Well today was a little better. I didn't pull the bottom gears out of the transmission, but I did change all the needle bearings, seals, and the two races. I couldn't figure out how to get the bottom of the tranny apart. I hope there's nothing in there that needs fiddling with.
I had a heck of a time getting the sliding collar thing (that has a second, thinner sliding collar thing on it) back on the tail section. Then tonight it just slid right in like buttah.