Snapped a breaker bar at 2AM on a frozen lug nut

I was doing a roadside tire swap off I-80 near Des Moines last month when the impact gun died on me. Broke out the breaker bar and a 6 foot pipe for leverage, which felt solid until the bar snapped right at the swivel head. I ended up using a propane torch I keep for seized bolts, heated the nut for two minutes, and it came off with a ratchet. Anyone else carry a torch as a backup for stubborn lug nuts, or is that just my old timer habit?

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robert_craig12d ago

Honestly, that propane torch trick is a lifesaver, but I gotta ask: how long did you let that nut cool down before you actually torqued on it again? Heating it for two minutes and then immediately throwing a ratchet on it seems like a good way to melt a rubber valve stem if the heat travels wrong. Also, what kind of breaker bar were you using? Those swivel head ones are notorious for snapping at the joint, but a solid pin style usually holds up better with a pipe on it. Was it a cheap store brand or a name brand?