I used a pickle fork on the ball joints, but I got nowhere beating on it with a regular hammer. I got a little short handled 3 lb sledge and whacked the fork and they came right apart. McMaster Carr might be the way to go to get quality 5/8 threaded rod. I used a spring compressor to install the new springs (cut the old ones with an angle grinder) but it didn't work very well. The threaded rod way looks like the way to go.