Andyjo Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 it seems that i'm going to need alot more PB blaster, and a new breaker bar.... I guess i should keep the 5ft steel pipe away from the new one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 i've broken 3 sockets and breaker bars. got a 3/4" drive finally and put a huge pipe on it, works like a charm. 1/2" just won't stand up to some axle nuts (alot of them in my experience). spring for the 3/4" if you can, i finally did at the advice of others and i'm glad i bought that thing when i did, should have done it early. and saftey note - that's why you wear goggles when doing this stuff...or should, most of us forget on something like that or don't think about it. we have a member at xt6.net that got hit in the eye, not a good thing he made out okay considering what could have happened, but still not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 LOL I did that to TWO Craftsman 1/2" breakers (the 2' ones) steel pipe and everything! On a 36mm axle nut on a honda accord. ROFL. Except mine twisted off real clean and left the stub inside the socket. After I broke the second one I took the car to Big O Tires and had them use an impact gun on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollie715 Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 If you are cheap and have a welder, buy just the socket and then weld it solid to a piece of flat bar or some other metal bar. We have assorted custom tools just like that hanging on the shop wall. Rollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid_vicious Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Ingersoll-Rand 2135Ti 1/2" impact wrench. It's a bad mammer-jammer. Totally dominates anything I've thrown at it. Ain't cheap though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrap487 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 wow... holy crap... I forgot who made my breaker bars(they're like 50yrs old, company probably doesnt exist anymore..), i've put a peice of 4ft pipe on em and used it with my floorjack(4 ton...) and I've always broken the bolts/studs/nuts and the occasional socket, but never broken a breaker bar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OB99W Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 it seems that i'm going to need alot more PB blaster, and a new breaker bar....The pic certainly provides a new perspective on "breaker". I guess i should keep the 5ft steel pipe away from the new one... Yeah, that bar seems to be allergic to your "torque multiplier". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrap487 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 dont most tools have lifetime warrenties... thats obviously a defect... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robm Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I have had very poor luck with breaker bars. I have broken two 3/8" ones, on little 17 mm nuts! One was a no-name cheapy, but one was a Bluepoint from the 1940's. Once I saw a 1/2" one break on a VW Rabbit lug bolt. That one was a cheapie, though. For 1/2" I have a sliding t-bar that seems to be able to take a 3 ft pipe. Neversieze when reassembling makes the next time so much easier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballitch Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 ive broken a 1/2'' socket wrench on axle nuts, and bent the crap out of the neck of my dads breaker bar. i should really buy a 3/4'' breaker bar, but that socket and flatbar combo idea sounds like a winner to me. just weld on a 3-4ft piece of 1/4'' by 2'' steel bar and your good to go. ~Josh~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 After 200 ft lbs it's better to go to 3/4 drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 wow... holy crap... I forgot who made my breaker bars(they're like 50yrs old, company probably doesnt exist anymore..), i've put a peice of 4ft pipe on em and used it with my floorjack(4 ton...) and I've always broken the bolts/studs/nuts and the occasional socket, but never broken a breaker bar.... You'll find most old tools are like that. They just don't make stuff how they used to. Unless you buy the ultra super duper expencive tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollie715 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 that socket and flatbar combo idea sounds like a winner to me. just weld on a 3-4ft piece of 1/4'' by 2'' steel bar and your good to go. The only drawback is it limits the use of the socket for other applications. The good part is usually a socket of that size doesn't fit any other places and you probably bought it special for use only on the axle nuts. Actually what prompted me to weld up a bar the first time was after I broke a 1/2" breaker just like the one in the picture. Rollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted January 20, 2006 Author Share Posted January 20, 2006 I think i'm going to go get a 3/4" slider, we've got a 1/2" at home, and i've never had any problems with it, this bar was sort of a cheapo.. but lifetime warrenty, so i'll get a new one tomorrow for other