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Infuriating.

Got the old one out after about two hours of tapping, whacking and pleading. It looks like it had rusted together. I thoroughly de-rusted the A-arm socket and got to work with the new ball joint. It's a Frap from IAP, which I've heard not great things about but it's the only one I could get my hands on without extra effort or cost. My bad. With a Rube Goldberg series of clamps and pliers, I got the new one 95% seated. I then used the nut to try and tighten it up the rest of the way. I got it 99% set when SNAP. Broke the stud.

Now I have to remove the new piece and either totally replace it or see if someone can install a new stud. Any recommendation as to which?

Not happy.

I have always battled to get new ball joints 100% with corect tools. Its normally about 1.mm gap. I leave it at that. ( in three different cars).

I ended up having success with the U-Joint/ball-joint kit from my local Advance Auto's tool loan program. It's basically a great honking C-clamp with various cups and fittings. It worked like a champ with a bit of fooling around with the setups. There's a ram that fits into the screw, which if removed reveals a perfect 8mm hole into which the top stud will fit into. Use the 2" cup on the actual ball below, to protect the grease seal, and wrench away. I was able to get the ball fully inserted with no damage.