Advice for removing torsion bar key from 98 Blazer

PittSpeed Automotive
1

I need to remove the torsion bar keys on my 98 Blazer. I’ve done it about a dozen times before but these ones are so rusty I can’t get them to budge. I beat on them until I couldn’t swing the sledge hammer any more so I am looking for a smarter way rather than a more physical way.

First off, the weight is off of them. The little adjuster block is removed so that isn’t the case. The crossmember is unbolted and moves about freely.

I have been soaking them in PB Blaster for 3 days.

I tried heat from a little propane tank. Most definitely could get it hotter. It didn’t budge even a mm, though.

I don’t have an air chisel, maybe that would work?

Is there a special tool for this that I don’t know about?

Any ideas are appreciated.

2

spray them down with pb blaster every day & drive it till they loosin up

3

X2

4

I’ll give that a shot. It has been sitting for about a year…

Ok - another simple question…

I just got all new brake parts for the rear… new e-brake pads, rotors, calipers, etc… everything…

When I adjust the e-brake in all the way it is still SOOOO tight on the rotor. I had to give it more than a love tap to get it on. Is this too tight? Is there a trick to getting it adjusted in more? Will I just have to wear the pad down (and hope the truck can even move).

That is mostly to Brian, I know he’s the GM man.

5

if you need an air chisel I got one you could borrow for a few days

6

they should not be that tight…were did you get the rotors from ?

7

I got everything from AutoZone.

8

measure the diameter of the ebrake drum on the rotor

9

UPDATE: Got the ebrake working great. I just grinded the brake pad ring for an extra mm of adjustment and it fit snug as a bug in a rug.

BUT… ever since I took off the rear caliper I can’t bleed the rear brakes. I am guessing it has something to do with the ABS? I know pewter told me a trick to bleeding an ABS unit on a relatively-working-setup (drivable), but how can i do it on a truck on jackstands without the diagnostic tool?

Any other reasons why I wouldn’t be able to bleed the rears but the fronts work great? Tips for getting the air out of the ABS?

10

John compress all 4 calipers in and let it gravity bleed it until there flowing steady…make sure the reservoir stays full

11

Did it.

Front is flowing/bleeding/compressing fine.

The rear ain’t doin shit like it’s s’posed to.

12

u compressed them all the way & then opened the bleeder to let them gravity ?

13

Yeah, I had to compress them the whole way in to get the new pads in place. Then after discovering all the problems with the rear, I cracked open the T block attached to the axle and each rear bleeder as well as the cap on the master cylinder. I left it sit like that for about an hour while we ate dinner.

14

try get like sm bottle and filling it wit some brake fluid…pump the brakes up crack the bleeder and attach a hose to the bleeder and insert the hose into the bottle…so it can suck in fluid thru the the bleeder

15

I’ll give that another try, but I am familiar with bleeding traditional hydraulic brake systems.

It really seems like something is preventing the rears from working correctly - like a stuck valve or something. If it was just a bit of air in the line I dont see it causing me this much trouble.

16

you would be surprised man…brian had to the bottle trick to get his to bleed on his TBSS

17

The Blazer is still pissing me off something fierce.

I have the e-brake installed and adjusted fine, FYI. It just needed a small bit of grinding to get the new shoes to fit the new rotors. I’m sure the manufacturer would tell me it was within tolerances… but that extra mm made all the difference.

I have tried gravity bleeding for 3+ days. Both with the front end WAY higher and with the rear end WAY higher. No effect.

I have tried to reset the proportioning valve using the shade-tree mechanic’s method of opening both rear bleeders and slamming the brakes. No effect.

I did have more luck by opening the FRONT bleeders and slamming the brakes. But it would give me 1 small quirt of air out of the rear and repeating it dozens of times had no effect on getting FLUID to the rear brakes.

I was told there is a tool to manually reset the proportioning valve. I am trying to find one to borrow…

I tried vaccuum bleeding it. I bought the fanciest, highest quality one I could find…to no effect. (although it did making bleeding my S-10 so much easier by myself.)

I actuated the ABS by getting the speedo-o up to about 40 and slamming the brake. I tried it with bleeders open and closed. No effect.

I’m quickly running out of options. I’m gonna try the proportioning valve tool. If that doesn’t work I will see what I can do about manually adding fluid to the line with an eye dropper or something of the sort. If that doesnt work I will probably just ditch the ABS all together. Or see what a new proportioning valve costs. I’m also still thinking of just replacing everything for a fresh start and piece of mind.