The tires are on and touching the ground while you’re turning the wheel/ratchet strapping right?
I usually get it close with a ratchet strap, I’ll hook one end on the frame and the other to like the sway bar bracket, then lightly tap the bolt and it finds its way in.
I wondered this too. I'm in the middle of this issue too it's in the air (the frame is on jackstands). I'm wondering if that is part of the issue.... I thought about putting the stands under the axle (that would be the same as being on the ground), just so there was more room to ratchet.