Help new navbar implementation

[hinch]

So i'm trying to convert the nav bar from using the default tables to using a CSS based <ul> mouse over menu.

I've got the css code into the template and its partially working however its thrown up a few issues.

1) Menu items that have javascript dropdowns attached automatically insert a downpointing arrow image. How do i stop it inserting the image and maintain the javascript dropdown on the click of the li/a instead?

2) for some reason its causing the site to shift the entire forum listing area to the right after the end of the navbar. How can i resolve this?

The CSS menu i'm trying to implement is example 3 from here http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex1/ddtabmenu.htm

This is the code i've got in my navbar template at current.

<div id="ddtabs3" class="solidblockmenu">
<ul>
<li><a href="index.php">Portal</a></li>
<li><a href="vbgooglemapme.php">$vbphrase[vbgooglemapme]</a></li>
<li id="vbimghost"><a href="#vbimghost" >Image Hosting</a><script type="text/javascript">vbmenu_register("vbimghost");</script></li>
<li><a href="arcade.php$session[sessionurl_q]">Arcade</a></li>
<if condition="$show['member']">
<li><a href="usercp.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[user_cp]</a></li>
</if>
<if condition="$show['registerbutton']">
<li><a href="register.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[register]</a></li>
</if>
$template_hook[navbar_buttons_left]
<li><a href="faq.php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="5">$vbphrase[faq]</a></li>
<li><a href="memberlist.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[members_list]</a></li>
<if condition="$show['member']">
<li><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getnew" accesskey="2">$vbphrase[new_posts_nav]</a></li>
<else />
<li><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily" accesskey="2">$vbphrase[todays_posts]</a></li>
</if>


<if condition="$show['popups']">		
<if condition="$show['searchbuttons']">
<li id="navbar_search">
<a href="search.php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="4" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[search]</a>
<if condition="$show['quicksearch']">
<script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("navbar_search");</script>
</li>
</if>
</if>

<if condition="$show['member']">
<li id="usercptools">
<a href="$show[nojs_link]#usercptools">$vbphrase[quick_links]</a>
<script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("usercptools"); </script>
</li>		
</if>

</if>

$template_hook[navbar_buttons_right]
<if condition="$show['member']">
<li><a href="login.php?$session[sessionurl]do=logout&amp;logouthash=$bbuserinfo[logouthash]" onclick="return log_out('$vbphrase[sure_you_want_to_log_out]')">$vbphrase[log_out]</a></li>
		</if>
</ul>
</div>