although as its the strut you're replacing... maybe you can get enough clearance by following Broderick's suggestion to disconnect the control arms inboard side.

its going to be an **** during the rebuld getting the recommended 47mm clearance with the arms connected to the hub carrier though

 

That's exactly what you do - take out the three bolts through the top of the strut mount in the engine bay, lean the assembly out, and put a 16mm wrench on the inner control arm bolt head and the nut. Remove the bolts, swing the CAs around and remove the strut.

Pinch bolt removal - if you go this route, back the nut off some, pry the pinches open, set that sumbitch on fire with a map gas torch, and wail the hell out of it with a 4pm sledgehammer. Tried and true. Fire and violence win over pinch bolts.

 

I stayed away from fire, afraid to ruin the ball joints (rubber).

 

Good plan, I wasn't thinking about it in terms of what you're working on. Leave that bolt alone, dismount the upper control arms at the other end as described above, and you'll save yourself a lot of hassle.

 

Smells like victory

 

if you are careful, you won't ruin the bushings with fire.

 

I lucked out with mine and was able to tap it out with a punch but I still had to cut the ends off. I replaced it with a grade 8 bolt from Lowe's.