much easier.

Agree with above - get the 24 and be done with it.

 

[rhp]

Thanks to all for the good advice.

Another question please: what are the tangible benefits of a 1/2" -24" over a 3/4" & say15"-22" long, and vice versa?

 

[48548]

The 3/4 will be built stronger, but you will lose a little leverage if the handle is shorter.

Below are plomb breaker bars, the middle 1/2 ones are ~15inches or so and below is the 3/4 and you can see the thickness of the metal and how they are built better.

Also here is a 24 inch snap on breaker bar next to the 3/4 plomb and 1" and 3/4" Plomb ratchet.

Then you will need these to make them all ratchets, hahaha

 

[Mike83]

You still aren't getting the leverage you may want but are dealing with a heavier tool. Unless you work on equipment with super big fasteners (which probably require air tools to remove anyway) you are better off with 1/2" drive. They make 1/2" drive sockets in pretty large sizes.

One other advantage to longer bars is that the amount of directional force on the bolt or nut will be less. In other words, with a breaker bar you are applying a force on a lever arm which is torque. But the bolt also needs to balance the force you are applying with an equal and opposite force (draw a free body diagram and balance forces and moments). Often the bolt/car may not be able to apply this reaction force resulting in the car moving/rocking on the jackstands. Not good. With a longer bar, you need to apply less force at the end and therfore more of you effort is going to torque and not moving the vehicle. Just my .02 from experience. Impacts apply pure torque which makes them the most efficient at removing bolts.

 

[vjquan]

Both are good to have. I rarely use my 24". The 24" is good for really tight fasteners > 100 ft./lbs. The downside is that it's a bit more cumbersome as it requires more swing room, which is why I use my 18" more. Also, unless you plan on stocking up on 3/4" sockets, which are quite a bit more expensive than 1/2", stick with 1/2"

 

[bushhawg73]

I have the 24 inch 1/2 inch chrome and the 36 inch bar with the 3/4 swivel head on it. I do not use the 3/4 very much but it does come in handy on really stubborn fasteners. This is all in light of me not having an air compressor. If I had an air compressor I would invest in a good 1/2 impact and save myself a lot of time and strain.

 

[bushhawg73]

I bought my 3/4 impact sockets for less that 150.00. They are sunex brand and I have not had any problems. The go up to 1 1/2 inch.

http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/xq/asp/N.3-4-Drive-Deep-8-Piece-SAE-Impact-Socket-Set/PID.SUU-4681/prodid.54401/TID.%7BD5BF1D5E-C253-4506-A4BF-DA5F589EC013%7D/qx/product.htm

http://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com/xq/asp/N.8-pc-3-4-Dr-Fractional-6-Point-Standard-Impact-Socket-Set/PID.SUU-4680/prodid.40815/TID.%7BD5BF1D5E-C253-4506-A4BF-DA5F589EC013%7D/qx/product.htm

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

In the garage, the 18" Craftsman was the most used. Mainly for serpentine belt duties, as air tools did most of the other duties.

 

[GDA]

Thanks to all for the good advice.

Another question please: what are the tangible benefits of a 1/2" -24" over a 3/4" & say15"-22" long, and vice versa?

I would shy away from a 3/4 breaker in anything less that 36" length. Its just so bulky and short (not much leverage) that it begs the question, can't I just use 1/2 to get this done?

The 24 in 1/2 will handle all kinds of stuff with minimal flex up to 300 or so lb ft. I've never used mine above that range as I reach for the 3/4 breaker with 40" handle. Advantage of the bigger 3/4 is more leverage and LOTS less flex. I just worked on rear wheel bearings at 300 lb ft with my 3/4 drive ratchet and 40 long handle and it was childs play to break them free.

 

[sk farmer]

i seem to have fewer warranty issues with 3/4 than 1/2 when using a long cylindrical attachment.

 

[zuspiel]

i seem to have fewer warranty issues with 3/4 than 1/2 when using a long cylindrical attachment.

 

[rhp]

What about a 3/4" 20" with a 3/4" Female to 1/2" Male socket adapter?

(P.S. - the bar will be used for my '79 Ford Bronco)

 

[48548]

I was thinking of saying that, but I felt there was no need to bring a "cheater pipe" into this converstation.

 

[fomocoforrester]

What about a 3/4" 20" with a 3/4" Female to 1/2" Male socket adapter?

Way to go! - Much less flex when using up to the limit of 1/2 " drive means fasteners let go with less of a bang or less creaking when they don't want to let go progressively.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I've got a 15'" 18", AND 24" (all 1/2" chrome), and I just work on basic cars, not large machinery, and I have never had a nut I couldn't remove. I would recommend getting an 18" and a 24" if you can.

 

[64merc]

I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, but I just bought a 3/4" drive T-bar with a built in cheater bar. I had never seen anything like it before.

It's about 18 inches closed and about 30 inches fully extended. I will use it with a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter. Worst case I can go out and buy 1 socket at a time if need be. This will be my "worst case scenario" bar.

 

[stioc]

I have a 3/8" drive 18" long "Made in Taiwan" breaker bar that I use so frequently that I'd be lost without it. The fact that it's 3/8" makes it a snap to use since 3/8" socket set is what I most commonly use. It also fits inside the wheel wells better when working on the brakes etc.

