Reliable Breaker Bar Set Overcomes Resistant Fasteners with Ease
In our endeavors to loosen stubborn bolts of various sizes, the Craftsman Breaker Bar Set has proven to be an invaluable tool.
While a high-quality socket set is often sufficient for most jobs involving challenging nuts or bolts, certain tasks require additional torque. These include removing the blades of a lawn mower for sharpening or taking off lug nuts when performing tire rotations on a vehicle.
Having encountered difficulties in removing two seized blades from my father-in-law’s lawn tractor, I sought assistance by acquiring the Craftsman Three-Piece Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set from a nearby home center. Over the Labor Day weekend, I brought the set to his property, aiming to successfully extract and sharpen the tractor blades.
Craftsman Three-Piece Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set: An Overview
The Craftsman Three-Piece Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set is a collection of robust and versatile tools designed for handling stubborn fasteners. These breaker bars are non-ratcheting bars that work in conjunction with sockets, providing increased torque to tackle tightly secured fasteners.
The set includes three breaker bars constructed from heavy-duty steel alloy, tailored for 1/4-, 3/8-, and 1/2-inch drive sockets. Each bar features a 180-degree rotating head equipped with wave washer joints, ensuring consistent resistance throughout the entire range of motion. The different sizes available include a 15-inch bar for the 1/2-inch drive, a 10-inch bar for the 3/8-inch drive, and a six-inch bar for the 1/4-inch drive.
Crafted with a chrome-plated finish, the Craftsman Three-Piece Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set exudes durability and quality craftsmanship. As with all Craftsman hand tools, this set is backed by a lifetime warranty, providing assurance of its long-lasting performance.
Evaluation Process and Findings
To assess the performance of the Craftsman Three-Piece Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set, I conducted a series of tests involving lawn mower blade sharpening and tire rotations. Equipped with an angle grinder, sockets, and the breaker bar set, I aimed to maximize productivity during the extended weekend.
I initiated the testing by focusing on my father-in-law’s lawn tractor, aiming to remove two worn-out blades using the 1/2-inch drive breaker bar. Initially, I attempted to loosen the blades solely with the nine-inch socket wrench handle. However, both blades necessitated the utilization of the 15-inch breaker bar, with one requiring the additional leverage of a pipe.
The inclusion of a 180-degree rotating head proved advantageous, facilitating easy alignment with the target nut. This feature proved particularly useful as I maneuvered the socket, breaker bar, and extended pipe to release the seized lawn tractor spindle.
Significance of Length in Breaker Bars
Effective breaker bars necessitate meticulous construction and adequate length. The 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch breaker bars in the set were nearly identical in length to my existing ratchet handles. Although they may prove useful in the future, acquiring this set becomes redundant if I can generate the same torque with my current tools.
In contrast, the 1/2-inch breaker bar, while longer than my ratchet handle, still fell short in terms of length (15 inches). Although it sufficed for my current tasks, I would have preferred an 18-, 24-, or 30-inch variation to enhance torque delivery through increased length.
Nevertheless, the Craftsman Three-Piece Flex Handle Breaker Bar Set successfully facilitated the removal of six lawn mower blades and the tire rotation of two vehicles. The torque provided by the bars was generally satisfactory, except for one lawn tractor blade where the additional length of the pipe was required.
Among the tools in the set, I predominantly utilized the 1/2-inch drive breaker bar due to its extended length and compatibility with my existing set of 1/2-inch drive sockets. My only reservation pertains to its relatively shorter length, as a slightly longer version would render this set ideal.
