Rear spring change

[vtraudt]

New to TT. Recently bought first one.

Trying to replace the rear springs (both broken).
Car on jacks (rubber pads), but cannot get axle down to free the springs .
What is preventing the axle from dropping down further? The shocks? I tried to remove the lower shock mount (also sway bar rod), but bolt does not want to come out all the way (loose, but maybe under stress?). What is keeping stress on the lower shock bolt?

Any tips? Thought it was a quick out and in .

[vtraudt]

Passenger side: could not loosen lower shock bolt/sway bar link (as some suggest).

Insead, I took upper and lower control arms off at the knuckle (easy to get to, not too rusted).
Removed inner fender liner and disconnected top shock bolt.
Disconnected top sway bar link nut.

Now axle is coming down enough to replace spring (note: easier to remove spring WITH bottom plate, only has 2 short pins to lift out of their respective hole to slide bottom out, then top).

New one in.

BUT: now I cannot get the control arms to align with the hub to get the bolts in.

Any trick or suggestion to bring them closer?