Having said that I also have a 24" 1/2" drive which is much heavier and I only break it out when I undoing bolts like the FWD axle bolts etc where even my impact gun doesn't work.

 

[bchee]

What about a 15" or 18", they are cheaper, and can be used in tighter spaces if necessary.

I think I asked before if the heads of the 15" and 24" were made differently - ie is the 24" head made out of stronger steel since it's exposed to higher torque?

I don't think they are, so you could get the cheaper 15" or 18" and use a cheater pipe when necessary. If you're in tight quarters, don't use the cheater pipe.

 

[sk farmer]

bchee, i would go with the long cylindrical attachment, a cheater pipe is a second tier tool. nobody on gj would recomend such a device.

 

[nate379]

24" for sure. Can't even count how often I have had to put a 6ft pipe on that breaker bar too.

 

[FuriousGeorge]

I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, but I just bought a 3/4" drive T-bar with a built in cheater bar. I had never seen anything like it before.

It's about 18 inches closed and about 30 inches fully extended. I will use it with a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter. Worst case I can go out and buy 1 socket at a time if need be. This will be my "worst case scenario" bar.

Strangely enough, I was just looking at Mike's web site earlier today and saw something like that. Looks like a pretty good idea. They have ratchets up to 1".

http://www.wrenhandtools.com/sockets/adjustable_handles.html

 

[64merc]

What about a 15" or 18", they are cheaper, and can be used in tighter spaces if necessary.

I think I asked before if the heads of the 15" and 24" were made differently - ie is the 24" head made out of stronger steel since it's exposed to higher torque?

I don't think they are, so you could get the cheaper 15" or 18" and use a cheater pipe when necessary. If you're in tight quarters, don't use the cheater pipe.

Ideally, it is nice to have a breaker bar in all sizes, but I'm going to have to agree with you on this. If I had to have one bar only, I would buy an 18" and put a cheater on it if necessary. As far as I know, the heads are identical on all of them.

 

[48548]

I had an 18 so as my first and gave my 24 so to my father, and 3 years bought another 24so for me. But both of us had 18's for a long time and they worked fine, with a ratchet adapter and we could use a pipe or something when needed. If I could only chose one I would get the 18, but if I wasn't buying so, I would try to get some cheaper ones and get an 18 and 24. But if I wanted so I would get an 18 to start out if money was tight.

 

[Hal]

I have the 15" and the 18" Craftsman and the 24" SO. If I really need a breaker bar then I go for the longest one first. I do have 3/4" drive stuff, but it is heavy and clumsy, and I usually try 1/2" drive first, unless I know from previous experience that it isn't going to work. The older I get the longer I want the handles, on everything. Things just don't turn as easily as they did when I was nineteen.

When I was young and dumb, I used standard length ratchets, wrenches, and pliers. If something wouldn't turn, I hit the tool with a hammer, or added lots of pipe. I think Sears could have saved a lot of money on replacements if they had just given me a 3/4 drive socket set. I know that since I got the 3/4" drive I haven't replaced many 1/2" drive pieces.

Now I like long handled ratchets, longer breaker bars, and long pattern wrenches. Of course, having a torch and air tools makes a lot of difference too.

 

[nate379]

My big impact wrench is supposed to crank out 1000 ft/lbs... I have had bolts that I had to use a breaker bar w/ 6-8ft pipe and 2-3 guys jumping on it

 

[rodm1]

I would look into a Swench you can get them for about $200.

 

[dede2897234]

Like the others, I would also purchase a 24" versus 18" breaker bar. The advantage of a longer breaker bar is leverage in breaking high torqued on bolts like automotive crankshaft and axle nuts. Sometimes the length of a long handled breaker is not enough. The use of a 3 foot or longer pipe on to the breaker bar's handle is needed to increase leverage. When loosing automotive crankshaft and axle nuts, a tool that complements a breaker bar is a chain wrench. A 24" chain wrench with a long handle can be purchased used on eBay for about $60.

 

[Art From De Leon]

I used to have both an 18" and a 24" Snap On 1/2" drive breaker bars, AND a 18" flex-head, and 24" flex head Snap On 1/2 inch drive Snap On ratchets. I wound up trading the 24" breaker bar, and the 18" flex head ratchet back to the dealer.
I figure I can pull as much on the long flex head, without breaking it, or put my 12" long aluminum cheater pipe on the 18" breaker bar, and if these won't do the job, then I will get out my 44" long 3/4" drive handle, put on the flex head, and go from there.
But, this assumes my Snap On IM 725 1/2" impact won't cut it.

 

[a390st]

18" 3/4" drive breaker bar. 10 ft 1 1/2" conduit cut into 4 ft and 6 ft lengths. That's a handy combination. The extra length on the breaker bar isn't much use, because you are probably going to need an "attachment" anyway. The best thing about the "attachment" is that you can slowly and gently apply force to it instead of bouncing on a shorter tool to try to break something loose. That is when things break, a lot of times.

I have a Matco 18" breaker bar in 1/2" drive and had the same length SO. They NEVER got the pipe. If it is tight enough to need more than I can put out with them, they needed a 3/4" drive. I would like to get a 1/2" SO breaker bar in 24" length, though.

 

[Autoguy]

I have 18 and 16 Snap-On, the advntg is in limited space you can manuver the habndle easliy. I also have a small PROTO handle may be 12inch long for tight places.