Installing coil spring

[dgs]

I've got a lot of question today as I'm in the garage, trying to get this thing back on 4 wheels before it's too cold.

I got the passenger side control arms in and the spindle on, hanging from the upper ball joint. I put the coil spring in the frame pocket and hooked it on the lower arm. Put my floor jack underneath the arm and jacked her up (which worked surprisingly well.)

I got to the limits of my jack and the RF of the car was off of the jack stand by well over an inch and I still couldn't get the lower ball joint into the spindle. I double checked that the spring was seated correctly up inside the frame and that it was properly seated in the control arm as well.

I checked the new ball joint stud length to the old, and they appear to be the same. I figure something must be wrong, but what?

When I pulled it all apart, the upper control arm bumper was pretty much gone. All that was left was a small amount of rubber and a bolt. I put new bumpers on before I put the upper arms on. The missing bumper allowed the upper control arm to drop a fair bit more, likely enough to get the ball joint on. However, will I be able to get the bumper back in? I wonder if I got the right bumper. They are sort of egg shaped, tilted toward the center of the car.

I'm confused.

[dgs]

Well, I took the upper control arm bumper off and got it together. I doubt I'll get it (the bumper) back in, but it only really comes into play when the car's in the air. Not planning on that happening unless it involves a floor jack or a lift.

If my front tires leave the ground while driving, I've got bigger problems than a lack of an upper control arm bumper.