MY57BUICK,
You don't have to remove the rear end, but you need to move it back. The way I do it.
Remove the four bolts from the torque ball to rear shaft. Remove the e-brake cable from the torque tube & move it out of the way. Now use your bumper jack positioned with the hook of the jack catching/into the middle of the X in the frame. Put the other end on the e-brake bracket attached to the torque tube & position it so that the Y in the jack fits snuggly against the bracket. Now use the lug wrench to start jacking the rearend back. Watch the brake hose. IF it's not long enough you can stretch it slightly, but not to much. The torque tube by this time should have been moved back far enough & out of the u-joint enough to remove the torque ball plate & other parts nec. to do the replacement parts. IF you need to remove the u-joint there is a bolt in the middle holding it on.
I've done this so many times I've lost track.
Tom T.