Breaker bar

Breaker bar

A breaker bar is a long non-ratcheting bar that is used with socket wrench-style sockets. They are used to break loose very tight fasteners because their additional length allows the same amount of force to generate significantly more torque than a standard length socket wrench.^[1]:1,3 Their use prevents damage to the ratcheting mechanism of a socket wrench. Often, after the first half turn, the fastener is loose enough to be turned with a socket wrench.

Function

The long handle on breaker bars compared to shorter wrenches allow a larger torque to be generated with the same amount of force. A breaker bar can be improvised by inserting a wrench into a length of metal pipe to increase the available torque. A pipe used for this purpose is called a cheater bar or snipe.

References