BTW...could just be that the bars are stuck..I've been lucky that ones I have done have come out easy. I usually just use a bar to pry back abit on the lower control arm (between the arm and K frame, to force it towards the rear) and that is enough to get the torsion bar loose from it's spot and it then slides out. I would try that (you already mentioned having the lower control arm nut off, so that's good) and see if sliding it back abit will break the crud free and get the bar loose.
If you slide it back abit and it still feels tight you'll need a tool to actually knock the bar bar itself.