Breaker bar comparison
 

Probably a sales pitch. However the earlier thread on lug nuts prompted me to find this: Glad I bought my USA made Craftsman bars when I could.

<iframe width="895" height="503" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PmvK7h7ZL2A" title="Snap-on -VS- Mac -VS- Matco -VS- Pittsburgh Pro (Harbor Freight) - 1/2" Breaker Bars (MADE IN USA)" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

3/4" steel pipe, my friend. Its crude, rough, and a little rust on it but it does the trick very well. I have 2-4 foot pipes hanging sround my job site all the time but I almost never need one

LOL, $16 vs. $200
And no 1 week wait.

I got a harbor freight before they had the rubber handle i think it was 12 bucks. It broke the hex bolt pretty quickly. I put a bolt in it and its been good ever since. Most of my other bars are old s-k but they are shorter. Iv broken them quite a bit. Usually the square breaks off or the ears snap. But iv managed to fix them up without having to get new ones with extra parts from other tools. I never had a bar bend and stay bent. Seems like an I beam design or something would be stronger and lighter than a round bar. I have some 1/4" bars like that i think they are craftsman. Mac tools seem particularly bendy. I have a 3/8" extension that will twist up like a pretzel if im not carefull with it.

Today... When shopping for tools I always look at Snap-On first.
Note that the Snap-On one was the slimmest and lightest. That's important to me.

- Mainly because they're good tools and they hold their value... AND Yes they're expensive but they're not "Made in China"!

We're not going to be here forever so who's got time for crap tools? Also my kids will be able to unload my stuff & get something back.

"Sidchrome" is an Australian tool company that used to manufacture in Australia. I have some of their tools but they "Off Shored" manufacturing to China back in the 90s. Guess which "Sidchrome" tools are worth more second hand?

I bought the 3/4 drive breaker bar from Harbor Freight and then a 3/4 to 1/2 impact reducer. Maybe $30. It's vicious but needs big space.

Using a 3' pipe with a 1 1/4" inside diameter as a cheater, not much defeats it. Just gotta know when the bolt is going to twist off.

Regular 1/2" drive bar? I got maybe four. Older, made in USA Craftsman wins.

I have an old Craftsman 1/2"x18" breaker bar and slide a 4' length of galvanized pipe over it. Never been defeated.

I used to do PM on compressed gas cylinders in the winter and they had 1 1/4" MIP brass valves into steel cylinders with a LOT of corrosion. Slip on the valve tool and slide a 6' x 1.5" galvanized pipe over it and I could extract them like butter.

Leverage works.

I broke mine.

Trying to undo the ball joint on the SC. BANG. Quite loud and a very distinct BANG.


Sooo, I'll have to buy a new one I guess.

Same here comes in very handy,does the job!!!

I have a snap on 24” but it’s old as it belonged to my grandfather. I also have a 48” breaker bar that is 3/4” drive with a 1/2” adapter on it. That one I bought for an emergency road repair when I had my Dodge and it’s a Chinese one. I use it will the time…

I think some of you guys just like tools or over thinking it where a dirty pipe will do the trick without much effort. I have an old Craftsman 18" 1/2 drive breaker. I think I must have used it no more then 20 times over the past 20 years. I don't do that much work. In the past few years, I reached for my cordless impact driver rather then the cheater bar. Covid project with my kid was to replace all the suspension parts on his old 4 runner we bought for 350 bucks. There were a few bolts on there that was a real pisser with the old 18" breaker bar. It kicked his ass doing it on his back. I pulled out the 4' long pipe, he sat there and gently pull on it and it broke loose with a tiny little pop. He was shocked at the trick. Little 15 year olds need to learn about simple stuff like that.

"Made in _____"? - Taiwanese tools are an excellent alternative.

It's an Osmo socket set. No idea where it's made. I just went out and looked at the case and it doesn't say. I think I bought it as a teen or early 20's - haha, so ancient.

I've got a mini socket set from Powerbuilt. Got it free with flybuys. I love it, it's excellent. China at it's best.

