Easiest way to get the axle out of the car is to remove the lower ball joint, then the strut to lower control arm bolt, and swing the hub out of the way.
You almost never need to use a pickle fork to get the ball joint free on any car... just get a hammer, and smack the hub square and really hard a few times while putting pressure downward on the control arm.
Make sure you're smacking the area that the ball joint goes through, else you're wasting your energy... those ball joints are only a conical seat, nothing is actually holding them in there besides friction... if you slightly distort the area they sit in, you're sure to have a loose one immediately. Applying pressure just helps you to know when you've got it right... it will drop immediately.
You can also remove the upper ball joint, and pull the strut entirely... this will prove a PITA in most cases though.
I'm working on a deal with a guy to get an Si tranny, which I probably have no use for, nor a sale pending on... therefore, if you want to pay to ship it, I'll sell it to you. We'll work out the logistics if you want it after I actually take possession of it.