well, i think i am going to start tearing into the front end next weekend, wish i could do it this weekend, but plans kind of got in the way. anyway, what is the best way to go about doing this? i plan on unloading the TB's and then just start taking stuff off. Is there anything I need to leave attached to the frame besides the shock mounts? If not then im just gonna hack away until i have some clean frame

thanks
chris

All i did was take the bolt all the way out for the preload on the bars, and then I took off the lower controls arms. Hatva take the bars out of the crossmember before that can come out, I had a bitch of a time getting them out....

remove the stabalizer bar bolt and lower shock bolt, then pop the lower ball joint and you get instant no load on the torsion bar.

cool, what kind of tools an i going to need beside the standard ones? Ive got a ton of sockets, breaker bars and grinders...but are there any specialty tools ill need?

You might want to get a gear puller to help unload the torsion bars if you're going to remove them before undoing anything else. Check out this thread (http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59097) over on FSC for tons of info doing a SAS.

I just pulled my IFS out. I put the truck on jack stands to let the a-arms hang down. I unloaded the torsion bar adjusters and took the adjusting bolts out. On one side I popped the upper ball joint and removed the shock to let all the tension off the torsion bar. I used a standard c-clamp at the cross member to allow me to pull out the torsion keys. After doing all the work popping the balljoint and shock, I realized that if you just let the a-arms hang and unload the torsion key you can use a c-clamp to easily unload it without messing with the balljoints. Hope it helps, I've got a few pick of what I described in my pics link.

wow, thats some awsome work. It looks like the IFS just pretty much falls out once you unbolt a few things. How would you like to come to GA and build me a 4 link?

Where in GA are you? There are alot of good shops in this area that can build your suspension for you.

Where in GA are you? There are alot of good shops in this area that can build your suspension for you.

Im down in kennesaw, just a few hours down 5 from you...have any plans for the weekend? just playing man :D

So here's a curiosity. I don't have an IFS rig to look under, but if this torsion bar is such a pain in the ass to remove, how about this. Prepare yourself with some safety items like goggles and a faceshield then after the rig is supported just take a grinder or a torch to the bar until it 'let's go'? I know this sound quite unsafe in written form, but what I am envisioning is all body parts off to the rear of the torsion bar (near the transfer case) and just reaching the torch up near the rearmost mount. A little heat, a little blast from the oxy/acetalyne, and then a controlled 'pop'. Then use the same torch across all the other offending parts like control arms, etc. Sounds like a 30 min job to me then some clean up with a grinder. Of course, I don't own one of these newer machines and I've never even thought about how to go about modifying one until now so I really may be off base here. My rig came from GM already the way it should have, with a solid front axle.
Travis

yea that is how i took mine out
just took a torch to them like every thing else:D