Chevrolet Repair: exhaust manifold gasket, chevy express 3500, manifold gaskets

Question
I need to replace both exhaust manifold gaskets on my 99 Chevy Express 3500 cutaway cab with a 5.7L V8...Could you give me a brief how-to?...I'm fairly mechanically inclined, but have never before worked on this vehicle...Someone mentioned that i might have to use an engine hoist to hold the weight of the motor and remove the engine mounts to give enough clearance to remove the exhaust manifolds, is this true?...also, is there any other components that might need to be removed like the alternator, radiator, etc?...thank you very much!

Answer
HI ALLAN, SOMETIMES IT IS EASIER TO GET AT SOME OF THESE BOLTS THROUGH THE WHEEL WELL AREA. YOU CAN ALSO GET AT MOST OF THEM FROM THE ENG BAY AREA..YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REMOVE ANY BRACKETS THAT IAM AWARE OFF. BUT BEFORE YOU ASSUME THAT THE GASKETS ARE BAD,WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE, BECASUE SOME OF THESE ENGINE DO NOT HAVE ANY GASKETS WHERE THEY ARE BOLTED TO THE HEAD..SOMETIMES THE MANIFOLD BOLTS GET LOOSE OR WILL BREAK OFF IN THE MANIFOLD..BUT ONCE THE MANIFOLD IS REMOVED YOU SHOUD BE ABLE TO GET A VICE GRIP ON THE OTHER HALF OF THE BROKEN BOLT AND REMOVE IT THIS WAY. ALSO SOMETIMES THESE MANIFOLDS WILL CRACK,SO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT CRACKED BEFORE YOU THINK A GASKET WILL WORK. TO CK,, GET A RUBBER HOSE SUCH AS A HEATER HOSE 5/8 IN DIAM AND ABOUT 2 TO 3 FEET LONG. PUT ONE END UP TO YOUR EAR AND THE OTHER END BY WHERE YOU THINK THE LEAK IS AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ZERO IN ON THE LEAK REAL FAST LIKE THIS..
I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU AND GOOD LUCK,,,TOM..