Major accomplishment tonight... figured out how to get the damn thrust washer (that fell out during the rear restoration) back in...
The posi unit was in good shape and I replaced the outer axle bearings and seals, really did not want to pull the carrier, everything checked out for lash and play before I tore into it... was just about to put the c-clips back in after putting in the replacement axles and "clink" the washer fell out. Ironically there are a lot of people who reported online that this can happen but not many discussing how to get them back in other than voodoo and radical disassembly... turns out if you position things just right (and approach from the right side) they drop right back in. Whew