Yes, I took off the 3 nuts on the top plate and took the entire assembly out. After conversing on here about lifts with ARK and others, it was 6 of one and half dozen of the other as far as setting the Bilsteins to .85" or keeping the spacer.

I knew I had the exact lift I wanted with the spacer from my measurements, so I just left the Bilsteins at stock and put the spacer back it. I also had previously pressed longer studs in so I just went with the spacer. Lift measurements after installing were exactly the same as before.

I was just confused as to why the Bilsteins had more spacing than the stock shocks. So I had the coil springs on the bench, took out the old stock shocks and put in the Bilsteins. When I put the boot on top and the top plate with the 3 studs, the springs were further away from engaging the top plate that the stock shocks position. The only thing I could figure was that the plunger rod was longer until compressed.

After I installed the top plate assembly, I released the coils and they contacted the upper plate assembly and developed some pressure to keep everything in place. They went back into the vehicle fine, I just didn't understand the spacing difference between the Bilsteins and the stock shocks?.

On the lower control arm question: I loosened the LCA to drop it out of the way. My shims didn't move during installation and bolting the LCA back together. I don't have a torque wrench, so I just tightened the LCA to what I thought it was before. I am getting alignment today, so they will torque to spec. I was just wondering if you over tightened the LCA's, would this hinder movement of the LCA or cause other problems?

A torque wench is on the shopping list :-)

Best regards, Doug