>  i'm rather confused on how to slacken tension on the a/c
> compressor. there appears to be both a top and bottom pivot point on the
> compress along with the adjuster along the left. never seen anything like
> this before and it appears its just easier to remove the whole a/c...got
> to
> be a better way.

By coincidence I just came inside from putting on my new SD709 compressor.
The tensioning arrangement for it is kinda weird. You might not need to
loosen the two bolts at the "hinge point" on the right. The tensioneing bolt
on the left is the tricky part. There's a nut on the vertical face of that
black slotted metal brace. Loosen that nut to "unlock" the compressor. The
head of the bolt that nut is on has a lateral threaded hole in it that faces
upward. A hex socket headed bolt goes through a hole in the top of the brace
and threads into that bolt head. By tightening that hex socket screw it
draws the other bolt upwards, tightening the belt. Conversely, loosening
that bolt will lower the compressor and loosen the belt. I can run out and
take a picture, if you like.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"