Heavy suckers...

Thanks brian. When I got the axle it was already drained. Just a good coating of old oil remained so it was not left dry. It spins freely when I turn the yoke as well as when I turn the shaft ends. No squeaks, grinds, or sounds. Though when I spoin the shaft ends of the one side, the other side does not always spin. Either side will spin freely; just not always together. I am assuming this has to do with the limited slip and the weight of the components allow the other side to slip sometimes? I think it is fine as when I turn the yoke and apply pressure to each side both shafts spin.
The axle did not come with pads; but I pciked up a set at NAPA and have the brakes/rotors installed. They all fit fine. I have not figured out how the parking brake will connect yet; but I have set the brake adjusters to the rotors. Currenty the brakes have short, 5 inch rubber brake lines that connect to a mounting bracket which connect to the hard lines. I am not sure where these mounting brackets would attach; but I am guessing that I could do away with the short lines completly by using my old front lines to attach instead.
I also think I should add shims to the leafs this time. When I originally installe the axle, I did not knowing I was planning to swap out the axle in the future and wanted to get it up and running. Then I had to add boomerang shackles to get the original shackles off the unibody since the leafs I put on are a few inches longer. This added another 1.25 inches of lift to the rear. Both ends are level - though neither have broken in at this time. Do you know what degree of shims I should add or how I figure this out? Once the axle is mounted, the next step will be the SYE and driveshaft, which I am not sure how will effect the degree of shims needed? Can I figure it out now and add the correct shim degree so I do not need to bolt it all up and then get another set of U bolts to re-bolt it back together when I do the SYE and CV driveshaft?
Yes; the actual bolting up of the axle should be pretty easy - except for one thing... The axle is in the middle of my garage on a work bench frame. I had help putting it into the XJ when I bought it, but to get it out I was on my own. (And I am no stronger now that I was at Elon.) It was actually pretty amusing to watch me maneuver the axle out of the jeep; but I got it out myself and had to dransfer it directly onto the workbench frame b/c I could not hold it myselft to lower it to jackstands. I was then able to drag the workbench with the axle rested on it, up the remainder of the driveway and across the garage where I have been playing w/ it. I have very few freinds out here. The few I have all live 45 minutes - 2 hrs away; so they do not make it over often. I plan to have one that I surf with help me relocate it onto stands on the side of the garage. Then I can get to work. Once on stands I should be able to inch the axle around the garage myself and install it myself as I did the 35. (I hope) Michelle is prego so this is a one man job. So as for that 4 hrs, probably gona take me a bit more.
As soon as I pass smog, I am going to put the axle on. I do not want to take the chance of having the ABS light on when i take it to be smogged.
Thanks