Breaker Bars & Corroded Wheels Nuts. Do I go big?
Discussion
I am recommissioning my fathers 2007 Focus, it hasn't been driven for 3 or 4 years but it has sailed through the MOT. It has 26,000 on the clock.
I want to flush the brake fluid. But a number of the wheel nuts, not all but at least one per wheel, have seized on. I've exerted the maximum force that my manly & toned frame (11 stone, never seen the inside of a gym) can produce using an 18" breaker bar. For what it's worth I've soaked them all in WD40 (I should have used Plus Gas) and walked away for now.
It needs a new tyre in any case and I know the local tyre place will loosen them off for me without hesitation. Or my MOT guy will.
But if I wanted to stay self sufficient would a 3' breaker bar be enough? I started looking into this but it takes me into the world of 3/4" and 1" drives and new socket sets. I am in 2 minds what to do.
I'm not keen to find a length of scaffold to extend my 18" breaker bar, I know this is a common technique but I can imagine that it can end badly.
I want to flush the brake fluid. But a number of the wheel nuts, not all but at least one per wheel, have seized on. I've exerted the maximum force that my manly & toned frame (11 stone, never seen the inside of a gym) can produce using an 18" breaker bar. For what it's worth I've soaked them all in WD40 (I should have used Plus Gas) and walked away for now.
It needs a new tyre in any case and I know the local tyre place will loosen them off for me without hesitation. Or my MOT guy will.
But if I wanted to stay self sufficient would a 3' breaker bar be enough? I started looking into this but it takes me into the world of 3/4" and 1" drives and new socket sets. I am in 2 minds what to do.
I'm not keen to find a length of scaffold to extend my 18" breaker bar, I know this is a common technique but I can imagine that it can end badly.
Andy 308GTB said:
I'm not keen to find a length of scaffold to extend my 18" breaker bar, I know this is a common technique but I can imagine that it can Bend badly.
FTFY 
3' breaker bar should easily shift them, I would have thought. Shorter ones tend to break at the knuckle when large lengths of scaffold pole are applied. DAMHIK...
Anything heavy like that and I use a 3/4 drive sliding T bar with scaffold pole extension if needed.
I've never put so much as a slight bend in it. Buy some converters to go with it to take it from 3/4 down to other sizes if needed.
Breaker bars are handy, but have their limits, I haven't found the limit of my T bar yet and I do this kind of thing as a job.
I've never put so much as a slight bend in it. Buy some converters to go with it to take it from 3/4 down to other sizes if needed.
Breaker bars are handy, but have their limits, I haven't found the limit of my T bar yet and I do this kind of thing as a job.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-AK7302-Breaker-750...
Got one of these, 750mm 1/2 inch breaker bar, I'm of a similar build to yourself... tend to just fit then stand on the end of it
Got one of these, 750mm 1/2 inch breaker bar, I'm of a similar build to yourself... tend to just fit then stand on the end of it
Captain Answer said:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-AK7302-Breaker-750...
Got one of these, 750mm 1/2 inch breaker bar, I'm of a similar build to yourself... tend to just fit then stand on the end of it
That's a good price and it's 1/2" so I wouldn't have to buy a set of 3/4" drives. Not sure how I missed that.Got one of these, 750mm 1/2 inch breaker bar, I'm of a similar build to yourself... tend to just fit then stand on the end of it
Evoluzione said:
Anything heavy like that and I use a 3/4 drive sliding T bar with scaffold pole extension if needed.
I've never put so much as a slight bend in it. Buy some converters to go with it to take it from 3/4 down to other sizes if needed.
Breaker bars are handy, but have their limits, I haven't found the limit of my T bar yet and I do this kind of thing as a job.
I can see the advantages of this. The way the drive fits on the bar has to be stronger for a start. I've never put so much as a slight bend in it. Buy some converters to go with it to take it from 3/4 down to other sizes if needed.
Breaker bars are handy, but have their limits, I haven't found the limit of my T bar yet and I do this kind of thing as a job.
Is yours a decent brand, would a budget brand be made of cheese?
If you’re not confident or don’t have the tackle why spend money when you don’t have too take to tyre place get tyres changed drive home change fluid.
Driving with the fluid as is will not hurt the car or end in a ball of flames.
The amount of cars on the road driven by folk that have no idea and haven’t had brake fluid changed in decades would suprise you and probably me.
Go for the easy cheapest option
Andy 308GTB said:
That's a good price and it's 1/2" so I wouldn't have to buy a set of 3/4" drives. Not sure how I missed that.
Listings are often a bit poor, come across them before where they don't even bother listing the lengthLonger 1/2 inch ones can be a bit harder to find, 3/8 is ok for some bits but when you want some torque you want 1/2 (I've got a 1" drive set but that doesn't see the light of day much)
shakindog said:
If you’re not confident or don’t have the tackle why spend money when you don’t have too take to tyre place get tyres changed drive home change fluid.
