Why not walk around the yard and look at how different guys do it. For me long chains on the left short on the right.
Pete, best way to see if a compressor is bad is to grab the clutch and try to spin it by hand. if you can spin the clutch over by hand, 99 percent of the time your compressor is fine. That apu most likely had a low pressure cut out switch keeping the compressor from coming on when low on freon. This prevents the compressor from running dry and burning up. And considering you just installed a head ache rack on the truck today, in front of where your apu condenser is mounted. It's worth a good look to make sure you didn't bump it and crack a fitting or the condenser itself. Look and feel for an oily residue. Rule number one in trucks, or anything really, when something that was working fine suddenly has problems after doing other repairs or in your case, an addition, always start looking at what you had just messed with.
I put my u bolts facing the same direction, open end up, but I didn't use any spacers. Also, I used the 17 in bolts not the 21, it's a little tighter, but you don't end up with all that much extra thread at the end. As far as the freight goes and needing overhang, most loads can overhang the rear and you will be fine. I'm in the same boat as you with the clearance, but there have only been a handful of loads that interested me that needed front overhang, there is plenty of other freight that it isn't that much of an issue if you wait to move it, or don't move it at all.
Oh yeah, you may also want to get some of the hard plastic wrap for your air lines. It's hard to find sold by itself, but it's well worth it to keep your air lines from rubbing anywhere.
