Tips/lessons learned after replacing ball joints ('96 2WD)?

A few weeks ago I started hearing/feeling a "clunk" under my left foot nearly every time I took a turn. Read online it could be failing ball joints. Both upper and lower driver BJs looked worn (dust boots cracked), so I figured a good chance to play it safe by replacing and learn something along the way. Having just finished, I have a few questions for how I could have been more efficient. I am /not/ an experienced mechanic (this is the first repair I've ever done), so I probably made a lot of rookie mistakes. Looking to stamp out my ignorance

General procedure:

• Bought OEM upper and lower ball joint assemblies from the local Toyota Parts Center.
• Grabbed a socket set, spring compressor, and ball joint removal tool from the local NAPA
• Followed the instructions in the Haynes manual, doing the upper ball joint first, then the lower ball joint.

Challenges:

• Spring compressor doesn't fit: Though the Haynes manual doesn't call for it, I thought compressing the springs would allow me to work safely and take stress off the control arms. Unfortunately, the spring compressor I rented wouldn't fit around the coils no matter where I tried to position it. The control arms were always in the way. I ended up using the floor jack to keep the lower control arm in place per Haynes recommendation, but didn't like that there was no failsafe working so closely to the spring. In the future, how would I get a compressor around a tight coil like this (photo attached)? What would I do if I ever needed to replace the coil?
  
  
• Struggle to get the spindle back into position: As soon as the ball joint assembly is disconnected, the spindle gains an extra ~1cm clearance from the control arm. This made getting the new ball joints back into position to be screwed down...tricky. I tried a few things:
  • Upper ball joint: I increased the height of the floor jack to try to compress the spring further. This helped but also raised the truck slightly, forcing me to have to slide the jack stand back on the frame. Felt precarious, but got me close enough to be able to heave the ball joint assembly into position and slide the bolts through the control arm to keep it in place.
  • Lower ball joint: Popping the old ball joint created a 1cm+ gap between the lower control arm and the spindle. I tried raising the jack as before, but it wasn't enough to make up the difference. I ended up disconnecting the upper ball joint from the upper control arm, securing the nuts between lower control arm and the lower ball joint a quarter turn each (to give me as much free play as possible), and then heaving (and straining) the upper ball joint back into position. Then I bolted down everything round-robin, slowly bringing the spindle back into position. It was an exhausting process.
    
    What's the best way to keep the control arms in their exact position when I pop the ball joints so I'm not having to use the spindle as a kettle bell to get it back into position?

PS: Unfortunately, this repair didn't solve the clunking issue, but at least I have peace of mind. Going to look at the sway bar next, as the bushings look pretty worn. Open to any other suggestions - '96 2WD Tacoma LX. Thanks!

 

I'm new at this myself and I have an 04 so there may be differences. But I did just replace my front shocks, lower ball joints and sway bar end links (but I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night).

I don't think compressing your spring takes any strain off anything in this case (only need to do that to change your shocks which would be when they are removed from your truck). When you broke the lower ball joint free what is pushing your lower control arm down is the shock absorber.

And of course I was replacing my shocks so they were off the truck. But I figured out on the second one it was much easier to remove the "heads" from the threaded rod so I could tilt them and get them inserted into the coil (one high and one low) then line them up and run the threaded rod through.

I took the shock and coil out, then replaced the lower ball joint, then swapped in the new shocks (using spring compressor) then put the assembled shock/spring back in using the vehicle jack upside down on top of the uca to the "ceiling" of the wheel well to push the uca/lca down to easily insert the bottom bolt on the shock.