Help separating steering stops from lower balljoint

From my searching I apparently may be the only person in the world to have difficulty with this particular step of a lower control arm swap. Shock and cam bolts came right out in two seconds with no fuss, but I cannot get the steering stop to budge. I've sprayed it down with PB blaster and beat the hell out of it with a sledgehammer and it hasn't moved. Any tricks to this that don't involve a beefy press?

 

Pickle fork, hit the steering stop with a hammer on the side, or there are little pullers you can rent that would knock press it off.
Here is said puller

 

^^^^ this or a pickle fork ball joint splitter...usually easier to knock that ball joint loose when a-arm is still installed on the truck....maybe bolt up back real quick, just snug, then knock that joint loose

 

Good point about it still being on the truck that way you're not chasing it around trying to get it separated.

 

You need a bigger hammer.

The one that @ovrlndkull pictured will work too if it fits. Crank it down then give that bolt a good whack

 

I remove it with the LCA attached to the vehicle. With that front corner on a jack stand, work out the nut half way out; use jack to lift up the LCA about an inch; use hammer or air hammer to hit side of the bracket until it breaks free (weight of the car helps push it out). With it off the car, I'd apply some heat from a torch on the bracket (not the bj) and hit the end of the bj or use a bj fork until it pops out.

 

I put the LCA back on and jacked the truck up off the ball joint stud and beat on the bracket with a 3lb hammer from the front side - got nowhere. Gonna pull it off again and try the torch next...

 

You also push up on the lca about an inch with the jack - this puts some pressure on the bj to separate. You can also apply heat with it still installed. I've separated the bj twice this way, but without applying heat. The OEM bj's and another time to replace the shitty bj's on a Dorman lca.

 

Just ended up making a nice little balljoint fire and it popped right out. I'll try getting the other side off while it's still on the truck... Thanks everyone for the tips!

 

I haven't met any parts that could withstand a 20lb steel sledgehammer. That baby 3lb can barely bend cotter pins lol just kidding, glad you got it out!

 

Definitely picking up a BFH next time I'm at the hardware store

 

at least you have a nice torch! I've been getting by with a little map gas trigger bottle.

 

I'm stealing this pic. It really shows how I feel about repairs some times.