Mebbie it's an Iowa thing...
But I'll second JR's note- if the whole VFD thing seems complicated, realize that once it's installed and set up, you have:
Forward - Stop - Reverse
Spindle Speed.
That's one more 'control' than you had before.
Of course, you could leave the VFD set at one speed and change belts, if you enjoy it, but I"m running my BRJ on the middle-range, and just turning the knob for speed control.
In reality, the wiring connections are not complicated. The manuals, however, assume that whoever is setting it up, has a high knowledge-level of how 3 phase motors, and the VFD work.
What they SHOULD do (and for many reasons, they can't) is make a very, very simple 'idiot's guide' to hooking up each unit for a common machine, like a BRJ. I've been known to forget things, so for my own reference (after I did my first VFD), I made such a diagram for the Allen-Bradley 1305... and then I did one for the 1336S, and it's worked out well for me, and a few people that I've sent it out to. If you'd like to see an example, send me an email (they're just a wee bit too big 'a PDF to post here).