Will this work? I am thinking about just sliding a metal pipe over my ratchet handle to use as a poor mans breaker bar. What do you guys think?

 

The only problem with doing that is that the ratchet mechanism may not be able to hold all the torque you can apply with a long pipe. I use a standard 12" breaker handle (swivel head, no ratchet) and put the pipe over it.

 

ive always used a thick pvc pipe and it works fine

 

pvc pipe as in the white plastic ones?

 

Thats a pretty safe way of doing it. The pipe will likely break before you screw up your ratchet mechanism. Just be sure to get "shedule 40" or youll be asking yourself wtf?

 

Why not just use a shorter 1/2" drive breaker with a piece of pipe on it? A ratchet most likely will not handle the torque...

 

Yep, and I also use a thin metal post bar that I saw'd in different lengths... Works great, I only use them to break a bolt/nut... Not on tightening, if something needs to be tight a specific or sensitive amount then I use my trq. wrench.

Oh and why post this in the Forced Induction section

 

It probably won't. I tried this many moons ago trying to remove the gland nut from a Volkswagen motor. It was fun seeing the ratchet self-destruct, though.

 

HA!! i cant believe Matt (ZUL8R) hasn't chimed in.... this is great..



the best tool in the world is the handle off a floor jack, it has many many purposes!!

 

actually sch 80 is thicker, i am an electrician so i know this...

 

what nut/bolt are you trying to remove?

 

i've even used a german shock as a breaker bar..but why is this in the F/I section???

 

Since when do electricians care about wall thickness? How much pressure does electricity exert on piping anyway?



Just kidding with ya . I work with pipe design software. We live and die by the schedule of pipe.

 

At home I use one of my son's old metal hockey sticks works great, so far no broken wrenches

 

jack handle = "The Tool"

 

Ive used a regular pipe for a breaker bar to do loosen some insane bolts with the cheapest of ratchets and none broken yet

cant use the floor jack handle on mine cuz it has a little bar that goes through to be used to turn the nut on the jack for lowering it.

 

GRRR u basterds make me rebuild ratches instead of make money when u bring ur craftsman ratches in because u used them as breaker bars... Just buy a Breaker bar PLease....

 

Sorry for the wrong section, I was working on my SC and couldnt remove a pulley bolt. I ended up buying a 12" galvanized metal pipe and put it over my large ratchet. Works really well. Had the tape of the ends so it wouldn't scratch anything though.

For the really tough bolts, I assume this would not work because the ratchet would die. Are the "real" breaker bars much more effective? As in they won't break like a regular ratchet and pipe would?

 

i do it all the time, do it!

 

Craftsman hand tools. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

ratchet away my friend, ratchet away