Compressing Spring/Raising Lower Control Arms

Looking for some tips on the lift install. Already have the new shocks on but can get the lower control arms to compress with the new shocks. Been trying to use the bottle jack on them but it starts to lift the truck off the stands. Alignment bots are pretty loose, seems like these 885s are keeping it from compressing so that I can get the two steering knuckle bolts back in. Thanks for any advice.

 

I'm having a hard time vusualizing what you are describing. Can you post a pic.

I'm very familiar with the front suspension on Toyota trucks.

 

Thanks for your help. Pictures below. I managed to get both front shocks in after some PB Blaster on the alignment bolts to get it to move down. Once all the shock/strut bolts were replaced, not tightened, I tried to move the LCA back up with the bottle jack to replace the steering knuckle bolts but it won’t budge, maybe a half inch before the truck comes off the stands. It seems that the new shocks and 885 are too stiff for the weight of the truck to compress it...

Distance needing to close.


LCA loosened


885s and all bolts in.

 

I think your sway bar is giving you the grief. That is what is putting tension on the A arm. With that, I don't know if you can use the factory sway bar with a lift.

Most of us install the ball joint/steering knucle before installing the spring/shock assembly.

Disconnect the sway bar and things will start to go together much easier.

 

I had to remove it completely at the beginning. Hex stripped the bolts rusted tight so I cut the bolts off. Can replace later but it is not currently on.

 

Lets Start simple. Remove the bottom shock bolt and install the ball joint first. You do not want to cross thread those 4 bolts. Then let's work on getting the bottom shock bolt installed.

 

Don’t know how you would get the shock assembly in without first taking the steering knuckle bolts out... Then in reverse order after getting the shock in, put the steering knuckle bolts back...

 

Gotcha. Will be starting on this tomorrow morning. Even after taking the shock bolt out, I don’t know how I’m gong to close the distance with the knuckle bolts since the shock has to still stay seated. Seems like I’ll still need the shock to compress to get the first threads in.

 

Loosen the upper control arm bolt too. It will let the knuckle sag a little more

 

Question:

Are your shock/spring assemblies already assembled? Or are you trying to compress and put them together using the truck as a spring compressor?

 

Already been assembled. From Headstrong.

 

Will look at it tomorrow. Where the guys had the jack is the same spot I had it but wasn’t brining it up at all. Bolts are seized either. Thanks.

 

OP were you able to solve this? I am having the exact same issue.

 

Put a pry bar between UCA and spring and pull down knuckle while you’re lca is jacked up as far as it can go

 

1st bottle jack under the lca.

2nd bottle jack on top of the upper control arm pressing against the top of the fender on the inside.

Sandwich it together.

 

Mark cam bolts
Loosen cam bolts
Remove lower ball joint bolts
Remove lower shock bolt
Push lower control arm down
Remove 3 top shock bolts
Repeat in reverse order
And use a jack to bring up lower control arm while shock it's bolted to it.
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