Yes, they need to be pressed out. I went and got one of those C-frame presses at Harbor Freight (you can also borrow them from Autozone's loan-a-tool program or another part store may have a similar borrow/rental policy).

When I replaced the ball joints on my BII and my '92 Explorer, I found the instructions in Hayne's/Chilton's adequate for the job for the most part.

I think the hardest part of the job was on my BII where the spindle had become so seized onto the knuckle that it took everything I had to get the spindle off. On my Explorer, everything came apart just fine.

If I remember right, in the process of pressing out the ball joints, the upper ball joint needs to come out first in order to remove the lower ball joint. If so, then it doesn't make sense to reinstall the old upper ball joint unless it's already nearly new. Consider doing both ball joints at the same time.

Because you have to pull the axleshafts out to get the knuckle off, this would be a good time to check/replace the outer u-joints.

If you get greasable ball joints, make sure the grease zirk for the upper ball joint is a 90 degree one and that it faces either forward or backward. My first set I used the straight grease zirk that came with the joint and, after I got it all back together, I realized that there was no way I was going to get a grease gun on that without pulling it all apart to get the ujoint out of the way.

Those are a few tips.

05ranger: You didn't post year/model information. If you have a D28/D35 TTB equipped truck ('8?-'94 BII/Explorer or '8?-'97 Ranger), then my answer is the same. However, if, as your user name suggests, you have a later model, then you have a completely different front suspension set-up that I'm not real familiar with.