Breaker Bars: The Tenkara of Ratchets. For when the limits go from push to shove.
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2024
- amzn.to/3hz0azO Breaker Bars are an essential tool. I think of them as the Tenkara of Ratchets where they are just like a ratchet, well, except there is no ratchet. But other than that, they are identical.
Tsnuoda Flush Cut Plier: amzn.to/3hz0azO
I use all three sizes of breaker bars quite often for work. I’ve used them all with a crows foot for a better angle then a wrench, with a socket instead of a wrench to hold a nut/bolt while i impact it off or even just to wail on stead of a ratchet, but often times they’re in use in place of a wrench
Outstanding idea with the crowfeet. I can't believe I didn't include that option. Thanks!
Pro tip. The long 1/2” Pittsburgh breaker bar will accept a Matco 1/2” ratchet head if you buy the flex rebuild kit with it. The ratchet is $30, the rebuild kit is $10, and the breaker bar is like $25. You have a 26” Matco ratchet for a fraction of the cost, and it’s all warranty.
Yeah they are 105 now
I feel this channel like toys store
I like using Plasti-Dip liquid dip cans to put nice soft grips on my breakers. I dip them ten times each, (2 cans needed as levels drop) and then come behind with a razor blade and make the top line of the grip even all the way around, cutting off the top. 1-2cm. This makes the breaker so comfortable to use.
There really must exist something else than plastidip
Just buy a soft grip breaker bar
@@heybabycometobutthead I was referring to guys that already have made the purchase of all chrome breakers.
I bought a cheap one off Amazon, ended up getting a chrome shard in my finger. Very painful! Now I've bought a Snap on. You get what you pay for. Great channel, respect from the UK👍
I just looked up breaker bars cause I was bored and found your video I’ve been watching for a while
Hi! Love your videos! See them every single day. I'm from Portugal and currently struggling with space in my garage to store all my tools / machines (DIY) and was wondering... HOW do you store ALL the tools you show us on a daily basis? Keep it up!
One underappreciated tool these days that I really love is the 1/4" flex handle as I and many manufacturers used to call them.
What I'm talking about is small 1/4" breaker bars ( generally the same length as your ratchet ), that I wouldn't call a breaker bar because they aren't long enough to really fit the breaker bar role.
I like them because I can break the fastener free then straighten out and use it like a driver handle to run the fastener out quickly.
I agree, you hardly see them anymore, used to be added to ost 1/4 socket sets back in the day
"they aren't long enough to really fit the breaker bar role."
"I like them because I can break the fastener free "
Guess they really are breaker bars, then...
@@horacerumpole6912 I mean in the sense of a longer stronger tool you use to give it more than you can with a ratchet.
A breaker bar is generally significantly longer than your ratchet, a 1/4dr flex handle is not.
@@TylerSnyder305 My 1/4" breaker is easily longer than my 1/4" Snap-on ratchets- The length of a bar is two-fold, either the length is needed for accessibility to a fastener, or to develop more torque load, relative to average human strength. One is often better off using a torque multiplier, from a controlled exertion standpoint, than testing the ultimate yield of the tool with excessive force, even worse with a cheater. A lot of people have been hurt doing this-
@@horacerumpole6912 sure the modern 1/4 breaker bar, but I'm talking about something that's kind of a different tool.
You used to get a short flex handle with a lot of 1/4" socket sets, about the same size as your ratchet and called a flex handle because they were a multi angle option before flex head ratchets were as common for homeowners and certainly not common in 1/4".
Were talking 40's-70's mostly.
I bring my impact with the lug socket when I go on long trips. Screw manual labor.
One of my regular uses of my 3/8" breaker bar is to use it with a dead blow hammer to unstick stuck bolts. I prefer that to pulling out the impact wrench and risking damage to the threads.
I’ve always been curious as to why people use impact sockets on breaker bars wouldn’t it be easier to over tighten a lug nut with a impact socket on a breaker bar than a regular socket?
Hello again Doc
Thank you for another Great Video 👍 I just caught up watching your videos!!!! I would be classified as a Old School Craftsman Mechanic. As the majority of my tools are twenty plus years old Lol!!!! However, while on active duty, Air Force, I worked with the very cheaply Asian tools from late seventies until the move to the Craftsman tools and finally ended up with Snap-on Tools. Again thank you 😊
0:25 I recently picked up a pair of Knipex 78 03 140 super knips that I love
I also keep one of those telescopic HD breaker bars in with my spare... along with a Blue Point thin wall 19X21mm 'flip flop' socket & 6" (or so) extension. It's nice knowing it's there.
