The Best Breaker Bar

Buying Guide

Whether you’re a mechanic or you complete a lot of your own repairs, you’ll need a breaker bar in your toolbox. This device comes in handy for a great deal of tasks, including removing nuts and bolts that have become rusted or are just on too tight. A breaker bar can even be used in place of a tire iron. If you’re in the market for a breaker bar, there are a few things you’ll want to consider before making your final selection.

Check the breaker bar’s construction material, as you need it to be both sturdy and dependable. The EPAuto 1/2 Drive Breaker Bar, 24-Inch is an excellent choice, as it’s made from a high-quality hardened chrome vanadium steel alloy that is extremely durable. It also features a chrome-plated finish with an attractive mirror polish that happens to be corrosion-resistant.

Review the length of the breaker bar’s handle next. The longer the handle extends, the more leverage you’ll have when attempting to remove stubborn nuts and bolts. The GreatNeck 1/2 Drive Breaker Bar, 18-Inch has an 18-inch reach with the added bonus of a knurled grip; however, there are breaker bars out there that extend as far as 40 inches.

Examine the breaker bar’s head, as you want to make sure you can navigate in hard-to-reach spaces. The Neiko 1/2-Inch Drive Premium Breaker Bar, 24-Inch comes with a 180-degree flexible head that works at any angle. Other models offer a 230-degree pivoting head with no preset head positions, giving you the freedom to move around any obstructions.

Consider any added benefits the breaker bar may have to offer. For example, the Craftsman Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set, 3-Piece comes with three different bars to meet a variety of needs. The set includes a 6-inch flex T handle 1/4-inch drive, a 10-inch flex T handle 3/8-inch drive and a 15-inch flex T handle 1/2-inch drive. Other models offer two-handed grip positions and a spring-loaded ball bearing to secure the socket.

• It’s good practice to keep your breaker bar clean, as it can become a bit dirty or greasy after each use. A container of stainless steel wipes is all you need. Simply remove a wipe from the container and use it to clean the tool by working your way from the handle to the head.
• Store your breaker bar in the trunk of your car, on a shelf in your garage or in a tool chest in your shop.
• In addition to assisting with the replacement of a tire, breaker bars are excellent for oil changes, replacing old seatbelts and a number of other important car repairs.
• Breaker bars are sold with 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2-inch drive. It is possible to buy an adapter if you don’t want to have one of each breaker bar on hand.
• There are several factors that affect the overall price of a breaker bar. They include construction materials, the number of bars in the set and the length of the bar’s handle. You’ll find the GreatNeck 1/2 Drive Breaker Bar, 18-Inch is among the most affordable, while the Neiko 1/2-Inch Drive Premium Breaker Bar, 24-Inch and the EPAuto 1/2 Drive Breaker Bar, 24-Inch come in at a more moderate price. You’ll pay the most for the Craftsman Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set, 3-Piece, which comes with three breaker bars instead of one.