This thread was VERY helpful to me last night in replacing my parking brake assembly! I tried doing it as pictured (spreading the pin), and that helped some but I just couldn't get it that way. Even with the grips, I could not pry it far enough apart. I finally rotated it around to where the "loop" (round) side is, slid in a screwdriver and pryed at it. Going that route, it slid right off and then shot across the cab.
To get it back on, I just put the round end into some needle nose vise grips and slid it on 1/2 way, then popped it the rest of the way with a tack hammer.
I thought the hardest part was getting the ball out of the clasp that holds it. Used a combo of screwdriver and pry bar tool to get that out.
![FORDification Rocks! :fr:](./images/smilies/icon_FORDification.gif)