Leave spring pressure on the strut when loosening the bolt. Will help keep the shaft from spinning. Once the nut starts to loosen, then compress the springs.
As for ball joint, never use a pickle fork. All they do it destroy the ball joint boots. Hopefully you have new UCAs already especially since you cut the threads. All you need to do is loosen the ball joint nut, don't completely remlve the nut, then smack the **** out of the spindle, by the ball joint, with a hammer. It will pop loose.
