10" breaker bar/flex hand enough for most jobs?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 6, 2005
Messages
11,895
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Most of the time I use a Craftsman 7" 3/8" drive ratcheting handle for most of my jobs. I prefer to tighten by feel and haven't stripped any threads yet, although once I did go overboard and snap off a bolt head (later checked the factory service manual and it was spec'ed at 8 lb-ft). The only issue is that I can't get much torque on it with such as short handle.

So for the past month or so I was trying to get off the (3/8" square drive) ATF drain bolt on my wife's 2002 Honda Civic LX. The location is a real puzzler. It's wedged right next to a suspension arm and a socket wrench barely fits in there. I've tried all sorts of things and slightly rounded off the square.

I had a 15" 1/2" drive flex handle I used for manual transmission changes on my WRX, but that wasn't going to fit inside that tight space with an adapter. So I decided that I needed a 3/8" drive breaker bar, and had good luck with Craftsman. Now I suppose the first thing I noticed when I picked it up was that it was no made in China. Other than that it seemed pretty much the same look and quality as I remember my old Craftsman tools.

There was no way I was going to get that thing in (even 10") with the car on the ground, so I whipped out the ramps. So then I had enough room to be able to pull with both hands and it just gave a loud crack sound where I'd thought maybe I'd broken the drain bolt. Everything was intact though; the sound just seemed like something had snapped. Still - I could tell that I was applying way more torque than I could with the ratchet. I'm not sure because there's far less play or if it was just a far more solid connection. And with the 7" ratchet I think I'm applying the force with an effective 4" lever, while with the 10" breaker bar it's about 8".

So is there something about the lack of a ratcheting action that helps with stubborn bolts? Previously I'd been given recommendations to apply some sort of penetrating lube like WD-40 or PB Blaster. When I went to the parts dept to pick up more ATF, the guy at the counter said that often these Honda bolts from the factory undergo electrolysis where the aluminum just bonds to the bolt/transmissions housing and can be a load to remove. Once it broke loose I could easily loosen it by hand.
 
I think there is a manual impact that may be helpful with stubborn stuff in tight spots.

I like a breaker bar with a black pipe on the end. However, you have to be careful to not shear off the head of the fastener.
 
You've got to be on stuff "smooth" to keep from shearing a fastener head. When you have a 3-6 inch extension, a lot of the reefing you're trying to do counterclockwise is also pulling on the bolt head, assuming it to be snug in the socket.

Put your other hand at the ratchet end of the extension to minimize this, and keep control. You might knock yourself over, bang knuckles, etc when it breaks free.

Another thing you can do in limited space with a ratchet is let it droop, at about 4 o'clock, on a jack saddle. Then jack this up and let the weight of the car do the work. Go for a longer handle so you get more counter-clockwise leverage and less shear-off force.

For decent leverage in 3/8" drive I like This hingy thing and this extendable thing.
 
I think the 10" 3/8 and the 15" 1/2 should suit you fine.

If you really want, HF sells a 17" 3/8 breaker. I'd say that on a non lifted civic, depending on where the bolt was turned, the handle may be too long to fit and swing.

There's also th snap on FLL80 which I think is a 18" 3/8 ratchet.

I like eljefinos idea. I've used it before, it works well.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I think there is a manual impact that may be helpful with stubborn stuff in tight spots.

I like a breaker bar with a black pipe on the end. However, you have to be careful to not shear off the head of the fastener.


Just give it hit with a dead blow hammer. I have an old disposable Craftsman ratchet and some wrenches that has been hit with the hammer more times than i have had hot dinners and they have held up fine.
Try it on really tight brake caliper bracket bolts, you'll be amazed. I use one like this, not the shot filled ones.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_258544-71363-33130_0__?productId=3111349
 
I thought of maybe something from HF, but kept on reading reviews that their breaker bars tend to bend or break off where the head swivels. The 10" Craftsman feels solid even though it's made in China. And as I said, there's no way an adapter fits in that tiny space. Here's a picture (YouTube capture actually) someone took of one. Notice where the frame rail is. A 3/8" breaker bar or a ratchet barely fits in there.

maxresdefault.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Most of the time I use a Craftsman 7" 3/8" drive ratcheting handle for most of my jobs. I prefer to tighten by feel and haven't stripped any threads yet, although once I did go overboard and snap off a bolt head (later checked the factory service manual and it was spec'ed at 8 lb-ft). The only issue is that I can't get much torque on it with such as short handle.

