installing springs on struts

[prophecy]

i've borrowed the macpherson spring compressor from advanced auto and i was unable to get the spring off of the strut so i brought it to a place to have it taken off. I thought putting the H&R sport lowering springs on the strut would be easier since they are shorter, but i cannot compress them enough. THe compressor keeps slipping on the spring, and also the compressor is too narrow to fit around the strut where the spring sits on. Also, when i got it compressed and tried getting it on there the top spring plate does not line up with the strut rod when it is on top of the spring. Is this normal? What the hell am i doing wrong? Or are there just better compressors out there and this is a pos ?

Any help would be awesome.. sure would like to finish this project

[prophecy]

broke down and went to pepboys. they tore up my new struts pretty nice. when i got home i noticed the one spring wasnt lined up where it should be.. do i need to take it back and have it fixed?

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/4715/p10100242lh.th.jpg (http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100242lh.jpg)

[LDadrenaline]

From when Ryan and I did mine, we had to have it lined up perfectly for it to fit right... I'm not really sure though because I let him do most everything rofl

[catchuk]

after a few bumps it may settle into place, I'd give it a day or two.

[prophecy]

decided to put them on anyways.. finally got the **** done this weekend. wheels dont seem to rub as much when hitting bumps. maybe because there are bump stops in place now.. wheels still rubbing at full turn though.. I know, 19's dont belong. Still searching for 17s of some kind

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3952/p10100017wx.th.jpg (http://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100017wx.jpg)