Yes, breaker bars are one of the most under rated old school tools out there!
Just checked mine. I have the 24" riveted Snap-On 1/2" must be from the late 70's to about 81 when I bought off the truck. I remember those weekly payments. lol
Aah the breaker bar, the tool that's hardly ever needed but when u do it's the only tool that will get the job done....to me the cheaper ones work just as good the more expensive ones, I have a 18" gedore and a 18" inch Yato, one for the garage and one for my vehicle. In South Africa the Gedore is like the Snap on in America....Gedore is double the price of the Yato but both can be relied upon when needed. A very underated tool, here it's called a power bar.
I like 1/4" breaker bars with a ball detent at zero degrees (when the anvil is in line with the handle) for working on bicycles - break the fastener loose with the anvil at 90 degrees, then flip the handle to zero degrees and spin the fastener off. It's efficient!
This guy costs me money….hahaha! Seriously great channel.
Indeed.
I am definitely a user of breaker bars. I also use "L" drives to preserve my breaker bars. Not having the flex joint gives them that much more strength. It turns the socket, not the drive into the weakest link. I'm surprised that they aren't used more often and aren't more readily available. My love for the L drive comes from a vintage hex drive set that was handed down to me as a child, enabling me to fix my bicycles. That set was old when I got it over fifty years ago.
I'm a mobile mechanic, last week I broke down 500 miles from home. I needed to take a tire off and what I found were the tightest lug nuts I've ever seen. I've removed hundreds of tires, I've never seen anything like this. I had lots of tools with me so I wasn't worried....breaker bar with GearWrench deep well 13/16" socket was the 1st casualty, healthy split. Ok. Switch to Pittsburg deep well impact socket and grab my 3/4" drive Milwaukee Impact rated at 1500ft/lbs torque, I love that impact, used in on lots of tight bolts and nothing has ever said No to it, so I'm figuring game over. Idk who put these lug nuts on but I'm sure they're an asshole because that Milwaukee impact didn't touch it. I grab torch with MAP gas and cook that nut and then Milwaukee again...NOPE. 500miles from home and now I'm getting nervous, and angry, grab 18" long 1/2" drive power torque breaker bar and I'm about to use that anger, twisted the drive off in the socket without even putting a cheater on...oh shit. Grab 18" long 3/8" drive breaker because I'm running out of options so what the hell. Immediately twist off as expected, needlessly broke that tool.... Last breaker bar I've got with me is 12" long 1/2" drive CRAFTSMAN from the 1980s( short version of the one in your video). I grew up using this breaker, don't use it much anymore but it's the last one I have with me. Put the 13/16" deepwell Pittsburg on it and a screw jack under the handle like you showed. Figured I'm about to break my childhood breaker bar....Nah. She flexed, I screwed the jack higher (it's lifting the car) then *POP*....Lug nut twists loose, Craftsman is unscathed. 5 lugs to go. My old 12" long, 1/2" drive CRAFTSMAN whooped them all and went on to remove the other 3 wheels after that. I guess they really don't make them like they used to.
I use mine a lot when I want something with a fixed head that doesn't ratchet, like making find back-and-forth adjustments or working with belt tensioners.
Indeed!
As far as I'm concerned, "breaker bar" and "belt tensioner tool" are practically synonyms! I had to replace the alternator on my truck last week, and I bought two new, long, 1/2" drive breaker bars just to make sure I had something to manipulate the tensioner with. Worked like an absolute charm.
I have a old set of Craftsman breaker bars, I hardly ever use them much anymore though. I always reach for my big 24" snap on 1/2" ratchet cause if it cant break the bolt loose I dont need to be working on it lol
I prefer a 24” 3/8. It’s strong enough for anything I do, my biggest socket range is 3/8, I own 1/2, but don’t use as much. I can’t figure out what to do with a 1/4 breaker bar, no use right now. I’m a fly fishing guide on the south holston in East Tn, btw👍
I may be pointing out the obvious, but I find gets overlooked, is that you can pivot the bar to speed the nut removal. Breaker bars are about risk reduction.
I need a breaker bar actually. Stupid not to have one with the vehicle, like majorly stupid and I don't know why I always overlook just getting a cheapy from the harbor fright. One of the best thing about vehicles is they can carry people and ALL the tools needed to fix said vehicle with it. That's kinda nice and should be taken advantage of.
