gear puller WTF? Torsion bar key removal

[ryangt]

Hey guys, so i got the yukon up in the air, ready to swap out the stock keys for some superlift ones. I grab the gear puller to get it setup and it wont effin fit. I even flipped the jaws around to see if that helps, but the screw of the puller just bottoms out ie does not have the reach to properly tension the torsion key. Do i just need a different puller? If so, what do i need? Im using a basic 3 inch steel 2 jaw puller. Any help would be a big plus, its over 100 degrees outside and i just wanna get this done.

 

[lowAZhoe]

gear puller is the wrong tool. u need a torsion bar unloading tool. looks like a c-clamp kind of.

 

[99COOP]

wouldnt use a gear puller it will just bend the tabs down on the crossmember, c-clamp dont use either. You should use the unloading tool like the one posted above. You can also use a ball joint press which is what i used to remove mine. Better to play it safe, i've seen some scary shit happen unloading these things.

 

[bsims3996]

i used a 2 jaw gear puller when i did mine. the bolt was just about to short on the one i used but it did work. i rented it from autozone because nowhere around here had the torsion bar unloading tool.

 

[ryangt]

i used a 2 jaw gear puller when i did mine. the bolt was just about to short on the one i used but it did work. i rented it from autozone because nowhere around here had the torsion bar unloading tool.

Well that is my delima, i dont have time to order and wait for the tool. Also, the haynes manual says a 2 jaw puller is just fine, id rather just order the correct tool for the job, but seriously 100 bucks for a tool you use one time??? Is that reasonable? I dont feel it is.

---------- Post added at 02:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:31 PM ----------

also, maybe im just doing this procedure wrong. My adjustment bolts are in the maxed out UP position, if i lower the adjustment to the LOW position, would that mean that i only need to take the pressure off of the key at the low positon to remove the bolt? I dont need to be cranking the key up as far as i can right? Just holding the key while the bolt is removed is the name of the game right?

 

[99COOP]

yes, just enough to lift the key off the bolt and then back out the bolt. Either rent a different gear puller which i dont recommend or rent a ball joint press. Or get the right tool for the job, i agree it sucks to buy something at 100 bucks to use once but you could just sell it on ebay for 20 bucks cheaper and make a pretty easy sale.

 

[ryangt]

What about using a bottle jack? They are skinny enough to fit up there, and my 4ton one im sure can handle whatever pressure is produced by a torsion bar. ANyone tried that? Im in a pinch for time, which is why i cant order the tool online, i simply just dont have the time to wait. (things take over a month to reach me out here in the Aussie Outback)

 

[fatnlowtahoe504]

do you need this tool to take off the torsion bars all together or can you just unbolt that housing that goes from one side of the truck to the other..and let everything drop with the keys as well..

 

[redemn93]

do you need this tool to take off the torsion bars all together or can you just unbolt that housing that goes from one side of the truck to the other..and let everything drop with the keys as well..

forgive me for bringing up an old thread. i have a question about this method though. wouldnt this cause some weird twisting? or would bringing the keys to full low position take enough stress off the torsion bar? i will be doing mine soon and this had disaster written all over it unless i am imagining the setup wrong.

 

[rigo_jones]

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums...keys-torsion-bar-cranking-replacing-tech.html

 

[TheFuzz]

Do NOT unbolt the crossmember. Use the gear puller or torsion bar tool as noted in the above link.

 

[redemn93]

thats what i figured

 

[Narco]

we used a gear puller on mine to remove the keys last week and it worked PERFECTLY. no way id ever pay $100 for a tool ill use once.

 

[ryangt]

well, against better judgement i went ahead and purchased a rough country c-clamp style remover, anyone else in the outback with a GM is more than welcome to come over and use it. This thing will more than likely get stuck on ebay next week so keep your eyes open.

 

[Narco]

you should post it for sale here 1st...someone might pick it up. wish you had just got the 2/3 gear puller

 

[ryangt]

you should post it for sale here 1st...someone might pick it up. wish you had just got the 2/3 gear puller

no, i have a few gear pullers actually now, but i was really uncomfortable with how they seemed to move while the torsion bar was unloading, i wanted to be confident when i went to remove the bars that i was safe. The C-clamp really is a supreme peice to have, its so strong and dosent even budge. Also i figured out that removing the adjuster bolt by hand is unsafe, an impact wrench should be used for sure, it sped up the removal/install time which equals less time muckin around with torsion keys which = safety !

and yes, thats a good idea, i might just post it up on here after i ride the rig around for a few weeks to make sure everything is groovy with the install.

 

[Narco]

the puller we used only moved around a very little bit until some tension was put on it. after that it didnt move hardly at all

 

[ballsie]

I have lowered a few of these trucks and feel 100% comfortable with the gear puller. It is very solid as long as it is seated properly. The torsion bar tool is a waste of money... It costs more than the keys!

 

[ryangt]

the puller we used only moved around a very little bit until some tension was put on it. after that it didnt move hardly at all

the only issue i had was it moving the crossmember. Maybe i worded that wrong before. It was bending the lips on the crossmember so i halted the removal at that point. Im not happy about that because even the haynes manual says to use the same gear puller i have haha.

---------- Post added at 08:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 AM ----------

I have lowered a few of these trucks and feel 100% comfortable with the gear puller. It is very solid as long as it is seated properly. The torsion bar tool is a waste of money... It costs more than the keys!

i got the superlift kit, it was 209$ from tirerack.com the tool was 80 bucks on ebay. I dont agree with the pricing for a forged peice of metal that is basically a glorified C-clamp, but the way i look at it, i cant take chances out here in the outback, if i break something, im screwed so i better do it right the first time, every time.