Front Suspension Problem

[monkey]

Hi all,

Just been replacing the top strut mounts on the front suspension and I can't get enough of the damper rod to go through the mount to get the nut on. The car is an 80 Tdi Avant 1994.

Basically, I have tried compressing the spring, disconnecting the ARB drop link and extending the damper as far as it will go and then jacking the wishbone up to locate the damper in the mount and wheel arch.

I notice that the new mount is uncompressed compared to the old one - is this something I need to do with a press before I fit it? I assumed the weight of the car would do this but it doesn't.

Do I need to disconnect the spring/damper assembly from the upright and connect the damper to the wheel arch before reconnecting the upright?

I feel I am missing something obvious here but staring at it no longer helps!

Cheers
monkey