Here's a tip to removing the return line at the back of the reservoir. The service manual refers to a "special tool" which really looks like a door panel remover. I had a similar plastic tool that I got from eBay several years ago and it worked great. Just slide the tip between the red compression fitting and the ridge on the pipe and gently push down and toward the pump and the pipe will slide out super easy.
This makes at least one part of this process painless.
Here is a link to similar tools on eBay.