thanks for the info ack!
and captchee, which will be easier... disconnect the sway bar? or use the spring compressor? The one I got from autozone for the rear springs was a strut compressor, and it worked great for the rear coils. But since this guide didn't mention it, and it seemed to be hard to get it into some of the tight angles, I just assumed I wasn't supposed to use it for the front.
thanks guys