Compressing a van seat piston

2011 F350 handicapped van, one of the pistons that hold the seat UP against the side had a bolt come loose.

Now removed, the piston needs to be compressed about a 1/2 inch and I CANNOT seem to figure out how to compress it, hold it compressed then getting that damn bolt back in.

Pictures would help here.

If it were me, I would remove the piston and take it to a mechanic to have them compress the piston with a strut machine and use a zip tie (or something similar) to hold it compressed.

Once compressed you should be able to install, then cut the zip tie and off you go.

ratchet strap? Loop it around the thing, crank until its the right length.

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With all my weight (250lbs) I still cannot even budge this thing.

The problem is that I'm a nurse at a group home and I need this seat tomorrow and it's not actually a mechanics paradise here.

Like a gas strut? At half an inch you might be able to make it line up with a big phillips screwdriver?

Could you unbolt the hinge on the end and move the seat instead, then compress it and bolt the hinge down?

I would give the ratchet strap a try. Loop it perpendicular to the hole so you can get the bolt through.

If its that close I'd be tempted to get a really long bolt slightly smaller than the holes so it can go through on an angle, tighten down will bring it to the right spot. But still, i'd definitely try that ratchet strap.

Finally, can you put a large screwdriver or prybar through the holes and use it as leverage to compress the thing? If you can't even compress it with leverage you will be dealing with a different beast.

I would be trying the big screwdriver/pry bar. Put it through one hole of that mount, through the end of the strut, pry until it is about even with the hole, push bolt through, displacing screwdriver end. It may take 3 hands.

As the seat is lowered to the floor, the length the piston needs to be shortens by 2-3 inches.

You could also try a pry bar on the top of the strut using the rectangular hole next to the bracket as a fulcrum.

You won't ever compress and hold that with a strap. You need to unbolt whatever keeps the seat from going higher, install the strut, then sit on the seat to re hook whatever you have undone.