If you mean for lug-nut removal, let me throw this out there... cordless impact wrenches have gotten cheap enough and good enough, that you might find it worthwhile to just carry an impact wrench. I actually went this route recently myself... I now carry an Milwaukee M12 3/8" drive impact wrench, two spare M12 batteries and a set of impact sockets in my truck, along with the vehicle charger for the M12/M18 batteries. Yeah, it was a bit of an investment, but A. if I have a flat tire, changing the tire will be a lot faster now, and B. I have a impact wrench and set of impact sockets around for any other random needs that might arise. 🙂
That said, I also still have a standard 4-way lug-wrench and a breaker bar as well. Never rely on just one tool. 🙂
I have breaker bars - and I can remember jumping up and down on them to break loose frozen nuts - but I haven't needed them in years. For one thing, when I reached the age of 50, I stopped working on cars, and I have battery operated tools that will break loose any other nut I encounter.
I prefer SK breaker bars above all else, the agressinve knurling allows them to be used as a speed-screwdriver even with greasy hands.
I’ve always been curious as to why it seems like most people use impact sockets on breaker bars instead of regular sockets wouldn’t you have a better chance over tightening a lug nut using a impact socket instead of a regular socket because a breaker bar is a hand tool not a power tool and impact sockets are designed for power tools not hand tools.
A torque multiplier can prevent damage to tool AND operator-
My dad showed me a trick of using the jack to support the extension. Then you can put all your force into turning and not worrying about the socket slipping off
No sliding head breaker bars? A very useful tool.
Yes, they're useful, but generally known as T-handles, not breaker bars. Great for putting an extension on and spinning things off.
@@drengskap they are balanced rotational torque designed to loosen and tighten, thus these bars break fasteners loose. Try putting an extension on a sliding head 3/4" bar and spinning a nut off-you'll get your bell rung but good!!
@@horacerumpole6912 Well, I never work with 3/4" sockets - I just know what works for me with 1/4" and 3/8".
I'm starting to think that breaker bars are outdated the only time I seem to use them is for clearance issues the ratchet mechanisms on ratchets don't fell like they used to they break at the Anvil now which ain't no different than the Anvil on the breaker bar
What is your storage system?
I've never had the need for anything larger than my Hazet 916HPLg extendable 1/2" ratchet, goes up to 600mm and is really beefy as a breaker bar. One of my best and favourite tools. IMO, you need the ratchet on a breaker bar eg. when pressing a bearing in or out. The breaker bar you have to reposition every half turn, a ratchet is too small and a wrench is too much effort. If you need more power, get a cheap/used 3/4" socket set and ratchet, you'll never be able to break this with any length of pipe extension.
Cheater pipe? Warranty pipe. Heheh
I have never used a breaker bar ...I just use an impact wrench... never found myself in a situation where I needed a breaker bar...
5:00... we have Proto breaker bars at work...( other people use) but no one will sell you just the anvil and screw you have to get a new breaker bar... so technically they are replaceable good luck trying to find the parts to fix yours
The problem I have with impact wrenches are you don’t have much workspace with them if you have to get bolts loose in smaller tighter spaces forget it impact wrenches are mostly for tires and the downside to them is you don’t have as much control whenever it comes to tightening lug nuts as you do with a breaker bar it’s a lot easier to over tighten a lug nut with a impact wrench than it is a breaker bar me personally I prefer a breaker bar over a impact wrench the only time I would buy a impact wrench is if I was working on tires all the time.
I got a short breaker bar to hold bolts while impacting on big nuts. That impact will chew up ratchets quick. If I need to break something I grab a pipe.
The only time I would ever use a impact wrench is if I’m working on tires all the time they are so limited whenever it comes to space
All my breaker bars are extendable! They have a piece of pipe that will slip over the handle.
Ever notice how it seems like everyone uses impact sockets on breaker bars I’ve heard that using impact sockets on breaker bars can break the anvil off since impact sockets are thicker than regular sockets
Harbor Freight makes a good budget breaker bar. Use the 1/2" the "most" meaning, it is not used that often... But when one is needed, it is needed.
Breaker bars are worthless. You can get a low tooth count ratchet that is indestructible.
Ratchets are not designed to take the amount of force a breaker bar can take that’s why you have breaker bars every tool serves it’s purpose