And the other thing I noticed I was running into was when trying to wrench on the strut stud itself the stud was spinning inside of the bushing inside the LCA...
there is no bushing on the LCA side of the strut. Presumably you are talking about the LCA pin spinning? Im pretty sure thats how my K frame tubes were ruined by the previous owner. I'll be welding up my new K frame this weekend. Im told in the linke below that the LCA pin is an interference fit to the tubes. Is yours?
I would install/tighten the pins on the K frame first. Hold the pin with thick leather in a big mo fo channel lock or something that wont gouge the pin then hit it with air. Make sure the pin is baby smooth if you nick it, because its a bearing surface with a urethane bushing. Then slide the LCA and bushing onto it. That mock up you should notice if the strut rod is too long if it pushes the LCA away from the K frame.
