NetWRX you raise some interesting points. First, I am in totally agreement with you that the oil is supplied to the needle bearing via the inside of the lower shaft that they are on. I surmised as you indicated that there is a plastic cup of sorts that sit behind and is held in place by the gear bolted into the tail housing. I did indeed install that, though not visible in the pics. I was figuring that the bolted tail housing gear would throw enough oil up there that some would find its way into the cup and therefore the center of the shaft. What I did not consider is that the gear is no longer driven. Hmm, I will need to go think on this for a while. If you stare long enough eventually the parts speak to you...(I assume this happens to all of us right?)

So I was thinking that I was happy with the bolted adapter (Center diff part and the FF adapter bolted together) clearance. I spent a pretty decent amount of time contemplating and measuring what that looked like. I believe that it will be free to float back and forth on the splines about an 1/8th of an inch before contacting the shaft on the tail housing (bolted) gear. I was actually a bit worried about binding so was thinking this was perfect. As I mentioned this all came disassembled in a box so at first I was wondering how the adapter was going to stay on the shaft in the first place. I'm thinking out load again, but O suppose you might be able to cutoff the shaft that has the adapter to a proper length, thread the inside, and bolt a retaining washer on the end. This would enable you to completely remove the output shaft you spoke of reinstalling and the bolted in tail housing gear and then really no need for oil back there.....

I do also have that other circular whit plastic oil control ring which seemed useless without oil flowing through the second plastic channel. As you can tell I opted to put the plugs in the way FF suggested. There is another gentleman out here that cut the case a lot shorter and welded it up from the outside (Looks like a little chicken, they joked about that). I actually really like that approach and cutting the shaft, threading and securing the adapter might enable that a better. I will roominate some more and report back. Thanks for the additional thoughts, it really helps.

Rob T - awesome, thanks for the invite. I actually spend quite a decent amount of time at Lake Hartwell there on the boarder. I'll have to let you know the next time I go up there and maybe we can look at your ride. Very nice to know there are some footsteps ahead of me.