applications Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 One axel nut I fought with took out two 1/2" breakers, and a 1/2" ratchet. The socket attached to an impact wrench did nothing. Took a heavu duty impact socket on the impact wrench (and about half a can of PB Blaster) but the thing came off. I always win. . .eventualy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2X2KOB Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 How do you keep the axle from turning when you are trying to get the nut off? Keep it in gear? Push on the brakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 How do you keep the axle from turning when you are trying to get the nut off? Keep it in gear? Push on the brakes? in gear (i think 5th??). loosen the bolt first while the car is on the ground so you have the weight on the wheel. just loosen it, then jack it up and take it off completely. block the car somehow so it won't "roll" as you're cranking on it. if it can't go anywhere, the nut has to back off. holding brakes on can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted January 20, 2006 Author Share Posted January 20, 2006 in gear (i think 5th??). loosen the bolt first while the car is on the ground so you have the weight on the wheel. just loosen it, then jack it up and take it off completely. block the car somehow so it won't "roll" as you're cranking on it. if it can't go anywhere, the nut has to back off. holding brakes on can help. we were holding the brakes while doing it... my friend had to hold onto the steering wheel pretty tight too as to not have that turn alot too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Yipes. One thing I've done is taken an old broken ratchet, and welded the ratchet solid, and I use that when I'm planning to beat on it. Welding the steel bar directly to the socket sounds like a good idea too. I've used a big adjustable wrench for axle nuts too -- sometimes I've used the starter motor in first gear (or reverse) to turn the axle to break it free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailgatewagon Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 kinda funny story... i was trying to get a lego nut off and couldnt had just broken my S&K 1/2 braker bar. well in walks the snapon guy. and i said ill buy your bigest 1/2 impact gun if it will take this off. well he started drolling and ran to the truck, outcome 110lb s of air pressure. snapon gun just sat there and rattled. it was funny to see the look on his face... so i took a die grinder and cut the nut up and off it came. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 My harbor freight electric impact tool does 95% of the axle nuts I've tried; the other 5% get my 4 foot extension on my 1/2" breaker bar...it's a craftsman and I've only had to replace one in 5 years. For the really difficult ones at Pull a Part where the brakes are useless and the wheels are in the air, I have a steel rim with a two foot bar welded on it to keep the hub from turning. I just bolt on the rim and prop up the bar a crank on the breaker bar. kinda funny story... i was trying to get a lego nut off and couldnt had just broken my S&K 1/2 braker bar. well in walks the snapon guy. and i said ill buy your bigest 1/2 impact gun if it will take this off. well he started drolling and ran to the truck, outcome 110lb s of air pressure. snapon gun just sat there and rattled. it was funny to see the look on his face... so i took a die grinder and cut the nut up and off it came. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcniest5 Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 One thing I've found why it is harder to take off the nut while the car is on the ground. The reason? Well, when the car is sitting on the ground, the weigh of the vehicle adds to the pressure of the nut and bearing, so it would take much more work to make it come off. I work as an auto mechanic and I tried that on my own car. I even used a 1000 lbs impact gun on it and it still didn't bulge. As soon as I lifted the vehicle off the ground, I didn't even use a 1000 lbs impact gun, just a 500 lbs gun and it came right off easily. You may not realize how much pressure is added to the axle nut when the car is sitting on ground, but it's a lot. I found it out by doing an actual experiment on my own car. The only problem is for those that don't have impact gun, it's going to be tough no matter what. But for those that have tried impact gun without success while the car is on the ground, lift the car (or just that particular wheel/side) and it will be so much easier. Hope this helps someone save a breaker bar or two, not to mention some harms that may cause oneself as a result of breaking something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbianchi Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 the steel rim junkyard tool is a good idea, I have always just taken my largest pipe wrench with me when axel hunting, has always worked so far. I have yet to break my 1/2 s/k breaker bar and i've used a 4ft pipe on a legacy front axel, ended up chiseling the mother off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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