if you have a obey act torch or can rent 1,very easy to distant  your 57 front  balljoints,loosen the top nut so you have 1/8 gap nut to spindle jack up the  side you ar working on,heat the aria above the loosens nut  in 1 ariaupand down when red if it has not separated hit with a hammer,then do the same on other end. the obey and agent is a best  investment  for working with this ancient iron

took my college graduate son to read the shop manual correctly and show me how it's done.

Don't feel bad. FORD PUBLICATIONS such as a SHOP MANUAL is printed in a style that usually only experienced FORD TECHS can understand initially. FORD PUBLISHING assumes that the reader has certain skills and experience.

It is not your reading comprehension that is at fault.

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finally got it! 
took my college graduate son to read the shop manual correctly and show me how it's done.
for those of you who have been on this forum for some time, he's the one who had the 63 Monterrey that we restored a few years ago for which I posted some details.
he was smarter than dad before college and now he's even more clever!  ... the good kind of clever.
thanks again to all who chimed in on my headscrather!
Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

Take the Arm and Bracket off the Frame.I would use a Bench Vise to hold the Bracket to undo the Bushing..

  

bought the same part today.

back to the idler arm, should I leave the bracket attached to the frame and the remove the bushings then the arm?
I've got the bracket and idler arm loose from the frame but can't get any leverage on it.

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

Glad U figured it out. Picture of Parts I used to make Tool. 3/4 inch diameter Bolts and connector. U may have to go to a store that sells Hardware etc as a specialty.

  

thanks; figured it would be simple... if I knew what I was doing!
Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

The Nuts come out last as they are threaded into Idler Arm Bracket and Drag Link. If U are trying to undo Nuts first that is where your Problem is.

There you go, a more exact description. The arm itself is threaded and must be un-srewed from the actual bushings and then remove the bushings from the idler arm bracket and drag link end. The bushings are threaded externally as well as internally.

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just read the latest post... that must be my problem!
will try it the right way now.
thanks!

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

I've tried both directions; they loosen up a bit and then get tight again!

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX