Harbour Freight Breaker Bar 0 Boxster +1 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Pdwight · 02-08-2015, 02:18 PM

Well I admit to using some cheap tools from time to time, this breaker bar has always served me well until today. I started my bearing job on the rear, the passenger side broke loose about like I expected.....I put one foot on the long breaker bar and as my full 230 pounds came into play the axle nut turned difficultly for about 1/8 turn and then it came loose enough I could take it off with my hands and the breaker bar. Not so the passenger side.. Put my foot on the breaker bar and nothing happened...took a 4 foot length of pipe and put on the bar and snap....parts in the floor as you can see. My Stepson has a large Snap On brand....Im sure I cannot break that one.

Timco · 02-08-2015, 02:30 PM

I use a huge snap on. You will not break those but you can exceed the ability of 3/8.

I made a stand off and used the HF puller set to extract the bearings without having to remove the hubs from the car. Remember to freeze the new ones!

I needed a sledge hammer on the puller to get the splines apart to pull the axels.

Pdwight · 02-08-2015, 02:40 PM

Thanks Tim

THis was a 1/2 inch breaker bar....almost 3 feet long...it had always removed the most stubborn bolts without a groan until today. I got it free years ago from Harbour Freight for buying something else....thought pretty good until now.

Pdwight · 02-08-2015, 07:28 PM

They are both counter clockwise to loosen.....right ?

particlewave · 02-08-2015, 07:41 PM

They are not reverse threaded on any other car I've worked on.
I went through the same thing with a 99 Impala last month, except I was out in the cold without my tools

After borrowing and destroying 2 breaker bars and a couple of hours of bloody knuckles, I finally got my hands on an impact wrench. Zipped off in a few seconds.

Gelbster · 02-08-2015, 08:03 PM

My rule with HF tools is +1if possible. If a 1/2 breaker bar may be O.K. - use a 3/4"H.F.. If a regular socket may be O.K.,use an impact and often a 3/4 impact socket and extension.The HF tool is so cheap , even if you buy the bigger/better item ,it is still a bargain.
They are introducing more "Professional Grade" tools at a slight premium.These are useful because access is so tight on the P-Cars that you need under-sized tools -1/4" ,not 3/8 drive. So I just got a lot of 1/4" impact tools and use those.Their hex-drive(Allen) tools are particularly useful.

Timco · 02-08-2015, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pdwight

They are both counter clockwise to loosen.....right ?

I am 99.9% sure that is correct, but when questioned I like to verify. You should be able to see the thread pitch.

I'll vfy this early tomorrow AM.

Timco · 02-08-2015, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gelbster

My rule with HF tools is +1if possible. If a 1/2 breaker bar may be O.K. - use a 3/4"H.F.. If a regular socket may be O.K.,use an impact and often a 3/4 impact socket and extension.The HF tool is so cheap , even if you buy the bigger/better item ,it is still a bargain.
They are introducing more "Professional Grade" tools at a slight premium.These are useful because access is so tight on the P-Cars that you need under-sized tools -1/4" ,not 3/8 drive. So I just got a lot of 1/4" impact tools and use those.Their hex-drive(Allen) tools are particularly useful.

I just pulled the entire trans with only a 1/2" drive snap on and basic extensions and sockets. Great access compared to a ford truck. No bolts frozen in place. A pleasure to work on. I used one small wobble socket on the WP.

nieuwhzn · 02-08-2015, 08:49 PM

Do not trust Harbor Freight tools for something that your personal or equipment safety relies on! Most of their tools and instruments are of questionable quality. I had several of their tools snap or just bend. At the National lab where I'm working their multimeters are strictly prohibited because their voltage and current ratings are just wrong.

spendy · 02-08-2015, 08:53 PM

I've had good luck with a 3/4" HF breaker bar with pipe extension. Also using 3/4 drive socket which is not HF. BTW, 1-1/4" socket works if you don't have 32mm.
All of the axle bolts are standard direction thread. ccw loosen

rdass623 · 02-08-2015, 09:59 PM

with a four foot cheater pipe on there, you were probably exceeding 1000 lb/ft of torque. there may be a possibility of failure on a HFT breaker bar. that is why i like to depend on the ingersol rand impact, the hammering action really aids in those circumstances.

itsnotanova · 02-09-2015, 06:10 AM

I love Harbor Freight for what it is, but I wish they would sell better quality tools.

BYprodriver · 02-09-2015, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pdwight

They are both counter clockwise to loosen.....right ?

Yes, I have broken 2 Craftsman 1/2"drive extensions while torquing the rear axle nuts.

JayG · 02-09-2015, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdass623

with a four foot cheater pipe on there, you were probably exceeding 1000 lb/ft of torque. there may be a possibility of failure on a HFT breaker bar. that is why i like to depend on the ingersol rand impact, the hammering action really aids in those circumstances.

+1 its physics.
long pipe extending the handle = much greater force

Given enough force, you will break all of the breaker bars

he HF stuff is not bad, certainly not as good as Snap-on in many cases, but for the $$ and the garage mechanic / DIYer are good

A lot of tools are not as good as they used to be. Craftsman is a good example. They used to be made at Moore Drop Forge, the same factory used by Snap-on and other high end tools, and now lots of them are being made off shore

Gelbster · 02-09-2015, 09:32 AM

"you were probably exceeding 1000 lb/ft of torque."
Way beyond the design limit of any 1/2" breaker bar.'Cheater' pipe ,there is a reason for the name.
Sometimes a few soakings with PB Blaster or heat can be useful ?
I found this on Garage Journal: "HF Breaker Bar has stood up to eight-foot cheater pipes and has done multiple Honda crank pulley bolts for me... And hasn't broken off (and their sockets have held up too!)."

Pdwight · 02-09-2015, 04:02 PM

I hit it with some PB Blaster before I left it last night...today for Hit's N Giggles I tried my craftsman cordless impact driver I use mainly for lug bolts. I put the socket on and a few seconds of "clickety clack" and I saw the slightest perceptible movement of the big socket and then it spun off. I was never that worried about getting it off so much as how I will be able to tell if I get to 340 ft lbs of torque when I put it back on.

Trey T · 02-10-2015, 08:43 AM

I highly suggest that you use air tool instead. I have the previous generation 1/2" earthquake impact wrench from HF with a 3HP Quincy 60gal air compressor. It just makes things easy and less daunting for any task you tackle, even a Honda crank bolt is easy to take off.

Honestly, if you enjoy maintaining your porsche, get proper tools. It saves you a lot of time and frustrations.

Pdwight · 02-10-2015, 11:14 AM

Air tools over lithium ion power tools ???

Trey T · 02-10-2015, 12:26 PM

If you want to go w/ lithium-ion tool, get Milwaukee M18 1/2" Fuel ~700ft-lbs impact. CURRENTLY, Milwaukee brand is the only brand I recommend.

Lithium-ion impact doesn't replace air impact. Air impact is a lot more powerful and smaller that can be more versatile than the bulky M18 fuel 1/2" impact.

Pdwight · 02-10-2015, 04:20 PM

I understand that the Milwaukee is a far superior tool than my Craftsman but the fact is the axle nut is off and now to proceed with the teardown and installation of new parts. I would never use a Impact tool to install the new axle nuts and they need to be torqued to 340 ft lbs and the Milwaukee would probably way over do it. I do not have a Torque wrench that goes past 250 ft lbs so I will have to rely on mathematics and my weight on a breaker bar for the estimate of the correct torque.