Update: 1/12/08 (yes it's taken me this long) I finally took some time to try and get the rig running on the road again and did some work this week. I picked up the axles a while ago, and the races had spun at some point in the axle's life, and the jounals had to be machined, so I had Lincoln clean that up when they straightened the axle. $600 later, I have straight axles that are ready for life under my 4Runner (Sheeeeeesh). I took them to FAO in Vacaville to have the ring and pinion set up put back together in the diffs and checked for proper backlash and preload. With the machining Lincoln did, I had to have the carrier set up again in the 60. I now have the axles ready for paint and install. I'm changing out the races in the hubs today, and hope to have them installed under the truck tomorrow. Brake lines are next on the to-do list.
I asked Cliff what a home fabber can do to prevent warpage, and he said that "it's gonna warp no matter what you do". In a jig, it still warps, it just binds up around whatever you are using to jig it with (gettin' jiggey whit it... sorry cranial flatulation). Then you have to figure out how to warp it back to get the jig out... Weld it, then get it straightened... $100 USUALLY. Now I don't know if this is just him trying to keep business, or he's speaking truth... but it makes sense.