Breaker bar comparison

[pwd72s]

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.

[look 171]

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

[sugarwood]

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

[porsche930dude]

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.

[sc_rufctr]

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?

[Bob Kontak]

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.

[Cajundaddy]

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.

[Bill Douglas]

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.

[mocha07]

Originally Posted by look 171

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

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

[unclebilly]

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…

[look 171]

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.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

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.

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

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

"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?

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

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

[KFC911]

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.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by look 171

I think some of you guys just like tools or over thinking it where a dirty pipe will do the trick without much effort. .

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

[GH85Carrera]

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.

[unclebilly]

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.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

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!)

[BK911]

Originally Posted by KC911

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.

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