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The ball joint is attached to the lower control arm with 2 bolts. Try removing the nuts / bolts that hold the ball joint to the lower control arm and use a large pry bar or screwdriver to separate the 2 pieces. This way you avoid the pinch bolt and possibility of destroying the lower ball joint rubber grease cover. I find this to be easier than separating the ball joint at the spindle.

Maybe this picture will help.

davmac wrote:The ball joint is attached to the lower control arm with 2 bolts. Try removing the nuts / bolts that hold the ball joint to the lower control arm and use a large pry bar or screwdriver to separate the 2 pieces. This way you avoid the pinch bolt and possibility of destroying the lower ball joint rubber grease cover. I find this to be easier than separating the ball joint at the spindle.

Maybe this picture will help.

that's what I've been suggesting it's best way to do it imo

I normally just take the strut off of the spindle, and gently tap the axle out, and then pull it out fro the back of the spindle and twist the spindle aside. There is room.... just make sure both wheels can move and turn.

Update:
Removed/replaced clutch.
Turns out that the compressed fiber on my clutch disk was COMPLETELY turned to dust [hair-dustbunnie-like-particles] that clogged the compression plate's teeth [you know how its a circle and it has plates that go in and out, those] basically it looked like a vacuum cleaner that needed to be emptied.. and my tranny and fly wheel were extremely dirty because of all the crap that came from the decompressed fiber.

So again, the problem with everything was MAINLY my clutch being
a) worn OUT, i mean COMPLETELY worn, there was no compressed fiber left on the disk.
b) springs missing [sh*tty springs at that, they were just rubber-looking corks, the new disk i have now is has actual springs]
c) clogged compressor plate from dust-ball-like decompressed fiber all up in it.

and ALSO some things that were worn that may have been the problem
d)slave cylinder [clutch release cylinder]
*****e)clutch master [not worn but I replaced it]


Side note-
The biggest B*tch out of all of this, was that the hub nut on the driver side was a 31mm and the hub nut on the passenger side was a 32mm. And that the hub nut on the passenger side was so corroded that i swear to god it was the biggest mother ******* pain in the a-- to get out, dremelled it till it was swiss cheese.

Congrats on completing your project. I assume you have new clutch and everything back together. I'm know it feels good to be back on the road with new parts.