How to Remove the Lock Cylinder from a Blazer Hatch Handle

[LockDoc]

To read the original thread and discussion on this topic go here- LINK


First off I would like to thank Randy (teeitup) for sending me a handle to work with. His assistance made this "How To" possible.

To start with I like to soak down the handle good with PB Blaster and let it sit for a few hours before trying to dissemble it. If there is no rust or corrosion and the lock cylinder is loose in the handle you can probably skip this step. (highly unlikely)

First you have to remove the escutcheon retainer pin.




Then you can slide the spring assembly off and remove the escutcheon.



The spring assembly keeps the escutcheon tight against the handle and keeps the handle from flopping around in the hatch. When the escutcheon is off you will see the lock bolt and the cylinder retaining pin. CAUTION! Do not try to remove the lock bolt until the lock cylinder has been removed...



If you notice in the fifth picture one end of the lock bolt has a flat side on it, mark the handle with a punch mark so you know which side this end of the bolt was on.



It does make a difference... Remove the cylinder retaining pin



and slide the cylinder out.



If the cylinder is stuck rap the handle on the palm of your hand and see if it slides out. ( make sure the cylinder will fall into your hand and not on the floor) if it doesn't come out try gently rapping one end of the "T" on a more solid surface. I use the edge of my workbench with a folded shop rag on it. You want to rap it as close to the cylinder as you can without the cylinder hitting the bench. Again, hold your hand under the cylinder so it doesn't fall on the floor. After the cylinder is out remove the lock bolt. CAUTION! Do not try to remove the lock bolt until the lock cylinder has been removed... It just slides out. If it is stuck you may have to use a small hammer & punch to remove it. Picture eight shows the lock cylinder out of the handle,



and picture nine shows what the lock bolt looks like.



Clean everything up including the lock bolt and the hole it fits in and you are ready for re-assembly. Once you have a key made put a small amount of Vaseline or thin grease on the lock bolt and put it back in the handle the way it came out, then insert the cylinder with the key in it, making sure it is flush with the face of the handle. Turn the key and make sure that the solid end of the lock bolt slides out of the handle OK. With the lock bolt in the out position put your fingers on the face of the lock cylinder and make sure you can pull the key out. If you can't you may have to pull the cylinder out slightly and rotate it 180º. If it works okay put the cylinder retaining pin back in and finish the assembly.

I did not find any code numbers on the lock cylinder so a key could not be cut by code. These are a pretty simple lock and it should be no problem for a good locksmith to cut a key for these. I didn't try it but it looks like the wafers for the older GM glove box locks will fit the handle cylinder, so it wouldn't be a problem to key the lock to an existing key or match the other locks on a vehicle, if a different handle were purchased. The following key blanks fit the lock cylinder I worked on: B40 ("A" keyway), B42 ("C" keyway), B44 ("E" keyway), B45 ("H" keyway), B46 ("J" keyway), & B47 ("K" keyway). If all of the handle cylinders are made the same then they should be keyable to any of these existing keys.

LockDoc