Retroanaconda Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Evening all. I have a breaker bar which I got from Halfords a fair while ago, unfortunately I broke the end part trying to undo a trailer hub nut - when I went to the local store they had replacement heads but for a different style of bar. It seems they have changed the design. Does anybody know if it's possible to source a new piece as per below from elsewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 James - is it not their professional range and covered under guarantee ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertspark Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 James - is it not their professional range and covered under guarantee ? Ahh, you require the receipt for the guarantee to be valid (how many receipts can one keep in a toolbox) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big.Mike Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 You can buy new knuckles, lots here: http://www.eurocarparts.com/mobile/breaker-bars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I've never needed the receipt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 How can you keep a receipt for the rest of your life??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 as i learned a few months ago you have to be lucky even if you keep receipt - thermal type receipts naturally fade over time! to point when almost invisible. so now scan receipt into pc and keep as file as well as origonal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 as i learned a few months ago you have to be lucky even if you keep receipt - thermal type receipts naturally fade over time! to point when almost invisible. so now scan receipt into pc and keep as file as well as origonal. Which they wont accept because it's not the original - even when backed up by a faded bit of thermal till receipt. Threatening to call trading standards however changed their mind! When the item was bought, there was (and still is) no mention of keeping the receipt. As the guarantee is lifetime, the date does not matter - and the goods are clearly made by Halfords. I think they know they would loose if it went to court! I used to buy a lot of Halfords tools - which were very good. I've only ever broken one extension bar and I accept that was my fault. More recent purchases however have been less good. I bought a medium size combo set to keep in the 110 and something breaks almost every time I use the set. It's part of their professional range - but complete rubbish! I don't even care about the warranty - just that the tools will not break when you really need them. I don't think its a coincidence that the warranty has been tightened at the same time as the quality has changed. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted December 24, 2014 Author Share Posted December 24, 2014 Thanks all. I will take the thing into the store when I'm back home after the holidays and see what they say - worth a shot for sure. I think there's a spare knuckle which will fit on Mikes link, though it's not a lot more for a whole new bar I see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave88sw Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 If i decide to buy tools from halfords i order them online, the postage is free if the item is over a certain value and that way i get an invoice as proof of purchase that i can keep as a computer file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Ahh, you require the receipt for the guarantee to be valid (how many receipts can one keep in a toolbox) never had that problem, usually pretty good on their word too, theyre not meant to warranty ratchets or ratchet spanners but they didnt complain when i asked to replace a 13mm ratchet spanner. a mate had a ratchet break too, they didnt have the right one in stock so he got the long handle one as an "upgrade", maybe they will just replace with the new type completely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Which they wont accept because it's not the original - even when backed up by a faded bit of thermal till receipt. Threatening to call trading standards however changed their mind! When the item was bought, there was (and still is) no mention of keeping the receipt. As the guarantee is lifetime, the date does not matter - and the goods are clearly made by Halfords. I think they know they would loose if it went to court! I used to buy a lot of Halfords tools - which were very good. I've only ever broken one extension bar and I accept that was my fault. More recent purchases however have been less good. I bought a medium size combo set to keep in the 110 and something breaks almost every time I use the set. It's part of their professional range - but complete rubbish! I don't even care about the warranty - just that the tools will not break when you really need them. I don't think its a coincidence that the warranty has been tightened at the same time as the quality has changed. Si could be due to a supplier change, i am waiting on a 3/8" wobble extension i wore out, theyre (Kobalt tools) moving facilities or something or other so a bit of a backlogue on ordered parts. bit miffed on that one but they let me keep my old tools, so i can still use it even if the sockets keep falling off haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 I bougt one of these from the Halfords professional range several years ago. On the label the breaking of the head was specifically EXCLUDED from the lifetime warranty. So basically only thing covered is if you snap the long handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackmac Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 I don't rate my halfords breaker bar tbh. Lots of play in the head the the bar itself bends a lot (then pings back to straight), I couldn't undo my trailing arms with it because of how much it bent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 I finally remembered to stick the thing in the car and take it into the local Halfords. I'm pleased to report that the chap in there seemed to have no qualms in ordering me a new style 24" bar (unfortunately none in stock today), no request for receipt at all. Not bad given that it's 7 years old and has seen some 'heavy use' - with some very much out with its design parameters I would say. He said that the first time you break one you get a new bar, the subsequent times just the head, but I'm not sure whether that's a Halfords policy or just his musings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 How do they know you broke one effort if it's a different store? Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Clarkes Pro breakeer bar from Machine Mart also cimes with a lufe time garantee as does a lot of their clarkes pro tools, the guy there told me unlike halfords clarkes pro tools garantee the moving parts too. Worth a look plus a few quid cheaper than halfords, i have the clarkes pro 1/2" drive by 24" long breaker bar and found it to be sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Exactly my thoughts, especially if replaced without receipt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zim Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I've replaced a few breaker bars at halfords without receipts due to broken heads. A bit of a whinge will get you around the receipt thing. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie64 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I finally remembered to stick the thing in the car and take it into the local Halfords. I'm pleased to report that the chap in there seemed to have no qualms in ordering me a new style 24" bar (unfortunately none in stock today), no request for receipt at all. Not bad given that it's 7 years old and has seen some 'heavy use' - with some very much out with its design parameters I would say. He said that the first time you break one you get a new bar, the subsequent times just the head, but I'm not sure whether that's a Halfords policy or just his musings. 'heavy use' would one of these heavy uses be smashing it against the chassis to undo your crank pulley nut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 I had used it for that once, though it never smashed against the chassis as I made sure it was restrained in position. More recently I have used the proper holding tool to restrain the engine and then a bar to undo the nut. The 'heavy use' I referred to was application of an extension bar to attempt to remove a hub nut from my trailer - this is what broke the bar, perhaps not suprisingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I should buy one - I have a few short ones and have took the hammer to the end of them a good few times - but perhaps more leverage would be the better option . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 If anybody's getting into more regular fixing then a long flexible head ratchet is a fantastic tool and more versatile than a breaker bar, I have a set of long snap on ones in 1/4 3/8 and 1/2, if that looks like it's bending a lot then its time to move onto 3/4" stuff which isn't always as expensive as people think. Will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 'heavy use' would one of these heavy uses be smashing it against the chassis to undo your crank pulley nut? they seem to cope with that fine for me... I must have a weak starter haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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