You get what you can out of Jeeping

If it were me, now that you have had it on the road for a bit, and presumably tilted it both ways just driving it, i would take a minute and a tupperware container or old soda bottle and pull the drain plug on the axle. If you leave it, it could weep for months. Pulling that plug on level ground will only take a couple minutes, and will end the seepage.

I thought you got alloy axleshafts lke the ones from US Alloy (I am running those). The Alloys have thread-in lug studs, not the press-fit Jeep style. Those typically loosen as you tighten the lug nuts especially if the lug nuts are worn. Those need loc-tite or a spot weld.

Your press fit studs are probably fine. They will seat themselves as you drive the Jeep. Make sure to re-tighten the lugs to factory spec after 500 and 1000 miles from now. That will help them seat fully. Otherwise, you can try using a ball-joint press (looks like a bic C-clamp with an open end). I know that you can rent presses from auto parts stores around here.

The D-44 has a longer nose than your old axle, which, even though you shimmed it, makes those driveshaft angles worse. You are right to do the SYE and new shaft. If you want a stop-gap measure, there are a couple companies that offer offset u-joints that can flex more than normal. It would be worth a try (for less than $50 instead of $350).

Do you have any dents in your driveshaft? Extra noise coasting seems strange to me. Try pulling it and driving around for a day in 4wd. I wonder if you might have slop at the axle, and need to re-shim it.

I am glad you are getting a lot out of Jeeping. I certainly spend at least 2 hours in the garage for every one on the trail, and a lot more than that in the winter. It never gets old for me. I learned to weld and fabricate with metal. I enjoy that as well as the usual auto-mechanic stuff. Since I have started Jeeping I have begun wrenching on anything that moves from my wife's car to the kids go kart, and I love it. Sharing that with other Jeepers in any way is great. It brings us all together.

Are you involved in the wheeling scene out there? At this point you should find time to join a club if you have not done so already. It gives you chances to go Jeeping, as well as a network of Jeepers nearby. Both of which are invaluable to me.
-bc