Adding a 2" front strut spacer to my 2001 Legacy wagon

I have a 2" lift spacer that I am trying to install on the front strut of my 2001 Legacy wagon 5-speed to increase ground clearance. The sway bar was disconnected for this procedure. The bottom bolt which connects the strut to the hub will go in, however I am unable to pivot the hub in enough for the upper bolt to line up. The most force I've applied was with a c-clamp when the strut spacer was installed and the lower bolt that connects the strut to the hub was in place. However the upper bolt does not line up. The c-clamp was to squeeze the hub and back of the strut to theoretically squeeze the holes into alignment. The clamp fit nice, but the hole seemed as if it would not align before the strut cylinder bent from the clamp pressure: so I stopped. Note that as the clamp was being tightened, the axle was being pulled (not compressed) by the hub as it pivoted on the lower strut bolt.

Has anyone else had this problem? How was it resolved?

Thanks in advance.

Edited September 29, 20214 yr by portsample