3/4" breaker bar
Discussion
Bar doesn't need to be anything special but a quality 3/4 - 1/2 reducer so you can still use 1/2 sockets . I have a snap on reducer that takes an insert so worst case and you snap it its a few quid for a new one . I only use 3/4 sockets on heavy iveco vans and trucks as the reducer and 1/2 drive stuff is fine for cars
I have a Halfords Pro reducer which came with my breaker bar. I'm on my fourth and they still keep replacing them under the lifetime warranty when I break them. 
The bar itself is a decent enough thing, too.
ETA: Mind you, it doesn't say they come with a reducer on the Halfords website. I wonder if they got fed up with replacing them.
The bar itself is a decent enough thing, too.
ETA: Mind you, it doesn't say they come with a reducer on the Halfords website. I wonder if they got fed up with replacing them.
Edited by kambites on Monday 23 February 19:47
Yes, agreed. Good quality 3/4" kit can be pricey but, soon pays for itself in both time and money.
The 36mm and 32mm Axle/Driveshaft/Hub Nuts on my MGs and Rovers are always silly tight. Ten years ago I bought a Bergen 3/4" Breaker Bar and 3/4" 36 an 32 mm Hex Sockets. They make light work of those silly tight axle nuts.
I also have a good quality 3/4-1/2" reducer.
There is one nut/bolt on some MGs and Rovers which sometimes even that kit does not easily cope with. That is the 22mm CRANKshaft Pulley Bolt on some K-Series engines. Usually ones which have not been touched since they left the production line are a doddle to undo. Those tightened following subsequent pro-garage work can be near impossible to release they are so silly tight. Here's my son's Rover 25 which was by far the worst example of over tightening of that 22mm CRANKshaft Pulley Bolt I've ever tackled :~
In use there is a length of scaffold, the Bergen 3/4" Breaker Bar, the 3/4~1/2" reducer, a 50cm Extension Bar and a good quality 22mm Hex-Socket. With the car in 5th, my 13 stone son's right foot firmly planted on the brake pedal, and my fifteen stone on the scaffold pole for leverage, the loud CRACK sound as that bolt finally gave way could be heard many yards away. Note also the use of an Axle Stand as support for the set up when the full leverage was applied.
Close up of the arrangement. It works!
There's another always silly tight component on my cars with the PG1 gearbox. The little plug you need to remove when stripping a gearbox for bearing replacement. ALWAYS wise to release this Plug whilst gearbox on the car. Trying to remove it with box off the car can be fun and games for the amateur spannerman with limited resources. This one often with thread lock overload! :~
Finally, sometimes even wheel bolts are over torqued by pros using power tools. First time I needed to remove a wheel on my MG ZT, I had to resort to this. Beyond silly tight. All twenty bolts were that tight! Two months before I bought the car, the previous owner had paid over £300 to have all four Brake Discs and Pads renewed to get through the MoT.
Never any need to tighten them to this extent. Could even weaken the bolts or their location which is definitely a no-no. Simply not necessary.
The 36mm and 32mm Axle/Driveshaft/Hub Nuts on my MGs and Rovers are always silly tight. Ten years ago I bought a Bergen 3/4" Breaker Bar and 3/4" 36 an 32 mm Hex Sockets. They make light work of those silly tight axle nuts.
I also have a good quality 3/4-1/2" reducer.
There is one nut/bolt on some MGs and Rovers which sometimes even that kit does not easily cope with. That is the 22mm CRANKshaft Pulley Bolt on some K-Series engines. Usually ones which have not been touched since they left the production line are a doddle to undo. Those tightened following subsequent pro-garage work can be near impossible to release they are so silly tight. Here's my son's Rover 25 which was by far the worst example of over tightening of that 22mm CRANKshaft Pulley Bolt I've ever tackled :~
In use there is a length of scaffold, the Bergen 3/4" Breaker Bar, the 3/4~1/2" reducer, a 50cm Extension Bar and a good quality 22mm Hex-Socket. With the car in 5th, my 13 stone son's right foot firmly planted on the brake pedal, and my fifteen stone on the scaffold pole for leverage, the loud CRACK sound as that bolt finally gave way could be heard many yards away. Note also the use of an Axle Stand as support for the set up when the full leverage was applied.
