Cheater bar

Improvised breaker bar

A cheater bar, snipe, or cheater pipe is an improvised breaker bar made from a length of pipe and a wrench (spanner).

Due to the potential problems associated with a cheater bar or snipe, some situations may require an alternative to loosening and removing threaded pipe, screws, bolts or other fasteners. Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrench – A hydraulic driven wrench which will safely remove threaded pipe from other threaded coupling, valve, etc. while the other devices listed here are for loosening (breaking) nuts. Torque values available vary with size but range up to approximately 75,000 FT LB. Impact wrench – An air powered socket wrench that delivers high torque output by storing energy in a rotating mass, then delivering it suddenly to the output shaft. Nearly every auto body or mechanic shop will have an air compressor and impact wrench to loosen and tighten lug nuts on wheels. Most major tool manufacturers carry an air impact wrench, including DeWalt, Ingersoll, and Paoli SRL. Torque multiplier – Uses a multi stage epicyclic gearing mechanism to multiply torque output. Torque is applied to the input gear which engages with a number of planet gears which are held in a fixed planetary gear. By using a reaction arm, the outside casing of the multiplier is prevented from rotating, causing the planet gears to rotate around the input gear. Along with the multiplication of torque, there is a decrease in rotational speed of the output shaft compared to the input shaft. This decrease in speed is inversely proportional to the increase in torque. Torque multipliers come in a variety of output ratios as well. Pneumatic torque wrench – Operates like the torque multiplier but is mated to a pneumatic air motor. It is essentially a mix of the compressed air powered impact wrench and the traditionally hand operated torque multiplier, delivering aspects of both tools.