Suspension Disassembly Help Needed

[flashed]

I am stripping my 70 short step frame so it can be sand blasted and painted . Most everything is off the frame . I have the complete front cross member on my tractor forks for ease of working on it .

My problem is I have never done this before and have no idea how to go about it . I have ground off the rivets on one side on top and thats as far as I have gotten . Any help or instructions on how to proceed would be great .

I did search on here but did not find what I needed .
Thanks in advance
John

[gmc684x4]

Are cross members damaged ?
That is the main reason to start removing rivits that and changing suspension setup

[gmc684x4]

Here is a book thst may help

https://www.amazon.com/How-Restore-Y.../dp/1613255039

[flashed]

The cross member is not damaged , I just removed it so I could have the frame sandblasted and painted . I may order the book later but I really need to get the control arms off today so I can take it to the blaster later on today . The rivets I ground off on one side is the top ball joints . I will probably buy new tubular control arms for the blasted and painted cross member . But I will figure it out one way or another .

[gmc684x4]

I was unsure I thought you where referring to frame rivets
easier to have separated while still installed on the truck

have you removed the coil spring ?
There under a lot of force and are dangerous

I have loosened the ball joint nuts in the past then use pickle fork to separate the ball joint from the spindle then use coil spring compressor to relieve the tension to finish removing the ball joints
The ball joints can be a bear to remove so i use the pressure of the coil spring to help

after grinding the upper ball joint rivets use a punch to remove them
lower ball joints are press fit i have a ball joint press for this operation many parts stores also have them under loan a tool programs

when unbolting upper a arms bag and tag each shim pack to be able to get your rough baseline together before you take it to the shop for proper alignment

Take lots of pictures of it as well overall pics and close up pics

things like that restoration book will help you more now then later
other thing to do is sit and look through several build threads some guys may have shown some of these steps in there threads

[gmc684x4]

pictures of what you have questions will help to

[flashed]

Nevermind I got it figured out on my own .