Hello Jeff,
Have you found a resolution to your problem yet? Years ago I had a starcraft approximately the same vintage as yours with a lifter problem. It needed to have one of the three stainless steel sections replaced. I disassembled everything, carefully drawing a cable routing map. I don't remember having any great difficulty with the process.
Of course, I had the roof off for access, and all the corners were uncovered. Seemed pretty straight forward.
Hope that you are successful. I am not the most mechanical guy either.
Ordoc