if its stuffed take of the axle and put a block under the wishbone..(away from the joint) and hit it with a big hammer.
new ones are best if pressed in.
you can take the wishbone out and still reuse the bushes..

I doubt there's an easy answer. I've also heard that new ball joints are O/sized. On HT-G's can you remove the lower control arm with out damaging the bushes?
In theory, freezing the ball joint might help.

Holden had a tool- like a very heavily built G clamp that was supposed to be used to press the ball joints into position.
Most of us used a a jack & a 2 pound hammer. Much quicker, and easier too.

Has anyone checked- with verniers, etc to confirm that new ones are oversized? Perhaps,if they are they could be turned down to
the original size?

monro350,
If you do have to get a shop to press the new ones in, make sure you find someone who knows what they're doing. I took the lower control arms out of my HQ and got a suspension shop to press new ball joints and bushes in. I was in a hurry when I picked them up, but had a look when I got home and the arms were damaged all around the ball joints, some divets about 3mm deep, and they'd used a grinder to "tidy up" some of the more major damage, therefore compromising the strength of the arms. It wasn't a nice feeling after spending months tracking down NOS ball joints and bushes.

I don't know if the damage was done getting the old ones out or putting the new ones in, either way I won't be going back there again.

Edited by user Friday, 15 February 2013 1:04:27 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

i wouldn't want to be around a compressed spring at the same time try to belt in a ball joint .as the spring has to be compressed down to allow the ball joint to be released from the stub axle meaning you've got yourself one nasty hand grenade.just easier to pull it off replace the ball joint and the 2 bushes while your there.

Edited by user Saturday, 16 February 2013 7:13:52 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified