Installing a lift kit on your truck—whether it’s a strut spacer, coil spacer, or lifted coilover—can sometimes create a frustrating moment during reassembly:
Your upper control arm won’t reach the steering knuckle (aka spindle).
Before you assume something is wrong with your suspension components, don’t worry—this is completely normal and there’s an easy fix.
Why This Happens
When you install a strut spacer or lifted coil assembly, you are effectively increasing the length of the suspension component that fits between the frame and the lower control arm.
As a result, the lower control arm is pushed downward, increasing the distance between the lower and upper control arms. This change in suspension geometry is exactly what creates the truck’s new, higher ride height.
Because the suspension is now sitting at full droop during installation, it becomes harder to reconnect the upper control arm to the steering knuckle.
It’s important to note that coil spacers installed on a strut or stock-length coilover typically won’t create this same issue, since they add spring preload rather than overall suspension length.
Why It’s Harder on a Vehicle Lift
One of the most common scenarios occurs when installing a lift kit on a two-post vehicle lift.
When you try to raise the lower control arm with a floor jack, the truck may start lifting off the hoist before the suspension compresses enough to reconnect the upper control arm.
This happens because the suspension now requires more force to compress, and there isn’t enough leverage while the vehicle is fully suspended.
The Simple Fix
To gain the leverage needed to compress the suspension:
- Reinstall the rear wheels and tires
- Lower the lift until the rear tires touch the ground
- Allow some of the truck’s weight to rest on the rear suspension
- Place a floor jack under the lower control arm
- Slowly jack up the control arm to compress the coil
With the rear tires on the ground, you’ve increased the leverage point from the lift arms to the ground, allowing the suspension to compress properly.
Once compressed, the upper control arm will align with the steering knuckle and can be reattached normally.
Final Thoughts
If your upper control arm won’t reach the spindle after installing a lift, it doesn’t mean your parts are incorrect or that your spindle is too short. It simply means the suspension is sitting at full extension during installation.
Using the proper leverage technique will allow the suspension to compress so everything lines up as intended.
At MaxTrac Suspension, we design lift systems to maintain proper suspension geometry while delivering the stance and performance truck owners expect. Understanding how suspension components interact during installation can make the process much smoother.
