Using Impact Wrench Vs. 8 foot cheater/breaker bar
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With impact there is less chance of snapping the fastener, but I really do think the only way to get some stuff loose is with a massive bar and some good old fashioned leverage. I just find that with that style of pressure, it does snap fasteners.
I prefer impact when at all possible, it's also obviously faster.
I prefer impact when at all possible, it's also obviously faster.
Impact wrench, it is much safer and cheaper.
When using a cheater pipe/breaker bar to remove, for example, an axle nut, you can lose your balance when the fastener comes free or something breaks. You can fall, smash your face on the fender, break your nose and a tooth, and run up $6,000 in medical and dental bills.
Don't ask me how I know this.
Sorry, the incident is not on YouTube.
When using a cheater pipe/breaker bar to remove, for example, an axle nut, you can lose your balance when the fastener comes free or something breaks. You can fall, smash your face on the fender, break your nose and a tooth, and run up $6,000 in medical and dental bills.
Don't ask me how I know this.
Sorry, the incident is not on YouTube.
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Impact wrench. It's preferable since it's faster/easier on you and the fastener.
That being said, sometimes, there's no replacement for good old-fashioned leverage.
That being said, sometimes, there's no replacement for good old-fashioned leverage.
Usually with an impact wrench you don't need to hold the part from turning. With a pipe you must hold it from turning.
You will probably need a 3/4" impact wrench to do the monster jobs.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Usually with an impact wrench you don't need to hold the part from turning. With a pipe you must hold it from turning.
Yes... like a crank bolt.
Usually with an impact wrench you don't need to hold the part from turning. With a pipe you must hold it from turning.
Yes... like a crank bolt.
usually the impact will work, but there are some occasions where you need a cheater bar.
JHZR2
Staff member
What about an impact cheater? (mallet hammering on a pipe on the end of a socket)
I don't have an impact but do have a can of PB Blaster and a 4' water pipe. I have broken a 3/8" ratchet with this method but otherwise haven't found anything that I cannot open yet.
The only problem I've got with this method is that it is very hard to get the clearance for the long cheater.
The only problem I've got with this method is that it is very hard to get the clearance for the long cheater.
The problem is when you use a cheater, you tend to bend things when the going gets tough. Ran into a forged smallblock crank that someone somehow got the balancer bolt crossthreaded/locked in place. By the time it was over the crank had to be sent out to be straightened besides having the broken crank bolt drilled out.
Impact, the safer alternative.
Impact, the safer alternative.
Interesting responses. I like my impacts as much as the next guy, but I would consider doing it "by hand" to be the safer method.
robert
robert
Originally Posted By: robertcope
Interesting responses. I like my impacts as much as the next guy, but I would consider doing it "by hand" to be the safer method.
You may consider that, but your consideration would be totally wrong.
Impact is best. Everywhere and always. Especially for stuff like suspension and crank bolts.
Of course, you need to use the correct impact gun: Trying to use a 150# gun on a crank bolt will probably get you absolutely nowhere. If you have no compressor, a DeWalt electric impact gun is a superb choice for all large bolts with lots of room around them.
Interesting responses. I like my impacts as much as the next guy, but I would consider doing it "by hand" to be the safer method.
You may consider that, but your consideration would be totally wrong.
Impact is best. Everywhere and always. Especially for stuff like suspension and crank bolts.
Of course, you need to use the correct impact gun: Trying to use a 150# gun on a crank bolt will probably get you absolutely nowhere. If you have no compressor, a DeWalt electric impact gun is a superb choice for all large bolts with lots of room around them.
Replying to my own post here, on account of being unable to edit the original...
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Impact is best. Everywhere and always.
For LARGE bolts and nuts, that is. Impact would be dumb for the tiny ones, which could be rusted right through, and which have little torque on them in any case.
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Impact is best. Everywhere and always.
For LARGE bolts and nuts, that is. Impact would be dumb for the tiny ones, which could be rusted right through, and which have little torque on them in any case.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
With a long cheater bar, you have to worry about the forces other than the torque. Those forces are not balanced with a cheater bar.
Best response. 600ftlbs of torque from an impact is different that 600ftlbs applied through a breaker bar, and it gets worse with an extension off the fastener. Impact is much better & pure.
With a long cheater bar, you have to worry about the forces other than the torque. Those forces are not balanced with a cheater bar.
Best response. 600ftlbs of torque from an impact is different that 600ftlbs applied through a breaker bar, and it gets worse with an extension off the fastener. Impact is much better & pure.
Originally Posted By: Tegger
You may consider that, but your consideration would be totally wrong.
Impact is best. Everywhere and always.
For breaking a fastener free yes, but if that thread is tight or rusted the impact will shear the bolt very quickly, or weld the threads and do the same. Much more feel by hand - you can east that bolt out, with the impact gun you will just be saying ''Duh, what do I do now?''
You may consider that, but your consideration would be totally wrong.
Impact is best. Everywhere and always.
For breaking a fastener free yes, but if that thread is tight or rusted the impact will shear the bolt very quickly, or weld the threads and do the same. Much more feel by hand - you can east that bolt out, with the impact gun you will just be saying ''Duh, what do I do now?''
I don't get it. You have lot better chances of removing it intact with the impact wrench than with a breaker bar. If you are telling us that when you do it with a wrench or ratchet, you will get an idea if the bolt is stuck and then you can try different approach e.g. more penetrating oil and/or torch; then YES, obviously that is a better way of doing it.
However, this particular topic was asking about breaker bar vs impact wrench. The answer is impact wrench, obviously!
You should also use the one which has variable trigger. This will let you do the things which I alluded in the first paragraph i.e. you will know if the bolt is stuck and then you can decide whether you want to pull the trigger fully and bang at that fastener or go for torch etc.
Only place you should NOT use an impact wrench is on drain bolts! The reason for that is left as an exercise to reader
- Vikas
However, this particular topic was asking about breaker bar vs impact wrench. The answer is impact wrench, obviously!
You should also use the one which has variable trigger. This will let you do the things which I alluded in the first paragraph i.e. you will know if the bolt is stuck and then you can decide whether you want to pull the trigger fully and bang at that fastener or go for torch etc.
Only place you should NOT use an impact wrench is on drain bolts! The reason for that is left as an exercise to reader
- Vikas
Originally Posted By: Tegger
You may consider that, but your consideration would be totally wrong.
Well, my twenty years of experience tells me that I am not wrong. In fact, you have much more control the longer your breaker bar is. Yes, you have to be intelligent about how you use it.
robert
You may consider that, but your consideration would be totally wrong.
Well, my twenty years of experience tells me that I am not wrong. In fact, you have much more control the longer your breaker bar is. Yes, you have to be intelligent about how you use it.
robert
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