trying to remove bottom ball joint

17dartandbroke said
after beating the thing with the pickle fork for a little over an hour i gave up on it

Sorry for sounding like a wisenheimer, but you're suppose to smack the pickle fork with a hammer. A BIG hammer. Like 2-1/2lbs or so. Usually the fork has a 'flat' side that is parallel to the handle, and the 'ramped' side. Put the flat side toward the control arm and the ramp toward the balljoint. I also assume the fork fits around the balljoint stud and doesn't bottom out. Heat up the end of the control arm as hot as your propane torch will get it. Slip the fork on and smack it with the big hammer with all you got. If it doesn't let go after half a dozen blows, heat it up some more and try again.