Does anybody know the best way to get it out? I got the boom up, the ROP up, battery disconnected. It's not coming out through the front / under the ROP, I know that for sure. It doesn't look like there's enough room to get it out through the belly, and I gotta remove the turbo to get it out the back? I was at the site yesterday, thinking it would be a kinda easy thing, but... not. There is a exhaust elbow coming off the turbo that's held on with 3 bolts. I got 1 of 'em off, and left the other 2 soaking in penetrating oil, hoping that'll get em loose. But seriously, that seems like that's the only way that starter is coming out, aside from pulling the engine. Of course, the guy wants to use it today, so I better get this done, oh and also I go in for my covid test this morning, too. So there's that as well. Geez. Anyway, enough whining. If anyone's done this job before, I'd appreciate the input. Thanks!
Since I hate it when people start threads like this and don’t end em, here’s my closing comments. It took about 4 hours total. It does come out through the back. There is an exhaust elbow coming from the turbo that you have to take off, and that gives enough room. You only need to get the ROP and boom up to disconnect the battery. I suppose that job would be possible without doing that, but wow what hassle that would be. So I disconnected (pulled the pin) the hydraulic lift cylinder on one side, and loosened both hydraulic connectors on the lift cylinder on the other side, and picked up the boom with an excavator. Then disconnected the battery. After that, it’s straightforward. A couple cables, a small wire, 3 nuts that hold it on, and it comes right out. The bottom nut you gotta get from the belly. So, a fair PITA, but not a terrible job. The first pic is of where the starter comes out, and the exhaust elbow is removed. The 2nd pic is just the boom and the ROP, and the big ass timber I used to hold it up. It is beer:30 yet?