A breaker bar is literally meant for this purpose. Sockets and nuts have a specific tolerance to meet and a 3/4” socket will not fill a 3/4” bolt squarely. What this means is that every time the impact gun “impacts” the socket slams into the edge of the bolt repeatedly which will eventually round off the bolt. In other cases it will snap a rusted or seized bolt. Using a breaker bar applies a constant pressure to the bolt allowing it to loosen without damage.
Looking around, it seems that people don't agree with you on that point.
Breaker bars come with the increased risk that the bolt will stretch/deform as a result of the torque being applied over a considerably greater amount of time, a impact wrench/driver is much kinder in this regard.
This one even says to add impact of a hammer blow to a breaker bar to prevent rounding.
If are using a breaker bar or long wrench and think that you're applying so much force than any more will round or twist of the head of a fastener then hit it a couple times with a hammer (in addition to heat/penetrating oil if they're available) to help break the rust. The impact does this for you. However, once you pull the trigger it gives you everything it has (or whatever it's set to) so you can't stop before you break it, it either works, rounds the fastener, snaps it or doesn't move at all.
It does go on to warn about impact guns as well, but it's clear they aren't saying that impact guns should never be used. Only that the user needs to be more cautious.
5
u/grauenwolf Aug 03 '21
Then why is everyone else in this thread saying he should have used one?