Don't sweat it man!
Begin compressing the sprint loose, out of the struct assembly. Compress it just enough that would be the right height for you to be able to assemble the hat. Then use a set of copper electric wires to tie the spring in that position. Use plenty of them to make sure they will actually hold the spring in the position when you remove the compressor. Now remove the compressor and the wires should hold the spring in the compressed size. Assemble everything and slowly begin to cut the wires so that the spring expands back into an already assembled strut/hat.
Makes sense?
2004 ZHP * IMOLAROT II * OEM Clears * ///M Strut * CoolantSnitch