Adelaide starting to heat up?

Summer is late but it's getting warmer everyday :)

I bought a 10' pipe years ago .... that's a LOT of leverage .... mebbe overkill! Cut it into 5, 3, and 2' sections.... 3 tools outta 1 .... and cheap ;)

Slip em over an 18" old Craftsman breaker bar .... easy peasy removal of tuff nutz.

Right, because regular people just have pipes lying around their house. The pipe probably costs more than the $16 tool

https://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Plumber-s-Choice-1-in-x-48-in-Galvanized-Steel-Pipe-1048PGL/307816937

Back in the early 80s I was trying to remove the axle nut on my 914 and put a pipe on the end of my Sears breaker bar. It just broke right at the 1/2 socket connector. So I drove over to the local Sears, swapped it fro free, and broke the new one the same way. I went to a different Sears, and got another one for free, and then to a local tool supply place and got a bigger breaker bar that was longer, and it just broke the socket. I gave up and took it to a local shop that had impact equipment, and it zipped right off.

Now I have the proper tools myself. When did my rear wheel bearing on my 911 it torques to some crazy number like 360 pound feet, and I don't remember the actual number, but more than 300 lb ft.
Now I have a 3 foot long 3/4 drive and socket for that axle nut. I did the math, and brought the bathroom scale out to the garage, pushed down on the end of it (3 feet out) and when the scale showed I had the proper force on the nut, I stopped.

Then I drove the car to a local truck repair shop with the socket in hand. I walked up to the mechanics bay with the nut and a $20 bill in hand. I asked if someone with a large torque wrench would torque two nuts to 360 and earn 20 bucks. One guy walked over with the torque wrench in hand. Done in seconds, and we were both happy.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1671721596.jpg

My then 10 year old helping to change the tire on the bale buster the day after my knee surgery using the 48” breaker bar.

"Nice work, son! Just five more to go, then we'll get you off to the dentist to fix those teeth you broke clamping down on your jaw!"



(I like that picture. Ranch and farm kids don't need no stinkin' gloves no matter the weather!)

Pretty much what I did.
Except I *found* the pipe.
I have also used the handle from the 3 ton jack.

Very generally speaking, that's true. Tekton, Gearwrench, and other Tiawan lines are comparable to the old USA Craftsman. Also, the Carlyle stuff sold at NAPA is good Tiawan stuff.

If I were building a set today, instead of going to Sears, I'd probably start here:
https://www.tekton.com/

What I like about them is no skips in their wrench or socket sets. I did recently pick up a set of their 1/2" drive 6 point standard metric sockets...I'd say very well made. One feature I really likes was sizes stamped in large and legible..none of that easy to wear off Laser marking..

This is my breaker bar, or what I use as one
 

Can you guess what it was meant to be?http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1671756741.jpg

I bet more then 80% of us have a pipe hanging around the house somewhere. I normally use a 2' bar. That will almost break anything I need.

Funny, I thought this thread was going to be some fantastic pool break at a bar in Oregon. :cool:

Here's how it used to be done...today, not nearly as exciting. Speed has been toned down with the advent of the template racks. Today, wing ball goes in the corner over 90% of the time with a much lower speed than Johnny does it. I miss the old "smash 'em" break shot days.. (1:24 video)

<iframe width="1268" height="713" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uveeDq4gJTg" title="Championship & Johnny Archer, the Break Shot" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

On breaker bars...do wish an old USA Craftsman was added to the opening video. It's head design looks stronger than the ones tested.

+1
I have a very short 1/2 inch breaker and a 4' section of "black pipe" (used for gas).
Works like a charm.

I bought one of these. Has not failed me yet. Extendable feature is awesome...if in a tighter space it can be collapsed to fit...need more advantage just extend it out.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-2-in-Drive-x-18-in-to-24-in-Extendable-Breaker-Bar-H12EXTBB1824/311856673

I also have an OLD Craftsman breaker bar and a long pipe. Agree w/ above comments it's un-killable.

