Upper control arm replacement

Uncle Bob said
I use a good ball peen hammer against the spindle (or drag link) and whack the daylights out of that with a dead blow hammer, steel to steel. When I'm about to throw the hammer across the room, it typically pops off.

The pickle fork is going to rip up the dust boots and you can tear them up with a hammer too, but if you're not reusing them that's not a problem. When I have to break down and use a pickle fork, I turn to the one that attaches to my air hammer. BRRRRRRP

Many ways of removing ball joints. I like to use a body shim and place it on the rubber grease cup (to save the cup) and place the tuning fork between the shim and spindle, that way not to tear the cup. Give a couple whacks and it should separate. As some here said, loosen the nut enough so to keep everything from flying or dropping. Install everything loose before final tightening or torquing.