Which breaker bar?

[dlcwent]

I have never understood the need for breaker bars. Just seems like a pain with the limited positioning.

They keep you from breaking your ratchet when you put a 4 foot bar on the end of it.

 

[bushmechanic]

A breaker bar, as I've found, is one of those tools best left to premium manufacturers.

The utility of such a device is tied directly to several things:

1: Appropriate lengths. Some guys just don't make the lengths you need. They are either too long or too short.

2: Quality forging and Heat treatment. This is the difference between a lever that bends a lot instead of flexing a bit.

3: Compact, beveled drive end. Fat lot of good a breaker bar is if you cant get the drive end where a ratchet head will go later.

4: Big, fat, high-friction handle. Those fancy ergonomic handles aren't actually particularly ergonomic. If you want to apply controlled force without discomfort, the handle should fill your hand. Breaker bars are about biceps and triceps, not pulling and pushing with everything you've got. Friction surfaces keep your hand where it belongs.

For me that screams S-K. I know I tend to favor them in general, but they've got breaker bars almost perfect.

 

[fourtythree]

Longer the better. Stick to the store (retail) brands because of the warranty. Duralast (autozone) makes decent ones...or they did. All of these are probably fine but depends on torque of what you're trying to get at. 1/2" will always be better if there's room. You seem to bring up numbers which well...not always going to go as planned have to wing it sometimes. Just because a tool "should" work doesn't always mean it's going to, doesn't mean you won't have to step up in size and use a bolt loosener (heat gun or penetrating oil or both).

You can do an shallow cr-v impact set with a long 1/2" breaker bar for less than 30 bucks at harbor freight (probably cheapest at retail with okay quality). Something you should always have if you do anything besides change oil and air filters. Just in case.

I bought my dad a duralast breaker bar a while back. Got the last Taiwan made bar. The newer ones are chinese and noticeably cheaper looking.

 

[ibzepfan]

I just recently bought a 3/8" breaker bar.I have a Proto 8" that belonged to my late father and wanted to get another to go along with it.After looking on Proto's website I ordered a 12" model from Amazon.The part number is J5266.They do come in handy at times.

 

[joel63]

^^This.

For a 3/8" pipe plug, go with the Snap On PPM412A pipe plug socket. It really pays off on stubborn drain plugs. Plus it has the advantage that by using it, you aren't screwing up the ends of your adapters or extensions.

As far as it goes for me ^^^^^ this is the right way for this application.

I also use The SO PPM516 1/2 dr. 1/2 drain plug socket for differential plugs and such.

 

[zakmartin]

Between my breaker bars, of which I have many (SK, Craftsman and Armonstrong), I have always preferred the heft and feel of the SK over all others. The round, checkered grip is fantastic. I've never had a breaker bar bust on me, probably because I haven't used a cheater pipe and use penetrating oil. If I had to give up all but one brand of my breaker bars, I'd stick with SK.