How to Choose a Pavement Breaker: Weight Class, Shank & Air

First decision: weight class

Breakers are grouped by service weight - 30, 60, and 90 pounds - and that number tracks closely with how much impact energy the tool delivers. Heavier is not automatically better. The right class is the lightest breaker that still breaks your material efficiently, because every extra pound is weight your crew carries and air your compressor has to supply.

30-lb class - light and controllable

A 30-lb class breaker is the choice for sidewalks, thinner unreinforced slabs, curb and trim work, and anywhere control and portability matter more than raw power. Champion's AT-PB30-1 is a 30-lb tool that takes 1 × 4-1/4 inch shank steel and averages about 49 CFM at 90 PSI. It is light enough to run overhead or on a wall and easy to move around a site, which is why it is a favorite for repair and finish demolition rather than bulk breaking.

60-lb class - the general-purpose workhorse

If you buy one breaker, most crews should buy a 60. The 60-lb class delivers substantially more blow energy for typical slabs, driveways, footings, and reinforced concrete, while still being a tool one operator can run all day. Champion offers it in two shanks - the AT-PB60-118 for 1-1/8 × 6 inch steel and the AT-PB60-114 for 1-1/4 × 6 inch steel - and it averages about 59 CFM at 90 PSI. This is the class that handles the widest range of work, which is why it is the default recommendation.

90-lb class - heavy breaking

The 90-lb class is built for foundations, mass concrete, thick or heavily reinforced pavement, and demolition where the job is measured in cubic yards, not square feet. It hits hardest, uses the larger 1-1/8 × 6 and 1-1/4 × 6 inch shanks, and draws the most air of the three classes, so it demands the biggest compressor. It is also the heaviest to handle, so it earns its place only when the material genuinely calls for it. For the exact air figure on a 90-lb tool, give us a call - we will quote the rated CFM rather than have you guess.

Second decision: shank

The shank determines which moil points and chisels the tool will accept, so it is worth deciding deliberately rather than by accident. A 30-lb tool on a 1 × 4-1/4 inch shank and a 60- or 90-lb tool on a 1-1/8 × 6 or 1-1/4 × 6 inch shank are the common combinations. If you already own breaker steel, buy a new tool in the same shank so your points and chisels carry over; if you are starting fresh, the 1-1/8 × 6 shank has the widest selection of pavement breaker steel, from moil points to the popular 3-inch wide chisel. Whatever you pick, keep the tool and the steel on the same shank standard.

Third decision: air behind the tool

A breaker is only as strong as the air feeding it. Size the compressor to the tool's rated CFM at 90 PSI plus 25 to 50 percent headroom: roughly 49 CFM for the 30-lb class and 59 CFM for the 60-lb class, with the 90-lb class higher still. Just as important, the compressor and hose have to hold 90 PSI at the tool under load. An undersized or overly long hose drops pressure so the breaker sees less than 90 PSI even when the gauge at the tank reads fine, and the tool loses blow energy and slows down. Match the supply line to the tool, and keep the breaker oiled with SAE 10W-20 so it delivers - and stays - at its rated performance.

At a glance

Built to run, backed by real people

Champion has built pneumatic breakers and the steel that goes in them in Rock Falls, Illinois since 1968. Every tool is made in the USA, rated at 90 PSI, and covered by a 180-day air-tool warranty when it is run within that rating and kept oiled. See the full lineup on the pavement breakers page, or call and describe your typical job - a real person will match you to the class, shank, and air you need.

Frequently asked questions

What size pavement breaker do I need?

Match the weight class to the work. A 30-lb class breaker such as the AT-PB30-1 handles sidewalks, thinner slabs, and trim breaking; a 60-lb class breaker like the AT-PB60-118 or AT-PB60-114 is the general-purpose choice for typical slabs, driveways, and reinforced work; and a 90-lb class breaker is reserved for foundations, mass concrete, and heavy pavement. Heavier tools break faster but weigh more and drink more air, so size to the job you do most.

What is the difference between a 30, 60, and 90 lb pavement breaker?

The number is roughly the tool's service weight, and it tracks with impact energy. A 30-lb breaker is light and controllable for lighter slabs; a 60-lb breaker delivers markedly more blow energy for thicker and reinforced concrete while staying handle-able; a 90-lb breaker hits hardest for foundations and mass pours but is heavy and needs the most air. Bigger is not automatically better - the right class is the lightest tool that still breaks your material efficiently.

What shank does a pavement breaker use?

It depends on the tool. Champion's 30-lb AT-PB30-1 takes 1 × 4-1/4 inch shank steel; the 60-lb class is offered for 1-1/8 × 6 inch (AT-PB60-118) and 1-1/4 × 6 inch (AT-PB60-114) shanks; and heavier 90-lb tools use the larger 1-1/8 × 6 and 1-1/4 × 6 inch shanks. Buy your moil points and chisels to match the shank on the breaker you choose.

How much air does a pavement breaker need?

Plan for about 49 CFM at 90 PSI for a 30-lb class breaker and about 59 CFM at 90 PSI for a 60-lb class breaker, plus 25 to 50 percent headroom on the compressor; a 90-lb breaker draws still more. The compressor and hose have to hold 90 PSI at the tool under load, or the breaker loses blow energy and works slowly.

Champion Chisel Works, Inc. - family-owned and American-made in Rock Falls, Illinois since 1968. Tough Jobs. Tough Tools. One Source.