Cheater bar
Encyclopedia
A cheater bar or cheater pipe is an improvised breaker bar
made from a length of pipe
and a wrench
(spanner).
s, bolts, and other fastener
s that are difficult to remove with a ratchet
or wrench
alone. Cheater bars are also commonly used to operate valves.
When the handle of a wrench or ratchet is inserted into a cheater bar, the additional distance makes it possible to generate the required torque
with the same amount of force
being applied. However, the work done is the same with or without the cheater bar because the torque and angle of rotation needed to accomplish a particular task does not change.
The cheater bar allows higher torque with the same force by:
A cheater bar is sometimes called a pipe extension or an extension pipe.
Some organizations forbid their use. For example, NASA
proscribes:
Breaker bar
A breaker bar is a long non-ratcheting bar that is used with socket wrench style sockets. Breaker bars are used to 'break loose' very tight fasteners because their additional length allows the same amount of force to generate significantly more torque than a standard length socket wrench. The use...
made from a length of pipe
Pipe (material)
A pipe is a tubular section or hollow cylinder, usually but not necessarily of circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances which can flow — liquids and gases , slurries, powders, masses of small solids...
and a wrench
Wrench
A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning....
(spanner).
Primary use
Cheater bars are usually used to free screwScrew
A screw, or bolt, is a type of fastener characterized by a helical ridge, known as an external thread or just thread, wrapped around a cylinder. Some screw threads are designed to mate with a complementary thread, known as an internal thread, often in the form of a nut or an object that has the...
s, bolts, and other fastener
Fastener
A fastener is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together.Fasteners can also be used to close a container such as a bag, a box, or an envelope; or they may involve keeping together the sides of an opening of flexible material, attaching a lid to a container,...
s that are difficult to remove with a ratchet
Socket wrench
A socket wrench is a wrench with interchangeable heads called sockets that attach to a fitting on the wrench, allowing it to turn different sized bolts and other fasteners. The most common form is a hand tool popularly called a ratchet consisting of a handle with a ratcheting mechanism built in,...
or wrench
Wrench
A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning....
alone. Cheater bars are also commonly used to operate valves.
When the handle of a wrench or ratchet is inserted into a cheater bar, the additional distance makes it possible to generate the required torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
with the same amount of force
Force
In physics, a force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a change in speed, a change in direction, or a change in shape. In other words, a force is that which can cause an object with mass to change its velocity , i.e., to accelerate, or which can cause a flexible object to deform...
being applied. However, the work done is the same with or without the cheater bar because the torque and angle of rotation needed to accomplish a particular task does not change.
The cheater bar allows higher torque with the same force by:
A cheater bar is sometimes called a pipe extension or an extension pipe.
Industrial safety problems
Problems in using such bars include:- If the component frees suddenly the worker can become a projectile that is propelled into whatever is in the "line-of-fire." This could (and has) resulted in falls, impacts, punctures, and other injuries.
- The cheater bar itself can become part of a de-facto catapult with the worker in the line-of-fire.
- If the over-torquing results in the failure of any of the items in the jury rigJury rigJury rigging refers to makeshift repairs or temporary contrivances, made with only the tools and materials that happen to be on hand. Originally a nautical term, on sailing ships a jury rig is a replacement mast and yards improvised in case of damage or loss of the original mast.-Etymology:The...
the fragments can injure workers in the line-of-fire. - The use of the cheater bar can result in component damage that can, in turn, harm workers.
Some organizations forbid their use. For example, NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
proscribes:
"Use the approved tool for the job. Makeshift arrangements such as the use of a screwdriverScrewdriverA screwdriver is a tool for driving screws and often rotating other machine elements with the mating drive system. The screwdriver is made up of a head or tip, which engages with a screw, a mechanism to apply torque by rotating the tip, and some way to position and support the screwdriver...
as a chiselChiselA chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or wood with a sharp edge in it.In use, the chisel is forced into the material...
, a pair of pliersPliersPliers are a hand tool used to hold objects firmly, for bending, or physical compression. Generally, pliers consist of a pair of metal first-class levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, creating short jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and longer handles on the other...
as a wrenchWrenchA wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning....
, a wrenchWrenchA wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning....
as a hammerHammerA hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object. The most common uses are for driving nails, fitting parts, forging metal and breaking up objects. Hammers are often designed for a specific purpose, and vary widely in their shape and structure. The usual features are a handle and a head,...
, or overloading a wrench by using a pipe extension (cheater bar) on the handle are not to be employed." (emphasis added)