Should I Use Ratchets Instead of Breaker Bars to Break Loose Bolts and Nuts?

After reviewing the testimonies on some popular forum websites from several mechanics and DIY fans, we found that roughly 35% rely on ratchets to break loose bolts and nuts, while the rest use breaker bars.

The 35% group uses a ratchet simply because it works. Yes, ratchets’ mechanisms can withstand equal or more torque than some breaker bars. However, that’s not their intended use.

We’ll briefly compare breaker bars vs ratchets and consider why breaker bars aren’t obsolete, as some claim.

Photo source: www.garagejournal.com

A breaker bar design is intended to produce torque and withstand it.

The amount of torque is directly proportional to the handle’s length (Torque = Force x Distance). Thus, breaker bars usually have longer handles than ratchets.

In addition, the simple design of breaker bar heads transmits loads directly to the fork section, which is beefy enough to resist them.

On the other hand, ratchets distribute the torque from the anvil among the teeth of the gear and pawl, whose areas aren’t nearly the size of a breaker bar fork head.

Most people’s solution is to use a ratchet with fewer teeth (which are bigger), but besides teeth, other things, like the anvil-gear joint or the faceplate, are at risk of failing when a ratchet is misused.

Photo source: www.garagejournal.com

Photo sources: www.reddit.com / www.garagejournal.com

So visit Fortis HD for premium Japanese hand tools: Ko-ken breaker bars.

We also have one of the best ratchets in the industry: the 72-tooth Ko-ken Z-series. In our review, we delve deep into its unique mechanism.

Breaker bars are:

• Affordable.
• The intended tool for breaking loose frozen bolts and nuts.
• A way to extend the lifespan of your beloved ratchets.

But, regardless of their simple and beefy design, average breaker bars are prone to fail.