So I'm back on the steering upgrade for my 2004 2500 4x4. I just looked at a few youtube videos, and tried it last night - no dice. By the looks of the suspesion, they are not dealing with rust belt vehicles. This morning I looked it up in the factory service manual and sure enough - most youtube videos are wrong. Most youtube videos have the press head bolt up next to the upper ball joint when they are removing the lower. Correct way is to have the head of the press bolt under the lower ball joint. Attached is the pic from the manual.

 

You're right. I cut the old studs off, but the way you have the press pictured is the way I do it. Older solid axle rams are the same way.

 

To get them out in shop I work at, few good hits with a hammer and it’ll come out without a press, I live in maine and deal with rust daily. Put away the purse and hit the thing with a hammer, itll come out, then use press to put in. I live in maine where rust is a big factor, still a hammer always works to get them out
just did some on a Cummins 3500, no issue, after knuckle is off takes about 4 minutes to knock old one out, and press new one in, but I’ve also done a bazillion ball joints in my day