Well I have a 1995 jimmy and recently the starter has stopped working so I decided, okay I will just buy another one and put it on tonight... That did not happen. I was going to jack it up but the jack stands I had were not big enough so I went and got bigger ones, then I realized my jack lift was to small too...

After I got all new jacks I jacked it up and started to take the starter off, I got the bolts off but noticed there was a metal bar preventing the starter from coming out. I believe its a transmission cross member. I then got out my haynes manual and it says I have to jack up the transmission and remove the bar on earlier models, does anyone have experience with this because I don't wan't to take it off if there is a better way to take it off.

 

i havent changed one on a 4x4 yet, but when i changed the one on my 2wd, it only took me about 25 mins to get everything out, change it, and put everything away. i just took the bolts out, pushed it toward the front of the blazer, pointed the gear end toward the ground and pulled it out. removed wires and repeat the steps backwards. hope it helps.....

 

when i removed mine, i just unbolted the starter, and coached it out, I did not even jack up the truck..

 

Look at it through the wheel well. You can get to the wiring and work it out from there.

 

Well with the 95 year everything is different and harder to do, I looked online and most people say to unbolt the bell housing and take off the transmission crossmember... I have spent at least 4 hours trying to get it out with no luck. So I attempted to take the crossmember and and bell housing bolts off but I just managed to strip them, so I have had enough of the stupid starter and called a tow truck and they will bring it to a mechanic. I do pretty much all the work on my jimmy but this is such a bad spot for a starter and I have spent enough time trying to take it out.

 

i too have done dozens of these and have never had to jack up the engine or anything else the manuals tell you to do... technically. what ive run into under a few occasions is if you have really bad motor mounts the engine drops down a 1/2 inch or more lower making it hard to get out. so usually in those situations i just put a jack under the oil pan and lift it up a hair to get it out.

on the older s10 4x4s the bracket for the front diff is in the way, i usually just trim the corner off of it to get it out

 

I did this on a 93 4x4 jimmy with 186k miles, once it was unbolted, it pretty much came right out, I had to back it up a bit and turn the starter, but it was off in about 10 minutes once I got to the stupid solenoid wires LOL

 

I have taken starters out before but this one I just could not get out I tried moving and twisting it every way it would go but it just wouldn't come out. Every one I talk to says it harder on the 95's I guess I should of got a 96 instead...

 

I've got a '96 and it isn't any better. When I pulled mine to bench test it, I had to unbolt it around the front axle assembly, move the starter forward and undo the wires. Then twist and wiggle it around and drop it down and back. Gear end comes out first. I had to turn it almost upside down from it's mounting position and you have to work it just right. I seriously considered removing the right side of the axle and lifting the chassis to make room but I managed without it. Just lots of meat donations to the Blazer God from my arms.

 

you guys give up too easy, once you get it unbolted, you have to back it up against the oil pan and twist it a bit, and it will come right out.