Ok, so I ordered ES bushings for the front control arms and what not and I am looking to replace my ball joints as well.

From what I understand there is the knuckle ball joint where the compression rod is and then another one in the lower control arm?? Am I hallucinating? I found the knuckle ball joint online but can seem to find the other one for the control arm.

HALLLP.

It's attached to the control arm you can't replace that one.

I figured as much. Great.. lol, so now I'll order some cheap arms and press in the ES bushings. I'm hoping I don't have to take off the knuckle to press the old ball joint out/in.

You don't need to take the knuckle off to press them out. You just need to rent the tool from Autozone or somewhere.

It's a million times easier to just remove the knuckle to get that ball joint out than to deal with laying down trying to finagle a ball joint press tool and air impact with the ground and other suspension components in your way.

I was able to press both of mine out with the tool and 1/2 ratchet and breaker bar relatively quickly. All while I was sitting down.

cool beans, i'll be replacing my sway bar end links and the bushings on the sway, changing the upper control arms and swapping bushings, new ball joints, new inner and outer tie rods, and slapping bushings into all the components that call for them lol. Going to be a fun weekend project.