I think my 5/8-11 was 3 foot and I saw no reason to cut it down.

Bronzebird, when you do this, back up the lower control arm with a steel plate and washers as in my photo. At the top, I used a length of 1" pipe and more washers to extend the nut where wrenches to could easily reach. Use grade 8 nuts, just to be safe. You're only using this stuff a few times, but this is not the application to use dime store hardware. As Jim mentioned, oil or grease on the allthread will prevent wear and tear. I used mobile 1 synthetic grease since that's handy around here.

Don't forget you need to bust the spindle loose first. That's easier done with the help of the spring pressure but with the threaded rod in position to contain the spring. Undo the ball joint nuts one or two turns. Apply a tie rod tool and wack the side of the spindle. It will pop loose with a loud clunk. Do the other one the exact same way. BTW, this spindle refused to come off with a pickle fork but the tie rod puller and the hammer wack did the job. I lost a lot of time fiddling with the useless pickle fork. If you don't have a case hardened one from the major tool truck guys, you're wasting time and money.



Once the spindles are loose, compress the spring by tighteneing the rod just enough to take pressure off the LCA bolts. Then remove the lower control arm bolts. Adjust the threaded rod compression so there is no pressure on the LCA bolts you're removing. They should come out easily. If they don't, add some PB Blaster and come back later. Then slowly lower the entire LCA by unthreading the nut. Here is the LCA lowered down by the allthread.



No beer while doing this job. Springs are very dangerous and you need to be alert for forces and problems.