But using an impact wrench is way easier.

For all those smugly bragging about using a pipe, what are you using for the socket?
A breaker bar is NOT just a ratchet with a long handle.
A breaker bar is not a ratchet, but a solid joint.

Long pipe is a great way to trash your ratchet.

^^^^ Typical Sugar post .... you assume a lot :(!

I don't use a pipe extension on a ratchet ... it extends an older short Craftsman breaker bar fwiw.

I also have an Ingersol-Rand impact with around 800 ft/lbs of torque for removal. It broke the cross member motor mount on my Carrera and the bolt didn't budge years ago. John Walker suggested I use a 3' bar/pipe .... and that worked great.... leverage sometimes beats an impact ;).

+1 LOL.
Troll is as Troll does.
That's why I said "a very short breaker" (and I use an impact socket as well).

He obviously doesn't own a floor jack- (or the car to jack up for that matter-right Sugar?). :cool:

rjp

Haha!

I use a 3 foot galvanized pipe, but when I use it, I start with it all the way down to the socket and move out as needed.

Hell, I've used even a big combination wrench!

Anything when you're beat up and sick of fighting the car- oh and yes, even on a RATCHET!

We're all still here, right? World didn't end.

rjp

Another way to get more leverage...think I might buy one of these, though unlikely I'll ever need it.

<iframe width="1268" height="713" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EVsyTro0mBI" title="K Tool Wrench Extender Review" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I like that they have metric only sets, with much larger size range than the metric+inch sets.

Way back in the stone ages when I was not even driving yet dad had a flat on our 1959 VW bug. The lug bolts had not been off of it in many years. We were living in Hawaii, on base at Hickam AFB and it likely never got about 35 MPH. Anyway he had a flat, and asked my brother and I to remove the tire and put on the spare.

It was the right rear tire, and we found a long piece of pipe, and we had three kids bouncing on the pipe to get it to come off. It got to the point that the front end was coming up in the air. So he had some kids standing on the front bumper, and 4 kids bouncing on the long pipe. The bolt finally came loose with a horrid shriek. The other bolts came off easily in comparison. He had to buy a new recap tire as the sidewall had split on the old one. It cost him 5 bucks for a tire, mounted and balanced.

All the tires had dry rot but when 35 MPH is max speed it is not real dangerous.

With the USA car & truck makers having gone metric...yep, my old SAE wrenches & sockets aren't used much anymore. On the youtube tool reviews, the Tekton tools lineup gets generally favorable reviews. I do take these reviews with a grain of salt though. Many are mere sales pitches. I can say that I like the Tekton socket set I bought..very well finished and they fit fasteners well. Haven't rounded off anything yet. I'd say quality wise they're upper end in the DIYer category. Absolutely love the rails & storage tray...can lock & unlock the sockets on with a twist, or can leave 'em all unlocked for easy lift if leaving in a rollaway drawer. That system beats the hell out of my old Craftsman clip rails...

Comparable to Snap-on? Maybe not in severe professional use...but I shudder to think how much a comparable snap-on set would cost.

https://www.tekton.com/1-2-inch-drive-6-point-socket-set-shd92002

I work in the oil patch. We put chain come alongs between 2 36” pipe wrenches to make and break tool connections. It’s what we do. 600-1200 ft-lbs is pretty normal depending on the thread type.

I actually broke a chain vice this morning trying to get a connection undone using a 36” pipe wrench with a 5’ snipe on it.

My brother in law worked at just one job from high school graduation for 50 years when he retired.

He repaired heavy equipment like bulldozers, front end loaders and such that was owned by the same company he worked for. He had some massive tools at work. Different order of magnitude level of big torque wrenches and tools. He said they had the same issues as car mechanics, when taking apart mechanical parts. The biggest difference is they need a overhead crane to move parts around.

He did not work on his own cars at all and has minimal tools at home.

My breaker bar comparison. The two on the right are from Wright Tool.
The left are Harbor Freight Icon, and Gedore Germany.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1672230234.jpg