tired trucker

I'm still working the bugs out of my "new to me" 2010 F150 XLT with the 3.55LS. The rear axle seemed to have a bit of bearing play and was making a noise. I pulled the diff cover and the oil was like syrup and just as sticky. I pulled the axles so as to degunk the friction pads and that's when the spyders went for a walk. The problem now - is that there is not enough gap for the spyder shaft to slide between the axles. This also keeps the gears from meshing properly, preventing them from rolling back in. Each clutch pack has a dished washer to provide tension. ? My last resort is to put a come-a-long on each axle and pull the axles until the shaft clears. Has anybody experienced this problem or got a better idea?