What's the secret to removing Upper controls

take the nuts loose, tap the bolts out enough to pry them by the heads out the rest o the way, then with a pry bar underneath the arm...lift them up and out.

if the ball joint is still attached....1st before anything...take the upper ball joint nut loose just to the last 5 threads... and with the lower arms still attached smack the upper from underneath with a sledge hammer till it pops the upper loose. now stick a floor jack under the lower to keep it from snapping down and remove the upper bal joint nut and thn proceed with whats mentioned above