Seem to have a strange problem with the reassembled struts.

Replaced both cartridges and sway bar bushings. Before tightening the bushing bolt attached to the lower arm, I started to pre load the lower arm with a bottle jack under the ball joint. Much to my surprise, after jacking the lower arm up about 1/2 inch the car lifted up off the jack stand. The same thing happens with the other side. Normally the lower arm is lifted 2-3 inches before the spring supports the front end. It's like the spring constant changed while the struts were in pieces or the car lost 1000#. The M-46 is in the garage but that shouldn't make that much difference, besides 1/3 of the tranny's weight is probably on the rear axle. What's going on here? The cartridge shafts moved freely before assembly and there's a little bounce to the springs with the bottle jack lifting the car off the jack stand. My wife stood on the front bumper and I pulled down on the sway bar while under the car; you can't compress the spring more than another 1/2". If the springs don't compress the standard 2-3" the front end of the car is going to that much heigher. Same question, what's going on here? Cartridges were KYB Gas #365006 from FCP Groton.

FIA

Steve L 3-240's in Charlotte, NC one that's 2" taller!