Kind of a newbie here,
Bought a 1997 reg cab, short box, 4x4 with the standard trans (Mazda M5OD R2). Everything works (for now) except it needs a slave cylinder, therefore my tranny needs to come out. Skipping ahead, torsion bar crossmember is in the way and needs to come out, BUT, the keys are rust-welded to the bars. Any suggestions?

 

Unbolt the A arms and the t bar cross member then slide the whole thing to the rear. Or pull the cab off..

 

Didn't really want to resort to either of those.. I tried soaking the joint with liquid wrench and nut cracker for a good amount of time and then heating the key with a torch then wacking with a mini sledge, might just do that 5 times over and see where it gets me.

 

I tried with a 8lb sledge for a week. Soaking and hitting them eveyday after work. No luck lol

 

Tempted to try removing the A-Arms and sliding it back like you said.. Don't see any other way around it. Is that how you did it? I think it'll work. If not I'll just let a shop worry about it.

 

Just read in another blog that if I prop the tranny/t-case up higher, I can slide the T-case back then down and forward and it'll clear, see how that goes tomorrow.

 

That works also. I've done that to pull the tcase but havent pulled the trans

 

I'll have to cut the exhaust crossover pipe out and weld it back up after, after the tranny xmember, exhaust and tcase skid plate are out it SHOULD be pretty straight forward.

 

Isnt heating up the keys gunna compromise the strength of the metal? (Asking for future suspenision problems just in case)

 

No