Dave, you are right, the weight is almost completely centered over the rear axel. The bell housing is just a huge empty tube all the way back to the gear box and you can easily support it with a floor jack. The front is a whole nother problem. When you disconnect it from the bell housing the engine wants to fall over to one side or the other. The axel pivots on the frame and there is nothing to keep it upright when it is unhooked. Before I unhook it I take two tie downs and attach the out on each end of the axel and the other end to the top of the engine. Then I cinch them down tight. When you disconnect the bell housing and pull it apart you now have a stable unit that you can just roll away. The rear is the easiest end to deal with because you can turn the rear tires easily by hand. When you put it back together and you get really close you can loosen one or the other of the tie downs to match the holes up evenly. This is just the way I do it and is by no means the only way but it works for me. Get everything out of your way and take your time and it is easier than most people think. Is the seal between the bell housing and the gearbox leaking? If it is give me a call and I have a good permanent fix for that. The good thing is that the 1500 and the 2000 are almost identical except for size. If you need any help feel free to call the shop anytime after 5:30 PST and I will help as much as I can. Have fun!
Buck