Put new struts on my '02 4Runner, but can't get the shock to compress enough to get it into the control arm. I know I've done this before, but the gap never seemed so big (need about an inch). Any ideas/tricks to this?

 

Place you stock bottle jack on the fenderwell and crank the UCA downwards..

 

Tried this, but it keeps slipping of the UCA. I'll try again I guess....

 

I used the jack trick and it worked for me. I did have to find the sweet spot so the jack would sit still for me though.

 

Try this, it's works for me....use a ratchet strap that's attached to the arm and to the other side of the truck (the other arm usually) and pull the arm all the way down, then another strap going around the bottom of the coilover (strut) to keep it from wanting to pop outward, and you should be able to use this strap to pull the bottom close enough to get something like a fat screwdriver into the hole and help get it aligned enough to put the bolt through.

 

i used a big ass bar and stuck it through the control arm up against the frame and then i sat on the bar to pull it down more....worked for me... or you can loosen the lower ball joint.

 

The jack trick worked, I just needed to put the top of the jack on the wheelwell, and the bottom of the jack on the upper control arm. I was trying to do the opposite, 'cause I thought the top would push through the wheelwell, but it didn't.

 

i disconnected my front sway bar end link from the sway bar... then it slid right in...