[HDowse]

I pulled the transmission on my '37 pickup a few weeks ago. I left the spring on the axle and I did find it helpful to use a spring spreader to lower the arch of the spring. I supported the axle with a floor jack with a cross arm and pads that meet the axle just inboard of the backing plates. I strapped the axle to the cross arm with some tie down straps and pulled the jack back freeing the torque tube from the universal joint. It went pretty easily.