This 2002 2wd pre runner!

Back ground: I’m a retired auto tech I was a master Gm tech..
I’ve had this Tacoma pretty much since it was new.. 20k and it wouldn’t run, dude was mad saying everything about this truck is a pain in the butt.. I got it cheap in 2013, low miles ten years old truck..
Well it only need a couple coil packs, they had replaced converter whith cheap aftermarket and a lot of other stuff tryna make this thing run..
It still runs like a champ!
I ran it right out of its lower ball joint just last week going down the road.. this is my farm work truck and it’s been a great truck so I’m showing it a little respect and fixing the body and such cause I rolled it over on its side one time..
I’ve learned over the years I’ve owned it that everything about working on this truck needs way worse of a word that pain in the butt!!
So I am tryna replace the upper ball joint, problem is the there’s no way I find to set a bj press or shop press up on this steering knuckle.. setting up square for an even push, up on the ball joint so it won’t go in crooked.. I can get my bj press set up backwards, which to me means set up other than mfg intentions..
But the clamp is pulling ball joint in not pushing.. I cannot get this bj in!
Leading me to believe that it got bent when the ball joint broke..
I read here on Tacoma world somewhere that this bearing assembly on my 2wd is not intended to be serviced and should be replaced as an assembly..
They give reference to the plugs inside and outside of the bearing because on 4wd they are covered with axle shaft and such.
I’m at a loss.. I’m not finding affordable solutions on the spindle/hub assembly, everyone on Amazon wants to sell spindle and hub with bearing seperately.. but nobody give a solution to keeping the water out of the bearing.. what about the pressed on bearing covers that factory seal the bearing stick and are not serviceable..
I’m getting old and I’m feeling a little confused because other that the article I read about not being serviceable, I’m searching and I am not finding anything that is directly about the two wheel drive pre runner.. they just include it in their lists but 4wd is always shown instead..
were these all just good trucks so nobody really knows or is it just mine that is better than a timex, or a singer.. and why is everything I’ve had to tinker with or fix over the years been such a royal pain compared to any other vehicle I’ve ever serviced or repaired..
Cowboy..

 

Keep in mind I still have to do the drivers side before it breaks too..
Also I had to get my oxygen tank refilled because the caliper at where the bridge would tighten down on the knuckle were it caliper and bridge seperate, they would not come out! I had to heat them up to get them out tryna lighten this thing up for my press.. of course my caliper dust boots got a little warm and I prolly need to rebuild this four piston caliper now.. (“pain”) arse.. lol