Any tips for axle housing removal?

They just unbolt. If you don't need to take the rear end completely out, don't. Just replace the uppers/lowers separately. It's a pain in the butt to get the diff back in the car once all of the control arms have been removed.

well I did it with just hand tools and a floor jack. Remove the shocks, sway bar, rubber brake line and the 4 bolts that hold the rearend to the arms and lower and wheel it out. Oh make sure you have the jack stands on the chassis not the rear end.

Allen

Are you painting the car or the chassis? Or the the rear itself? if the painting isn't being done under the car, don't even bother pulling the rear. It's a little bit of a hassle with a floor jack and hand tools, but VERY possible.
If the rear must come out, put two jacks under the frame rails in the rear, pretty much as high as you can go. Pull the E-Brake TIGHT and remove the driveshaft, shocks, and sway bar. Leave the wheels on the rear, and remove the LCA bolts at the rear side. Then unbolt the upper bolts (Frame or rear side), diconnect the brake line at the union, and wheel the rear out. Remove the CAs form the frame. Job done.