So for the past month or so I was trying to get off the (3/8" square drive) ATF drain bolt on my wife's 2002 Honda Civic LX. The location is a real puzzler. It's wedged right next to a suspension arm and a socket wrench barely fits in there. I've tried all sorts of things and slightly rounded off the square.

I had a 15" 1/2" drive flex handle I used for manual transmission changes on my WRX, but that wasn't going to fit inside that tight space with an adapter. So I decided that I needed a 3/8" drive breaker bar, and had good luck with Craftsman. Now I suppose the first thing I noticed when I picked it up was that it was no made in China. Other than that it seemed pretty much the same look and quality as I remember my old Craftsman tools.

There was no way I was going to get that thing in (even 10") with the car on the ground, so I whipped out the ramps. So then I had enough room to be able to pull with both hands and it just gave a loud crack sound where I'd thought maybe I'd broken the drain bolt. Everything was intact though; the sound just seemed like something had snapped. Still - I could tell that I was applying way more torque than I could with the ratchet. I'm not sure because there's far less play or if it was just a far more solid connection. And with the 7" ratchet I think I'm applying the force with an effective 4" lever, while with the 10" breaker bar it's about 8".

So is there something about the lack of a ratcheting action that helps with stubborn bolts? Previously I'd been given recommendations to apply some sort of penetrating lube like WD-40 or PB Blaster. When I went to the parts dept to pick up more ATF, the guy at the counter said that often these Honda bolts from the factory undergo electrolysis where the aluminum just bonds to the bolt/transmissions housing and can be a load to remove. Once it broke loose I could easily loosen it by hand.


You need a longer breaker bar to get the ATF drain plug loose without cussing! You probably need a jack that can give the car more clearance than a cheap floor jack would(of course using jackstands as well). A ratcheting breaker bar is best since the Honda ATFs plugs use a 3/8 inch square. Otherwise use a cheater pipe for extra leverage.

Regards, JC.
 
Problem with the HF breaker bars is the screw walks out. I noticed the screw almost out of one side on mine when I was using mine. I need to get some loctite on it, but otherwise I think they are pretty good value for the money
 
Wow; a practical application for a 3/8 breaker bar!! I feel validated in owning one now...
cool.gif


I almost never use them. If I don't feel a 3/8 ratchet is up to the task, I move up to the 1/2 stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
I thought of maybe something from HF, but kept on reading reviews that their breaker bars tend to bend or break off where the head swivels. The 10" Craftsman feels solid even though it's made in China. And as I said, there's no way an adapter fits in that tiny space. Here's a picture (YouTube capture actually) someone took of one. Notice where the frame rail is. A 3/8" breaker bar or a ratchet barely fits in there.

maxresdefault.jpg



What about a HIGH quality six-point wrench with the dead blow or a pipe or something to give it length? Even cut off the open end and slide it in a pipe?
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2


What about a HIGH quality six-point wrench with the dead blow or a pipe or something to give it length? Even cut off the open end and slide it in a pipe?

I already got it off. I was just wondering if there's something about the more solid feel of the breaker bar that helped get off the bolt.

BTW - this is what the bolt looks like, which can take a 3/8" head, although I think technically it's for a slightly larger metric size. This isn't my wife's car, but all Honda automatic transmissions have this kind of bolt. I remember when my '89 Integra used an M14 (made it easy to share the same gaskets for oil changes), but the current ones are all M18 from what I can tell.

2554d1057279450-transmission-fluid-drain-plug-tranny-003web.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top