Yesterdays progress on my so far 3-1/2 year 8.8 project ...
While tightening the 8.8's cross pin lock bolt the cheesy socket I was using went "TING!" and split down the side. It slightly rounded the corners on the bolt head, but I was able to get a long neck six point box end on it and hit it with German torque in lieu of the originally intended 22 ft lbs. It's "Guten Tight" now.
Before putting the axles in I needed to flip the drivers parking brake adjuster so the star nut could be accessed through the hole in the backing plate. Rather than fighting the high tension springs, I used a leaf spring center bolt with a nut and a washer to spread the brake pads. I just slipped the slot on the leaf spring bolt head onto the edge of one brake shoe and the washer backed up by the nut against the edge of the other brake shoe. Then I was able to wrench the nut around as though loosening it, and it spread the brake shoes apart enabling me to remove the adjuster and flip it around.