I'm putting an auto spring leveling kit on a 2004 f150 4x4. I'm having trouble getting the lower strut arm to line up with the lower control arm. I've removed the sway bar, removed the upper ball joint nut, installed the 3 upper strut nuts. any other way to raise the strut than using coil compressors?

 

Let the lower contol arm down more? If it already is, I used a BA screwdriver as a pry bar to carefully wedge mine into position. Then had to use a come-along to pull the LCA back up to the upper ball joint.

 

did u get the leveling kit that gos between the coil spring and the upper strut mount?

 

Yep, 2" AutoSpring kit. That was about the worst part of the install. Takes about 1/2 gallon of sweat and a bunch of swearing to get those bottom bolts back in, but it's doable. If you've got a "spud" wrench used for structural steel erection, that helps. I used one of mine to help it along. It has a tapered end like a "drift pin" to aid alignment for bolts between beams and columns.

 

I got the one that bolts on top of the strut mount.

The directions make it sound so easy. I've already broke my spring compressors. Guess they weren't heavy duty enough.

 

u shouldnt have to compress the spring at all u dont even need to unbolt the strut from the control arm

 

un bolt the upper control arm and upper strut mounts and let the suspension drop but dont drop the spindle u will break ur cv bott and just swiing strut out and have a buddy push on the lower control arm and push the strut back into place

 

Steve makes it sound so easy, but mine was not. It took some wrangling to get the strut outand it had to come out. I had to take out the bottom bolt, drop the bottom end of the strut down and then pull out the top end. Reverse going back in, but less wiggle to work with since added length to the strut. And no way could a buddy have pushed the LCA back into place. Every time I tried to jack the LCA up to pick up the UCA, the whole truck came up with them. So, I ended up attaching a come-along and pulling the LCA up onto the ball joint.

 

well then get to strut mount bolts started then take a screw driver to the bottom hole and turn it till it match i had to do that when i did mine but i had a another style kit

 

not a matter of turning it. Only lines up one way. The spring is just really stiff and it's tough to compress and make everything go into place.

 

what year is ur truck cuz if u got the spacers that go on the upper strut mount u shouldnt need to compress the spring

 

2004 new body style

 

hmm didnt think u had to compress the spring i only had to uz i have the older daystar kit

 

Whoever told you to get a spring compresser for a leveling kit on your truck then they were high. It goes on top of the strut assembly. Heres a pic of my autospring on top of my strut assembly.

 

Heres a pic when i swapped lifts and it still on top of the strut assembly