Square drive breaker bars might seem like a rudimentary tool but it is anything but that. It has to be able to transfer large amounts of torque without suffering any structural damage. It has to be ergonomic enough for comfortable use. It should also be properly designed for quick use. Today, we will take a look at two 1/2″ square drive breaker bars of different lengths from Draper and find out if they are any good.
Common Length Options:
Breaker bars are used to apply more torque on bolts that are extra tight and need loosening or need to be tightened that extra bit. The torque values required here would be next to impossible to achieve with a regular wrench and the added length allows you to put more torque without the need for more effort on your part.
The two common length options that we are testing of the Draper Expert 1/2″ square drive breaker bars are 640mm (64cm) and 1000mm (100cm).
The 640mm is for moderate levels of torque while the 1000mm allows you to really crank it up. Both have their place in a tool kit as the 1000 mm might generate too much torque for some applications while the 640mm might not generate enough in others.
Build Quality And Durability:
A square drive breaker bar is a simple tool but belongs to the group of tools that need to be long but slender. This means that it has to be able to bear a lot of the reactionary twisting and bending forces generated while trying to loosen or tighten a nut or a bolt without structurally failing.
We have all experienced bolts that have been over tightened and seized on. With the right size breaker bar, you can loosen them in no time.
The Draper Expert 1/2″ square drive breaker bars are well built. They are made up of chrome vanadium steel that has been hardened and tempered. This is then coated with chrome and polished to a high finish to ensure resistance to corrosion while giving it a nice and shiny look that will last.
These breaker bars feel really sturdy and even when pushed really hard, there is no twisting. It flexes just enough to boost the torque that can be generated. Overall, both these breaker bars do not attract any criticism when it comes to build quality and durability. They are perfect for the job in hand.
Well designed socket holding system:
A very important component of a breaker bar is its socket holding mechanism. It has to be strong enough to transfer the immense torque values that can be generated by the bars without slipping or worse, snapping.
The Draper Expert 1/2″ square drive breaker bars feature a high-quality spring-loaded ball bearing that gives a secure attachment while also being robust enough to not buckle under even the maximum torque values that these breaker bars can generate. The mechanism is also easy to work with and using it won’t give you any hassle at all. The overall good ergonomics are an added bonus here.
Pricing and our verdict:
The 1000mm variant can be yours for £37.93 while the 640mm will cost £15.98. This makes them both very reasonably-priced and provides excellent value for money. I would like to see the nut that you can’t crack with the 1000mm breaker bar.
Both the Expert 1/2″ square drive breaker bars from Draper left me impressed and should be looked into if you are searching for worthy additions to your arsenal of tools.
