Sounds like they are too long. I can do mine in my driveway and only need to remove the swaybar end link from the lca. Doesn't even make sense why the rotor and caliper should have to come off since they are on the outside of the spindle/hub.
That -3 on the one cylinder I don't like and bet is causing your knock. Buy a nano tech 2 off Amazon for $100, that's what I use and is cheap then you can disable that cylinder and see if the knock goes away.
I've read fluidampner isn't good for cold climates and the viscosity of the fluid thickens up and can cause balance issues which can lead to a broken crank.