Lift install...LCA or Spidle/UCA method?

[Tricio69]

Hi, seeing a couple of methods for swapping out the front struts when installing a lift. Either dropping the lower control arm (loosen CAM bolts and remove lower knuckle bolts) or unbolting the the spindle from the upper control arm.

Any thoughts (pros/cons) to either method? The dropping the LCA seems more straight forward, so wondering why someone would use the unbolting the spindle from UCA method.

Pardon me if this has been discussed, I wasn't able to find if it has.

 

[MyanRagahis]

I used the LCA method multiple times because it was easy enough to me after watching YouTube so many times and finally understood the spring decompression.
Didn't have or feel like renting a spring compressor.
Bright side is I did it so many times I learned how to do it quicker and quicker and learn about each part when I first started. Had torque numbers embedded in my head too.
Played around with lift heights on my Bilstein 6112's at the time so I had to decompress the spring a lot to adjust that circlip. Became easier and easier each time and I enjoyed it.

The only negative to me was losing my alignment but that comes with adjusting height anyway.



As for the uca/spindle method, I snapped my ABS wire because I forgot to unbolt the wire from the upper control arm when the uca separated from the spindle. About the only negative to me when doing that method but that was my fault.
I was simply swapping out my upper balljoint, not installing lift.