I keep breaking 1/2 ratchets on my lug nuts.

[Kubota Dave]

harbor freight and craftsman have broken on me getting lug nuts loose. I am rough with them using a 6 ft pipe.

I do have a impact driver maybe that will work better.

 

[Chewwy]

Try a breaker bar.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Yeah, I'd say wrong tool for that job. Impact or BB

 

[mllud]

A half inch ratchet in not the right tool. Go with a 3/4" socket set or impact.
I suspect you used a cheater bar.

 

[LouNY]

Seeing as how the torque spec on many of the new vehicles is 140 ft. lbs. not many ratchets are built to handle breaking that loose.

 

[oldtimer 66]

Just for reference my .50 drive long arm Proto Micrometer Torque wrench rated at 50 ft./lbs. to 250 fl./lbs. So the .50 drive is not the problem. A .75 drive torque wrench is generally rated up to 600 ft./lbs. A impact driver will generally remove a stubborn fastener versus hand wrenching. My wife's car, a Ford Edge/ AWD calls for 162 ft./lbs. My 3/4 ton truck only calls for 140 ft./lbs. Five lug nuts versus eight lug nuts?? Eh!

 

[WranglerX]

Using cheater bar with 1/2 drive socket is only going to break the tools and get you hurt....

If you need cheater pipe on 1/2 drive socket tools, it time to upgrade to 3/4 inch drive ( or 1 inch) ....

Its also possible you may need torque multiplier..... One with 1/2 inch drive input and 3/4 inch drive output... I have one that is rated up to 250 ft-lbs input with a 1000ft-lb output... Yep its 4:1 increase in torque.....

As a example...

Amazon.com

 

[WinterDeere]

I am rough with them using a 6 ft pipe.

A good 1/2" ratchet should easily handle 90 - 140 ft-lb. of torque, the specified range for most lug nuts, but that's not your problem. With a 6 foot lever on the damn thing, you're very likely exeeding those numbers, several times over.

If you really need so much torque (600 ft-lb?) that you're putting 6 feet of pipe on the handle, then yes... a 1/2" ratchet is not the right tool. But what lug nuts are you facing that require this sort of torque?

 

[Squirrel's242]

harbor freight and craftsman have broken on me getting lug nuts loose. I am rough with them using a 6 ft pipe.

I do have a impact driver maybe that will work better.

Yes impact driver or breaker will work better. Ratchets are not for breaking a fastener loose. A 6' pipe, it's not necessary here unless you yourself need the physical leverage but that seems like overkill.

My tractor's lug nuts are at 140ftlbs and 15/16" socket, same setup as both my trucks. For years I've used a 27" 1/2" breaker bar for removing and reapplying, then a 1/2" torque wrench to finalize.

The impact driver works for speed to remove the lug nuts. Don't torque down with that though. I think the breaker bar is easier on the hardware than the impact.

 

[mllud]

I sometimes use a short cheater bar, not necessarily to exceed the torque but to make it easier on this old man's arm.

After you have twisted enough bolts, you know how far to push the tool, and the bolt.
Ratchet is not to break loose hard bolts. It's to make removable easier after using the breaker bar.

I learned from breaking more than my share of ratchets.