This tip comes from our good friend Peter Caldwell at Workd Wide Auto Parts in Madison, Wisconsin:

>> "The trick is to know that [the link arm fitting] IS tapered (look at the replacement shock), and that it must be "squeezed" from the hole rather than bashed. You want to hit the arm of the shock smartly while supporting the other side of the arm on a vise or anvil. This will momentarily oval the hole and "squeeze" the link out. Of course, undo the nut first. I usually leave it partly on to guard against an errant hammer blow." -- Peter C.