Driving with the fluid as is will not hurt the car or end in a ball of flames.
The amount of cars on the road driven by folk that have no idea and haven’t had brake fluid changed in decades would suprise you and probably me.
Go for the easy cheapest option
Indeed! I'd also invest in some new wheel nuts all round.Driving with the fluid as is will not hurt the car or end in a ball of flames.
The amount of cars on the road driven by folk that have no idea and haven’t had brake fluid changed in decades would suprise you and probably me.
Go for the easy cheapest option
Take it for fresh tyres, get them to whip the old ones off and new on. I'm sure they'll have a silly-powered impact wrench to sort it.
Krikkit said:
shakindog said:
If you’re not confident or don’t have the tackle why spend money when you don’t have too take to tyre place get tyres changed drive home change fluid.
Driving with the fluid as is will not hurt the car or end in a ball of flames.
The amount of cars on the road driven by folk that have no idea and haven’t had brake fluid changed in decades would suprise you and probably me.
Go for the easy cheapest option
Indeed! I'd also invest in some new wheel nuts all round.Driving with the fluid as is will not hurt the car or end in a ball of flames.
The amount of cars on the road driven by folk that have no idea and haven’t had brake fluid changed in decades would suprise you and probably me.
Go for the easy cheapest option
Take it for fresh tyres, get them to whip the old ones off and new on. I'm sure they'll have a silly-powered impact wrench to sort it.
Got them to tackle the wheel nuts. Their impact wrench failed to move 3 of their bolts. The produced a 3' breaker bar and that did the trick (£10 in their tips box)
Whilst this was the most pragmatic solution. I have missed out on a tool buying opportunity.
I may still get something for future use, I like the idea of a reasonable T-Bar.
WD40 is NOT a good penetrating oil!
There are many more products specificially designed for this purpose. I've been impressed by Innotec Deblock. https://www.innotec.eu/oth/en//deblock-oil-xs/p185...
No connection, just a satisfied user.
John
There are many more products specificially designed for this purpose. I've been impressed by Innotec Deblock. https://www.innotec.eu/oth/en//deblock-oil-xs/p185...
No connection, just a satisfied user.
John
Andy 308GTB said:
Evoluzione said:
Anything heavy like that and I use a 3/4 drive sliding T bar with scaffold pole extension if needed.
I've never put so much as a slight bend in it. Buy some converters to go with it to take it from 3/4 down to other sizes if needed.
Breaker bars are handy, but have their limits, I haven't found the limit of my T bar yet and I do this kind of thing as a job.
I can see the advantages of this. The way the drive fits on the bar has to be stronger for a start. I've never put so much as a slight bend in it. Buy some converters to go with it to take it from 3/4 down to other sizes if needed.
Breaker bars are handy, but have their limits, I haven't found the limit of my T bar yet and I do this kind of thing as a job.
Is yours a decent brand, would a budget brand be made of cheese?
tapkaJohnD said:
WD40 is NOT a good penetrating oil!
There are many more products specificially designed for this purpose. I've been impressed by Innotec Deblock. https://www.innotec.eu/oth/en//deblock-oil-xs/p185...
No connection, just a satisfied user.
John
Without a ramp, I think being able to spray penetrant onto the threads of a wheel bolt would be virtually impossible with the wheel on the car.There are many more products specificially designed for this purpose. I've been impressed by Innotec Deblock. https://www.innotec.eu/oth/en//deblock-oil-xs/p185...
No connection, just a satisfied user.
John
Captain Answer said:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-AK7302-Breaker-750...
Got one of these, 750mm 1/2 inch breaker bar, I'm of a similar build to yourself... tend to just fit then stand on the end of it
I've got one of these, although now I've got a proper impact wrench I don't really use it!Got one of these, 750mm 1/2 inch breaker bar, I'm of a similar build to yourself... tend to just fit then stand on the end of it
Bit late I know, but if you were really stuck you can try putting a jack underneath the handle of a breaker bar and turn it using that...
[quote]
Without a ramp, I think being able to spray penetrant onto the threads of a wheel bolt would be virtually impossible with the wheel on the car.
[/quote]
With the wheel on the car, you can't get at the wheel bolt threads at all! Ramp or not! That's why you need a good penetrant.
John
Without a ramp, I think being able to spray penetrant onto the threads of a wheel bolt would be virtually impossible with the wheel on the car.
[/quote]
With the wheel on the car, you can't get at the wheel bolt threads at all! Ramp or not! That's why you need a good penetrant.
John
Matt_E_Mulsion said:
In my experience once you get up to a 3 foot breaker bar you are going to start snapping sockets if you are still on 1/2" drive tackle.
At that length of bar you are in 3/4" drive territory.
My FIL (never one to let anything defeat him) did the scaffold pole thing on a Granada when it had a flat at home - don't know if had bolts or studs and nuts, but two of them snapped.At that length of bar you are in 3/4" drive territory.
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