Tekton 1/2" drive, 24" breaker bar

[6PTsocket]

After reading the ad blurb about how strong the tool is, with the fork on the head instead of the handle, I started reading reviews. I disregard the ever present 4 1/2 stars and look for recurring complaints. On HD there were 2 complaints out of only a few reviews of the tool arriving slightly bent. On Amazon there were quite a few complaints about a very loose fit between the head and the handle. There were pictures of the head being tilted several degrees, by hand. I am not talking about the normal swivel, but at right angles to it. Has anybody purchased this tool and found similar problems? I was considering buying it.

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[Mr_B]

I always consider fork on head worse design, all my old ones taken some abuse including jack handles as cheater pipes, most of the fork head ones spread and strip or break the pivot fixing and as stated have rather large fitment tolerances .

 

[Fedwrench]

Tekton just redesigned their breaker bars within that last couple of months when they released their new 90 tooth ratchets.

Are you talking about current or past versions?

Tekton has great customer service if you have a problem. However, many people here swear by the Harbor Freight breaker bar for like $10. At that price, it's pretty much disposable.

 

[6PTsocket]

Tekton just redesigned their breaker bars within that last couple of months when they released their new 90 tooth ratchets.

Are you talking about current or past versions?

Tekton has great customer service if you have a problem. However, many people here swear by the Harbor Freight breaker bar for like $10. At that price, it's pretty much disposable. [emoji38]

They went from chrome vanadium to chrome moly. The new head is black; the old one was chrome. I assumed the reviews were for the new one but who knows. They said moly is better in the ads that mentioned the change but their impacts are CrV.

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[madwi]

Mine is perfectly fine and only has a tiny bit of play. It has the black head, fwiw.

 

[6PTsocket]

At less than $21, the Tekton is not a huge investment either but when you have all your strength on a tool that lets go, you can get hurt. I know their customer service is good I prefer to avoid buying badly designed or produced tools rather than having to call and fix the problem. My friend bought an HF torque wrench and I thought it felt like pure junk. He is now in his second one. I try and buy careful and buy once. That is why I posted the question.

Tekton just redesigned their breaker bars within that last couple of months when they released their new 90 tooth ratchets.

Are you talking about current or past versions?

Tekton has great customer service if you have a problem. However, many people here swear by the Harbor Freight breaker bar for like $10. At that price, it's pretty much disposable. [emoji38]

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[6PTsocket]

Thanks for the feedback.

Mine is perfectly fine and only has a tiny bit of play. It has the black head, fwiw.

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[Lisamelting]

I have the newer version with the black head and have not had any issues. In the instances where I really needed it to break something free it performed just as expected. I would not hesitate to recommend this tool to a friend.

 

[DFB]

Just get the HF pro one

 

[ptgarcia]

I have the new version and it's worked well the couple times I've used it but I have not had to really lay on it. The head has very little play on mine.

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[NUTTSGT]

If you have a FFH nearby, all the Tekton is 50% off.

 

[Professional Tool User]

A 1/2 breaker bar is a 1/2 breaker bar. Even the cheap ones work fine as long as you don't add a cheater pipe or use it to hold a large bolt while you try to impact the seized nut on it.

 

[jumbojak]

I have one I bought a few years ago, with a black head, and it still works fine. It hasn't broken and there is no noticeable spread. People sure give you a funny look when you pull that thing out to help someone change a tire.

 

[johninct]

Off topic, Which HF 24" breaker bar is the good one?

 

[DFB]

Off topic, Which HF 24" breaker bar is the good one?

This strokes out the big money...

 

[Mr_B]

^^
been as cheap as 14bucks (august)
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-25-in-professional-breaker-bar-62729.html
pretty good for the cost and current warranty, fair bit of flex in it though ...
Plenty good breaker bar option new and used .

 

[magicrat]

I got the cheaper harbor freight one four years ago for less than 10 bucks......it wont stop working and really doesnt flex much....the head does have to b retightened often tho.

 

[Mr_B]

I can't see the fork (clevis) on handle being any worse for spreading than on the drive head.
Couple of my old ones are pins rather than thread bolt and I not had issue with clevis spreading & one of them seen some serious cheater pipe abuse .
Threaded quality tensile bolt should be better as ties the 2 clevis ears together resisting spreading better but that same for either design .
Clevis on drive head easier for warranty or repair as can do new drive head kit when bolt/thread or ear on clevis fails. When on handle you need whole new handle thus tool really ...
major player in strength is alloy steel grade plus heat treatment and that major difference in cheap to expensive and old compared to modern .

 

[6PTsocket]

I have broken it down to: cheap imports $10 to $20, Wright and SK in the $70's, the truck brands at fugedaboudit, and the winner IS.....Proto at mid $30's and Made in USA with conventional fork on handle design.


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[WittHay]

Have 2 Proto 18" breaker bars and a Snap-on 18". In years gone by before high powered impacts used these breaker bars with 2 to 3 foot cheaters. Had a few broken sockets but have never broken a Proto or Snap-on breaker bar. I assume SK or Wright is good quality also. Not sold around here, so not familiar with them

 

[AreYaSerious]

Tekton has a good warranty. Just get it, If any issues get ahold of them. They will replace it.

 

[Mr_B]

I have broken it down to: cheap imports $10 to $20, Wright and SK in the $70's, the truck brands at fugedaboudit, and the winner IS.....Proto at mid $30's and Made in USA with conventional fork on handle design.


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Fair price that for conventional design good old usa made tool .
Do like the classic knurled handle .

 

[DFB]

Proto J5469 24" BB

Very good price for a USA tool

Good deal!

 

[6PTsocket]

Fair price that for conventional design good old usa made tool .
Do like the classic knurled handle .

The knurled handle will fit in with my round head SK and old pre bankruptcy, before SnapOn, WH Williams super ratchets.

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[Tonyuk]

I've lost more breaker bars than i've had any issues with.

Just get a cheap-ish one and call it a day.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I've only broke cheapish ones.

This is an interesting innovation though, Snap-On made them like the Tekton till Plomb lost a suit against the Eagle patent around 1935....

thanks to collectingsnapon for illustrating.

 

[Mr_B]

clevis head goes back to 1920's i guess . had a couple in grandfathers tools .
never saw it as much in my generations tools besides imports and some 3/4 bars .