Apple has definitely made improvements in the 2017 models as far as removing and re-installing the mother boards. I was not looking forward to that part given what a pain it was in earlier macbook pro’s but this time that went very easily! There are still an awful lot of connectors but if you keep them in order with their screws where the cat won’t walk across your desk and scatter them then this felt much easier than previous versions. I know that earlier models had you remove the mother board just so you didn’t get acetone on the speakers but it seems that on the 2017 model that some of the battery cabling actually goes under the lip of the motherboard and so you really can’t safely get it out without doing this where on older models if you were willing to risk the speaker cones you didn’t need to do it. On the 2017 it seems you really do need to do it. Waiting for the iFixit guide to post apocalyptic appendectomy ;)

I had the same problem as others with the adhesive sticking harder to the plastic cover than to the batteries themselves. Another set of hands here would indeed be useful. This was actually the hardest step of the entire process as you cannot reposition the batteries once you set them down. Luckily it seems there is at least a little wiggle room in there. Make sure the power connection lines up with its screw holes as the number one priority.

That power cable connector is very delicate. I managed to tear it just a tiny bit in the curve of the cable too. So I’ve got another part on order now. Apart from that the screen replacement went great ;) I’m not sure at which step the tear actually happened, it might have been during re-assembly when I was trying to get all these cables to stay on top of rather than go behind the motherboard. Realizing how easy that is to tear and keeping that in mind as you do this is important.