Close up of the arrangement. It works!
There's another always silly tight component on my cars with the PG1 gearbox. The little plug you need to remove when stripping a gearbox for bearing replacement. ALWAYS wise to release this Plug whilst gearbox on the car. Trying to remove it with box off the car can be fun and games for the amateur spannerman with limited resources. This one often with thread lock overload! :~
Finally, sometimes even wheel bolts are over torqued by pros using power tools. First time I needed to remove a wheel on my MG ZT, I had to resort to this. Beyond silly tight. All twenty bolts were that tight! Two months before I bought the car, the previous owner had paid over £300 to have all four Brake Discs and Pads renewed to get through the MoT.
Never any need to tighten them to this extent. Could even weaken the bolts or their location which is definitely a no-no. Simply not necessary.
ShiningWit said:
The answer is don't use a breaker bar as they always break when over loaded - pretty easy when you see the length of leverage you can get on it and the weak UJ.
Get a sliding T bar.
or a t-bar and slide an scaffold pole over the end - worst case you bend the t- handle but it wont snap.Get a sliding T bar.
PositronicRay said:
Might be time to invest in an impact driver.
Alternatively do you have a friendly local garage?
Re-assemble the car get them to loosen the hub nut, nip it back up and drive home to complete the job.
My Air gun didn't touch it. (granted it is an Aldi gun, the air supply is very good however).Alternatively do you have a friendly local garage?
Re-assemble the car get them to loosen the hub nut, nip it back up and drive home to complete the job.
I've just hit buy it now on that T-bar, just need to get a socket now.
Richyvrlimited said:
PositronicRay said:
Might be time to invest in an impact driver.
Alternatively do you have a friendly local garage?
Re-assemble the car get them to loosen the hub nut, nip it back up and drive home to complete the job.
My Air gun didn't touch it. (granted it is an Aldi gun, the air supply is very good however).Alternatively do you have a friendly local garage?
Re-assemble the car get them to loosen the hub nut, nip it back up and drive home to complete the job.
I've just hit buy it now on that T-bar, just need to get a socket now.
This one usually copes with most things in less than a second :~
By the way, some timing marks are near impossible to actually see on the car. I usually search for them by using my finger nail in the dark and limited access. Then some years ago, I used the dregs in the bottom of Hammerite paint tins and marked up those difficult to observe Timing Indexes after a quick once over with a wire brush. I have prepared a couple of spare Pulleys earlier to save time. It certainly does that too. You can see these a mile off now... sorted at nil cost ..
My kind of expenditure .. 
EDIT to add @ 23:10
Here's my 3/4" Bergen Breaker Bar and the 36mm Hex-Socket making easy work of undoing that drive shaft nut.
Edited by MGJohn on Tuesday 24th February 23:10
That's a neat idea to lock the wheel position. I assume that's what it is, and not a pencil being stored anyway
That ingersol impact gun looks nice, but OUCH at the price. that's way out of my league unfortunately.
I hit buy it now on the previously linked eBay T-Bar, going to tap up a roofer than lives locally for a really long scaffold pole to complement it.
That ingersol impact gun looks nice, but OUCH at the price. that's way out of my league unfortunately.
I hit buy it now on the previously linked eBay T-Bar, going to tap up a roofer than lives locally for a really long scaffold pole to complement it.
Richyvrlimited said:
That's a neat idea to lock the wheel position. I assume that's what it is, and not a pencil being stored anyway
It's actually a small cold chisel locking the disc in the ventilation gaps. I use the chisel to open or close the staked Axle Nut so it has a useful dual purpose.... There's a grove in the end of the outer Drive Shaft Threads for that stake.3/4" Machine Mart Breaker Bar £23.98, I've had mine years, not come across a nut she hasn't conquered yet!
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details...
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