Ditch it. With the AC AAL your supossed to replace the load leaf for the AAL so you can re-use the OEM U-bolts.
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Done the front. I borrowed 2 sets of strut coil spring compressors, and that helped. I starting compressing the new coil with only 1 pair of compressors, but it quickly became difficult to tighten them. With 4 of them on the spring (2 pairs) I don't see any way they would ever slip. I then used my air impact gun to tighten each one gradually and it took no time at all.
As others have reported, it is difficult to get them back off because the coils are so close together when compressed. I had to use 2 pry bars to move the coils apart enough. Take the threaded rod completely out of the coil spring claws, that way you can pivot them out easier.
I found the piston rod lock nut difficult to break loose. Putting a bar between the 2 of the 3 mounting studs didn't help - the piston rod just turned. There are flats on the end of the piston rod - I clamped them in a vice and then was able to break the nut loose. And.. the nut isn't 17mm. I think it's 18mm. I was able to get the closed end of a 11/16 wrench around it.
Lastly, the AC coils have about 1/8 more turn than the stock coils, so if you seat the new coils the same way as the stock ones, when the top 3 studs are back in the upper coil bucket, the bottom of the strut is 45deg off so you can't get the bolt through. I ended up turning the lower spring perch on the strut, which I couldn't do until I put the spring compressors back on and compressed the coil again.
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If you look at that picture, with the top of the coil ending just before the outboard stud, the lower end of the coil stops further around, towards the front arrow.
As others have reported, it is difficult to get them back off because the coils are so close together when compressed. I had to use 2 pry bars to move the coils apart enough. Take the threaded rod completely out of the coil spring claws, that way you can pivot them out easier.
I found the piston rod lock nut difficult to break loose. Putting a bar between the 2 of the 3 mounting studs didn't help - the piston rod just turned. There are flats on the end of the piston rod - I clamped them in a vice and then was able to break the nut loose. And.. the nut isn't 17mm. I think it's 18mm. I was able to get the closed end of a 11/16 wrench around it.
Lastly, the AC coils have about 1/8 more turn than the stock coils, so if you seat the new coils the same way as the stock ones, when the top 3 studs are back in the upper coil bucket, the bottom of the strut is 45deg off so you can't get the bolt through. I ended up turning the lower spring perch on the strut, which I couldn't do until I put the spring compressors back on and compressed the coil again.
If you look at that picture, with the top of the coil ending just before the outboard stud, the lower end of the coil stops further around, towards the front arrow.
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