How to Re-Torque Lower Control Arm

[Danimal]

I need help figuring out how to re-torque the lower control arms on the front of my car. I loosened them to install a set of PSS9 coilovers. I followed some of the videos online and I have the Bentley manual and 101 projects book. So far I haven’t seen a good way to re-torque the bolts at home.

I had the car on ~12inch Jack stands in the front. I jacked up the hub to apply load and simulate the car being on the ground with load. Then went to re-torque the bolt from the side of the car. The bolt is 16mm and the nut is 18mm. I tried holding the 18mm side with a box wrench and using a 16mm crows foot attachment on the other side with the torque wrench. But this proved pretty challenging to keep the crows foot on the bolt and only the 18mm but will spin. So I tried the reverse (16mm box wrench and 18mm crows foot. After lots of struggling I gave up and reassembled the car to let it sit on the springs and help break them in for now.

How did you re-torque yours??? I guess worst case scenario I can ask the shop to do it when I get an alignment. But it bugs the crap out of me I can’t do it myself after going through all this trouble. 😡

Now I am dreading doing the rears….