Alternator...3.4 liter TDC

Yep Alternators are usually a pretty easy job to replace... but i have a 3.4 liter Twin Dual Cam. The Alternator is on the bottom of the engine and the book says to take the front exhaust config. off and drop out the cradle.... To replace a ALTERNATOR!! I dropped the craddle a little and just snuck the alternator through the right wheel. That GM book i do not like. Anyway i had fun driving down the road that night it went out, with the headlights flashing, the power steering failing constantly, and me on the gas and brake trying to keep it from dying. It was also was misfiring the entire time. I went like 18 miles with it like that. The car finally died about a few blocks from my house. Did they want it to be hard to fix?