When should a breaker tool be replaced?
The tool is a wear part; left too long it also wears the bushings, the retainer key and the piston. Signs that it is time to change it.
The tool has got too short
A tool gets shorter as it works. The breaker manufacturer’s manual gives the shortest usable tool length; at that length the tool should be replaced. A short tool works less well and loads the front head and bushings.
The impact face has mushroomed
The rear face the piston strikes can deform and spread over its edges. The spread edge jams in the bushing, stops the tool working freely and can damage the piston. Replace a tool with a mushroomed or cracked impact face.
The tool is cracked or broken
A cracked tool can break at any time. Breakage is mostly caused by use: blank firing, prying with the tool, side or angled blows and running without grease. Check the bushings before fitting a new tool.
When you change the tool
Check the bushings and the retainer key as well; a worn bushing breaks a new tool early too. Grease the key slot and the bushing surface when fitting. Find the tool for your breaker’s make and model on the tool pages.