Sway bar end link tight fit

[TXScott]

Replacing lower control arm, strut assembly and sway bar end link on my 2014 Explorer Limited (3.5L v6, non-turbo, FWD). Using all OEM parts from RockAuto(great prices for OEM!)

Got the control arm and strut installed no problem(ok, removing the nut off the control arm to the knuckle was a pain).

When I go to put the sway bar end link(5K483 below) on, I move it in from behind the strut to slide the top bolt through the hole in the strut ear, but there is just not enough clearance behind it and it gets caught on the wheel well wall. I've tried mallet tapping, contorting the bolt into different positions/angles, screaming, verifying part numbers, all to no avail.

Doing a comparison of the old end link to the new OEM one shows the newer one is half an inch longer at the ball joint(Circled portion below) and differs from the old one I removed. The bolt lengths are the same. The ball joint housing is seamless, there is no end cap to remove, I guess Ford/MotorCraft re-engineered this. I've already installed the new strut and control arm, but the only solution I can think of now is to disconnect the strut from the control arm, then loosen the 4 bolts at the top of the strut so it has some room to move around, then slip in the top end link bolt to the strut.

However, my concern is this somehow seems wrong as I have not noticed any similar issues reviewing others posts, YouTube videos etc. Anyone have input/advice or encountered this issue??

 

[TXScott]

Even though I had my trepidations about having to "work around" the issue, I was able to finally fit the upper bolt of the sway bar end link through the strut by loosening the top four bolts of the strut about a quarter inch as well as removing the upper bolt of where the strut connects to the knuckle(left lower bolt in place). After doing those things, there was enough loose play in the strut to move it around so I could fit upper sway bar end link bolt through the strut.
In hindsight, I was had taken a longer break to think this through and concoct/execute this plan rather than futiley going after the sway bar end link with a hammer, hopefully not damaged lol.

 

[StormTrooperExplorer]

Turn the wheel. It turns the strut out and makes more room for the top part of the link to slide into the hole on the strut. Obviously, turn the wheel in the direction than moves the strut ear outwards, not inwards.

 

[TXScott]

Turn the wheel. It turns the strut out and makes more room for the top part of the link to slide into the hole on the strut. Obviously, turn the wheel in the direction than moves the strut ear outwards, not inwards.

Thanks for the tip, will give it a shot when I do the passenger side.